Colorado Republican sues Polis, House speaker over special session

A Colorado Republican lawmaker is asking a state judge to block a new tax credit increase from taking effect because, he alleges, the state House’s speaker violated constitutional procedure during last month’s special session on property taxes and other relief.

Rep. Scott Bottoms, of Colorado Springs, filed the suit in Denver District Court Thursday against Gov. Jared Polis and the House’s top Democrat, Speaker Julie McCluskie. Bottoms accused McCluskie of ignoring his request during the session that the tax credit bill, which will increase the Earned Income Tax Credit available to lower-income families, be read aloud in its entirety.

That procedure to request a bill be read in full is guaranteed under the state constitution and has been used as a delay tactic by House Republicans against the majority Democrats in recent years.

Bottoms is asking the court to block the law from taking effect and is seeking a declaration that his constitutional rights were violated. Polis’ and McCluskie’s offices did not comment before a story deadline Friday.

Bottoms made his request for the bill to be read aloud after McCluskie and other Democrats refused to recognize him during the special session’s second day on Nov. 18, essentially blocking him from speaking from the House floor.

Earlier that day, after pro-Palestinian protesters briefly interrupted the proceedings, Bottoms had risen to speak about unrelated legislation but used part of his time to criticize the protests. That ran afoul of House proceedings, since Bottoms wasn’t speaking about a bill. He spoke over McCluskie as she interrupted him for going off topic. McCluskie then directed Bottoms to leave the mic.

After that, Bottoms wasn’t recognized to speak.

According to the lawsuit, he later repeatedly requested the tax credit bill be read aloud. Those requests, he alleged, were rejected. The bill was later passed and signed into law by Polis.