Colorado

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Colorado

RMN LEGISLATIVE SESSION REWIEW WORTH SHARING

On May 5, 2007 the Rocky Mountain News editorial focused on their view of the 2007 legislative session. Their take is instructive about the pluses and minuses that came out after the 115 day session which ended five days early, a record. First and foremost, the environmental agenda and moving toward a new energy economy took front stage and was largely successful, although the real effects will not be felt for years or decades. The success of that agenda fulfills campaign pledges that helped Democrats route the field last November. The Rocky’s views on the balance of actions taken follows.

Positive Accomplishments

· Bringing more consistency to the state’s smoking laws by banning the practice in casinos.

· Repealing a Depression-era law that outlawed certain forms of discount pricing for gasoline.

· Shoring up funding for the CU medical center.

· Requiring minors on motorcycles to wear helmets.

· Allowing RTD to charge commuters who live outside the district for parking in their lots.

· Protecting health-care whistle blowers against employer retaliation.

· Requiring the state to divest from Sudan.

· Defining when special districts can go to the ballot so they don’t try to sneak measures by the voters.

Bad Judgment

· Ignored the plain language of Amendment 41 and instructed an ethics commission to dismiss complaints that are clearly valid under the constitution.

· Set up homeowners for future property tax hikes by repealing a state law that had protected them.

· Weakened requirements for state ID’s and thus opened the door to more pervasive identity fraud.

· Gave trial lawyers more leverage in lawsuits against homebuilders.

· Set a terrible precedent on workers comp by stipulating that it will cover most cancers afflicting firefighters even if they can’t be linked to the job.

· Considered numerous bills that would inflict needless regulation on a variety of professions and passed a few.

Finally, it was noted that a couple of issues, creating a rainy day fund in the budget and reforming the citizen initiative process so that activists prefer statutory proposals over constitutional amendments, were largely ignored.