Defendants in Colorado sexual assault cases soon will be prohibited from using what a victim was wearing or a victim’s hairstyle as evidence of consent. Lt. Gov. Dianne Primavera, who is the acting governor this week, signed House Bill 1072 Wednesday afternoon. The bipartisan legislation is aimed at strengthening protections for sex assault victims in … Read more
A bill in the Colorado legislature, filed in response to reports that patients were confused when a company they’d never heard of sued them over medical debts, would limit how collection agencies can pursue payment. HB-1380, which passed the state House on Wednesday, would require debt collectors operating in the state to disclose who initially … Read more
The Republican Party in Colorado is having a crisis of confidence, facing increasing calls from within for Chairman Dave Williams to step down following a raucous GOP assembly last weekend and, in the days that followed, bitter infighting in full view. Huerfano County Republican leadership in southern Colorado this week signed a letter demanding Williams … Read more
Denver voters this fall may be asked to decide whether park rangers, human services caseworkers, city planners and a wide swath of other municipal employees should have the right to unionize and negotiate labor contracts with the city. The move, long sought by labor interests in Denver, has gained steam with backing from four City … Read more
This week will bring a major mid-March milestone in the Colorado legislature’s quickening sprint toward the end of the 120-day session. The Joint Budget Committee, which is in the process of writing the budget for the next fiscal year, which starts in July, will hear the final economic forecasts before lawmakers debate and vote on … Read more
Homeowners associations’ foreclosure filings on thousands of Coloradans’ houses over unpaid fines and fees have spurred fresh attempts by lawmakers to better regulate HOAs and metropolitan districts with the hope of preventing more people from losing their homes. Lawmakers have introduced several reform bills that would restrict foreclosures from delinquent fees and require HOAs and … Read more
Democratic state legislators on Thursday rolled out an ambitious suite of bills aimed at improving the Front Range’s air quality — among the worst in the nation — by taking specific aim at the oil and gas industry. The three bills will focus on curbing toxic emissions from oil and gas drilling sites by changing … Read more
From the moment the Colorado General Assembly’s leaders gaveled their chambers into session Wednesday, they acknowledged the undercurrent of acrimony that’s seeped ever more deeply into state politics. The Capitol’s two top Democrats touted past achievements and pledged to do more this year, but they also made repeated references to social media eroding civility. They … Read more
More than 50 current and former elected officials, community leaders, religious leaders and representatives of nonprofit groups called Thursday for Colorado’s congressional delegation to push more forcefully for a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas to stop the killing of civilians. “We must demand a cease-fire,” State Rep. Iman Jodeh said on the west steps of … Read more
State Rep. Said Sharbini, a Brighton Democrat, is resigning just a year into his term, he said Monday — making him the second freshman lawmaker to quit this month. Sharbini cited the political “vitriol” at the Capitol and low pay for the long hours required of lawmakers. Legislators whose terms began in January, including Sharbini, … Read more
