Colorado lawmakers to weigh removing state’s same-sex marriage ban

A defunct provision of the Colorado Constitution that limits marriage to between a man and a woman may finally be stripped from the state’s guiding document under a proposed amendment introduced in the state Senate. The resolution, filed late last week by Sen. Joann Ginal, a Fort Collins Democrat, requires support from two-thirds of state … Read more

Colorado lawmakers kill supervised drug-use sites bill in Senate

Colorado lawmakers have again rejected a bill that would have allowed supervised drug-use sites to open in willing cities — the third time in a year legislators have killed the proposal. On Thursday night, two Democratic senators joined with the Senate Health and Human Service Committee’s three Republicans in voting to kill House Bill 1028, … Read more

Colorado Gov. Polis signs “for-cause” eviction protections into law

Gov. Jared Polis signed “for-cause” eviction protections into law Friday, making Colorado the sixth U.S. state to enact the policy that’s aimed at blunting displacement of vulnerable tenants. The law, passed by the legislature late last month, effectively gives tenants a right of first refusal to renew their leases. That protection, supporters say, will insulate … Read more

Colorado lawmakers plan return of criminal justice commission

Colorado legislators are working to launch two commissions that will help shape criminal justice policy statewide into the near future, an effort that’s drawn the praise of policymakers while reigniting the same simmering tensions that helped sink a predecessor last year. Under recommendations issued last month by a working group convened by Gov. Jared Polis, … Read more

Colorado lawmakers bow to fire chiefs on single-stair apartments bill

Facing a wall of opposition from fire officials, Colorado lawmakers on Wednesday killed a bill that would have allowed taller apartment buildings to be constructed in a single-stair style that’s common in Europe. House Bill 1239, had it passed, would have allowed developers in Colorado to build five-story buildings around a single stairway, rather than … Read more

Colorado wants to regulate use of common police holds that lead to deaths

Colorado lawmakers advanced a bill Tuesday that would target law enforcement’s use of a common hold called prone restraint for stronger regulation, though they scaled back initial plans for broader limitations. The bill concerns a practice that law enforcement has said is common and necessary but which has come under fire from advocates for police … Read more

Colorado U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse elected to senior House leadership role

Colorado’s U.S. Rep. Joe Neguse was elected Wednesday by his colleagues to serve as the assistant Democratic leader in the House. Neguse, a third-term congressman representing Boulder and north-central Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District, is now fourth in the leadership pecking order, behind Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries and the Democrats’ whip and caucus chair. Neguse replaces … Read more

Assault weapons ban, housing, excited delirium in Colorado legislature

After last week was disrupted by the snowpocalypse, the Colorado Capitol is back on track this week, and it’s kicking off the latter half of March with what will almost certainly be the longest committee hearing of the session. A bill to ban the purchase and transfer of so-called assault weapons (HB24-1292) is set for … Read more

Colorado House passes bill to ease cellphone repairs

Coloradans would have an easier time repairing cellphones and other personal electronic devices under a bill passed by the state House on Tuesday, the latest in a slew of “right-to-repair” legislation considered in recent years here. House Bill 24-1121 would require manufacturers of various personal electronic equipment — like cellphones and video game consoles — … Read more

Money begins flowing into Colorado Democratic primaries as legislators pick sides

Hundreds of thousands of dollars already are being dumped into Democratic primary elections for several safe statehouse seats, including an unprecedented trend of sitting Democratic legislators giving money to their colleague’s opponent. Across 10 contested Democratic primaries along the Front Range, for instance, more than $1.1 million already has been raised ahead of the June contest, according … Read more