TheRepublic.com - Colorado state government News

Wildfire bills set for governor's signature

Thu, 23 May 2013 04:43:13 -0400

CORTEZ, Colorado - Wildfire prevention measures passed after Colorado's horrible wildfire season last year are expected to be signed into law Thursday by Gov. John Hickenlooper.

Iowa education director quits for Colorado job

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:25:15 -0400

DES MOINES, Iowa - As the state Legislature was nearing approval of significant changes to Iowa's public school system, the Iowa Department of Education director accepted a job Wednesday as superintendent of a Colorado school district.

Colorado lawmaker receiving White House honor

Wed, 22 May 2013 07:16:38 -0400

DENVER - A Colorado state senator is visiting the White House to receive an honor given to openly gay, lesbian and transgendered public officials.

Former RI Senate candidate runs for Colo. governor

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:40:07 -0400

PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island - Steve Laffey, a onetime Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Rhode Island, announced Tuesday he's running for governor of Colorado.

Colo. governor signs school funding overhaul

Tue, 21 May 2013 16:02:53 -0400

DENVER - Colorado educators looking for bold changes to how the state funds public education have part of the equation answered, with Gov. John Hickenlooper signing into law Tuesday a mammoth bill revising how state tax dollars should be used to fund public education.

Nov. trial set over threats sent to Colo. lawmaker

Mon, 20 May 2013 20:02:20 -0400

DENVER - A "not guilty" plea has been entered for a man accused of threatening a Colorado lawmaker as the Legislature debated gun control.

Theater attack prompts new Colo. mental health law

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:40:25 -0400

DENVER - Days after a gunman entered a suburban Denver movie theater, killing 12 moviegoers and injuring 70 others, Gov. John Hickenlooper and Colorado health officials began talking about revamping a state mental health system that had been devastated by budget cuts.

Breakfast after the bell signed into law in Colo.

Wed, 15 May 2013 17:27:15 -0400

COMMERCE CITY, Colorado - Some Colorado schools will be required to provide breakfast to students after the first bell of the day starting next school year.

New limits to Colo. business tax credit approved

Wed, 15 May 2013 15:48:05 -0400

DENVER - Limits on a Colorado tax credit aimed at spurring economic growth in distressed areas have been put into place.

Renewable energy protest continues in Colorado

Wed, 15 May 2013 04:08:05 -0400

JOHNSTOWN, Colorado - A group of farmers and rural lawmakers are keeping up protest efforts in hopes of getting Colorado's governor to veto a bill that could hike energy prices in rural Colorado.

Governor signs Colo. child welfare bills

Tue, 14 May 2013 16:48:38 -0400

DENVER - The governor has signed a package of bills revamping Colorado's child welfare system after criticism over several cases of children who died of abuse or neglect while under some form of state care in recent years.

Cellphone location without warrants becomes law

Mon, 13 May 2013 18:55:37 -0400

DENVER - Colorado authorities will have expanded access to cellphone locations without a warrant in cases of emergencies under a new law.

Shelter dogs, cats now Colo.'s official state pet

Mon, 13 May 2013 16:44:30 -0400

DENVER - Shelter dogs and cats are now Colorado's official state pet.

Colorado Medicaid expansion to be signed into law

Mon, 13 May 2013 07:14:14 -0400

DENVER - An expansion of Medicaid eligibility that is expected to add 160,000 adults to public health care assistance in Colorado is being signed into law.

Hickenlooper signs Colo. election rules overhaul

Fri, 10 May 2013 16:58:03 -0400

DENVER - A Colorado elections overhaul that includes same-day voter registration and mailing ballots to all voters has been signed into law.

Drilling critics mull next steps after defeats

Fri, 10 May 2013 11:37:16 -0400

DENVER - They packed committee hearings, waved signs and even publicly heckled Colorado's governor. But oil and gas drilling critics saw one political failure after another in the legislative session that ended this week.

Gov. Hickenlooper gets big wins in Colo. session

Thu, 09 May 2013 19:18:55 -0400

DENVER - As Gov. John Hickenlooper says goodbye to lawmakers for the year, he might want to send some of them thank-you cards - both for giving him what he wanted and for backing off from what he didn't.

Iowa education director finalist for Colorado post

Thu, 09 May 2013 17:37:58 -0400

DES MOINES, Iowa - Iowa Education Director Jason Glass is a finalist for a superintendent position at a Colorado school district that includes the ski resort town Vail.

Colorado politicians size up legislative victories

Thu, 09 May 2013 08:50:33 -0400

DENVER - Colorado lawmakers finished their official business long before their deadline of midnight last night. But they're still at work - sizing up accomplishments and failures from the legislative term.

Colo. session ends with gun laws, civil unions

Wed, 08 May 2013 20:46:25 -0400

DENVER - Colorado lawmakers concluded a historic session Wednesday that saw ruling Democrats exert their power to pass sweeping gun laws, same-sex civil unions, and in-state tuition for immigrants in the country illegally.

Colorado Editorial Roundup

Wed, 08 May 2013 15:56:19 -0400

A sampling of recent editorials from Colorado newspapers:

Expansion of DNA sampling fails in Colo.

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:12:20 -0400

DENVER - A proposal to expand DNA collection for some misdemeanor convictions in Colorado failed during the last days of the session because one of the sponsors couldn't get enough support for the measure.

Colo. House passes immigrant licenses

Tue, 07 May 2013 19:02:42 -0400

DENVER - Driver's licenses for immigrants living in Colorado illegally barely passed the state House.

Driving-stoned debate appears settled in Colo.

Tue, 07 May 2013 18:08:24 -0400

DENVER - Colorado's long, tortured debate over stoned driving came to a quiet end Tuesday when the state Senate gave final approval to a blood-limit standard they'd rejected several times before. The vote sends the driving-high measure to the governor's desk, who has long advocated for Colorado to join other states and set a blood level to determine marijuana impairment behind the wheel.

Uncertain future for Fort Lyon appears settled

Tue, 07 May 2013 00:19:03 -0400

DENVER - A plan to turn a former prison in southeast Colorado into a treatment center for the homeless appears to have cleared a final hurdle.