Hello everyone,
The legislature is back! On Wednesday, the 75th Colorado General Assembly convened for its 120-day regular session. The first few days of each session follow a typical routine (a lot of speeches and pomp and circumstance). While we did not see the protests and disruptions we saw last year, there was still at least one first. Soon after the House convened, two Republican representatives challenged the certification of November’s election results based on the Secretary of State’s Office leak of voting machine passwords. Multiple investigations found that no voting machines had been tampered with. After a short delay, the results were certified but not without six House Republicans voting no. The Senate certified the November election without any objection.
As was the case two years ago, those same two representatives also challenged the reelection of Speaker of the House Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon). Historically, the Speaker is elected by acclamation after having been chosen by the majority party in November. However, this year after Speaker McCluskie was nominated to serve another two years, a Republican representative nominated House Minority Leader Rose Pugliese (R-Colorado Springs). With the current makeup of the House being 42 Democrats and 22 Republicans, Speaker McCluskie easily won reelection with all Democrats voting for her and all Republicans voting for Minority Leader Pugliese.
On Thursday, Governor Polis gave his seventh State of the State speech. As with the speeches of each of the four caucus leaders on Wednesday, increasing affordability was a big theme. Governor Polis also mentioned boosting Colorado’s emergency dispatch system. In addition, he called on the legislature to quickly implement Proposition 130 to ensure the family of Officer Evan Dunn, the Golden police officer who was struck and killed while responding to a traffic accident on Highway 58, receives the $1 million benefit for line-of-duty deaths established in Proposition 130. Officer Dunn was killed on November 6th, one day after voters approved Proposition 130.
On Friday, the Chief Justice of the Colorado Supreme Court, Monica Marquez, gave her State of the Judiciary speech. Justice Marquez highlighted the judiciary’s top legislative priority which asks for 29 additional judges. However, this will be a tough ask given the bleak budget situation.
The relaxed legislative pace will likely continue next week as all but one committee will be holding their annual SMART Act hearings instead of considering bills. So far, there have been 126 bills introduced – 78 in the House and 48 in the Senate. Only 115 more days until the General Assembly adjourns sine die on May 7th.
Bill Skewes
Lobbyist