The Cortez Journal

more Life in the Legislature

• Not much to offer political centrists

As the clock strikes midnight on Wednesday, the 2013 legislative session comes to a close. There will be a number of efforts seeking to sum up the work that we did and, depending on your political views, you'll likely be very pleased or extremely dissatisfied, with not much to offer to those who identify with the center of the political...

• So many bills, so little time

This is the last full week of the 2013 session. Still to be debated and voted on in the Senate are many weighty topics, some presented in lengthy bills of over 100 pages. Examples are dramatic changes to current law affecting elections, oil and gas development, and whether or not to repurpose the Fort Lyon veteran’s hospital into a...

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  My experience in the Legislature

Gun control, civil unions, school refinance, renewable energy, Medicaid expansion, single-payer health care, repeal of death penalty, comprehensive sex education, and, of course, marijuana regulation. These are just some of the bills I was confronted with my first year in the Colorado state Senate. I can sum up this experience in one word:...

• 'The pig in the python'

When people have asked me to describe this legislative session, often I find myself referring to the expression that it's been like "the pig in the python." There's so much being jammed through in a frantic hurry that it's caused a huge bulge like the pig swallowed by the python, eventually being digested down the python's body, but not pretty to...

• 'The pig in the python'

When people have asked me to describe this legislative session, often I find myself referring to the expression that it's been like "the pig in the python." There's so much being jammed through in a frantic hurry that it's caused a huge bulge like the pig swallowed by the python, eventually being digested down the python's body, but not pretty to...

• Youth advise state lawmakers

The Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) students make their second trip of the legislative session to the Capitol this week, and they've been busy preparing for their time with the legislators. The legislative youth council has capacity for 40 students from across the state and is officially recognized by the legislature to advise it on issues...

• A sad start to a busy legislative week

Last week brought life in the legislature face to face with the real world on a couple of different fronts.

• Every week, another volatile issue

Every week this session seems to feature a new high-profile and volatile issue to be debated. Last week, it was the start of the school finance bill. Colorado's approach to funding our schools has been incredibly complex and difficult to understand. There's a formula that takes into account many factors which then determines how much funding each...

• Guns, grouse are on locals' minds

Last week was busy with constituent contact as well as my regular legislative duties. A group of citizens participating in the Montrose Chamber's leadership program came to Denver to spend some time at the Capitol, observing the legislative process and meeting with elected officials. It was a great opportunity for me to hear their thoughts and...

• Gun bills will do nothing to improve public safety

We voted on the gun control bills on Monday and the bills now go back to the House, if they were amended in the Senate or, if unamended, they now go to the governor for his consideration. For those who still want to make their views known before the bills are signed into law, you should contact your state representative and the governor.