Colorado General Assembly

THC driving bill, take three: Read draft language of proposed 2013 legislation

For the third year in a row, state lawmakers will be pushing for an official marijuana DUI limit, to curb what they say is an epidemic of stoned drivers that will only get worse with the passage of Amendment 64. Senator Steve King, a Western Slope Republican, is again sponsoring the legislation, whi ... More >>

Fracking haters and fans staging separate rallies in Boulder, Denver: What the frack?

With Democrats controlling both houses of the Colorado Legislature, Governor John Hickenlooper should have lots of common ground with lawmakers. But one topic is already creating cracks in any consensus: fracking. Hickenlooper has asked for a single set of state regulations that would govern the sta ... More >>

Amendment 64 pushes need for pot banks: Could tribal nations be the solution?

While Governor John Hickenlooper had a conference call with U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to talk about the federal response to the passage Amendment 64, and Mason Tvert, the architect of that victory, was chatting with Bill Maher, hundreds of people gathered in Denver for the National Marijuana ... More >>

Twenty years later, there's still much we don't know about Rocky Flats

Cool jobs: From the Colorado Legislature to Red Mango

Katie Reinisch managed to keep her cool through four years at the Colorado Legislature, when she was communications director for the Senate Democrats, so it's not surprising that she's having a blast running her own frozen-yogurt spot. "It's so fun, and I'm learning so much," she says. "I'm actually ... More >>

Frank McNulty kills civil unions bill, earns shmuck of the session

He looked shmucky enough at the end of the regularly scheduled session of the Colorado Legislature when he pointed the finger at Democrats for not pushing the civil unions bill earlier, then delivered his own lethal injection when he sent the proposal to a "kill committee." And then whoops, House S ... More >>

Reader: Why is Colorado regulating businessmodels for breweries?

It's the last day of the Colorado Legislature, and this session has definitely driven some people to drink -- and possibly move out of state. Breckenridge Brewery, which had been pushing for House Bill 1347, which would have allowed the company to grow in Colorado (craft breweries are currently capp ... More >>

Jerry Meekins's story shows why Spirit's schmucky no-refund policy won't fly

The same day that Spirit Airlines celebrated its return to Denver International Airport -- complete with hefty new fees for carry-on luggage -- its CEO, Ben Baldanza, was still carrying on about why the company is not refunding $197 to a 76-year-old, cancer-stricken vet too sick to fly. He recognize ... More >>

Medical marijuana registry-fund bill, industrial-hemp proposal take next steps

Even as Senator Steve King's proposed THC DUI bill is being debated this afternoonpassed through to the state House, two other state legislators are making one last push for their separate marijuana-related proposals with a little more than a week left before Colorado's General Assembly adjourns. ... More >>

McDonald's serves up a wholesome photo opportunity at the State Capitol Building today

Colorado legislators work hard, and apparently deserve a break today -- with a catered lunch from McDonald's, complete with the Ronald McDonald mascot. Representatives from America's favorite Quarter Pounder-pimps will be visiting the State Capitol at 11:30 this morning to "highlight its economic i ... More >>

Same-sex couples could get a belated valentine from Senate Judiciary committee

The Colorado Legislature has a date with cupid a day after Valentine's Day. At 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday, February 15, the Senate Judiciary Committee will consider the Colorado Civil Union Act in the old Supreme Court Chambers. The bill would provide same-sex couples the same legal protections and ben ... More >>

Laura Bradford: Denver Police apology for special treatment step toward openness

Update below: Yesterday's Denver Police news conference was among the odder in recent memory -- but also among the more welcome. The DPD's concession that Representative Laura Bradford had received special privileges rather than being busted for a DUI, and its willingness to offer details about how ... More >>

"Start-Up Colorado:" House Democrats announce job creation package

Colorado House Democrats and representatives from CU, CSU and Colorado Technology Association met with the press to introduce "Start-Up Colorado." The package brings together three jobs bills focusing on promoting small business growth.

Metro State College's identity crisis continues, no new name yet

​Metro State students are getting an unexpected lesson in just how hard it is to rebrand a beloved institution. Yesterday, the school's board voted to postpone by at least a month a final decision on a new name for Metropolitan State College.

How Walmart makes money off of high schools

Free 3.2 beer! It's time to issue a last call for the archaic contrivance of low-alcohol beer

3.2 beer was a way to get liquor quicker, but it's time to prohibit Prohibition beer

​The brewhaha at the Colorado Legislature is more heated than last call in LoDo. But all the testy talk avoids the real issue: 3.2 beer is stupid, and so are the laws that have been crafted around its outdated existence.

Wes McKinley says howdy at the State Capitol

Big pic below.​Representative Wes McKinley, a Democrat who represents District 64 in the southeastern corner of the state, could well be the most colorful lawmaker in the Colorado General Assembly, with a background that includes ranching, teaching and serving as the foreman of the Rocky Flats ... More >>

John Hickenlooper: The beer-flavored lesson for Colorado from Phantom Canyon Brewing Co.

Hickenlooper.​Beer was flowing (figuratively, at least) when John Hickenlooper offered his first address to the Colorado Legislature yesterday and told the story of a brewpub. Not the Denver-centric story of the Wynkoop Brewing Co., the iconic LoDo spot, but a venture that grew out of that pro ... More >>

Marijuana: Colorado Coalition for Patients and Caregivers takes on THC and driving

Robert Chase.​Last week, Representative Claire Levy talked about introducing legislation to establish standards for driving under the influence of marijuana. Colorado Coalition for Patients and Caregivers' Robert Chase, a well-known local marijuana advocate, opposes this notion, and in a lette ... More >>

If the GOP goes down the toilet, at least Republicans can get gigs regulating toilets in Colorado

Minor problem: The Colorado GOP could lose its official status as a major party

Mark Udall called Armenian genocide defector by advocacy group in candidate report card

Mark Udall.​In April, Senator Mark Udall marked the anniversary of the 1915 Armenian genocide with a strongly worded statement. But these words didn't satisfy Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates, an organization trying to get all members of the Colorado congressional delegation to support a national ... More >>

Hasan Family Foundation's trickle-down economics: Will Scott McInnis drown in them?

Ali Hasan.​Money can't buy you everything -- although it can certainly smooth the way for a while. The Hasan family fortune provided the base for the Hasam Family Foundation, which paid $300,000 to Scott McInnis for his "Musings on Water." And it also helped fuel the political ambitions of so ... More >>

The Downtown Denver Partnership may not like Pinche Tacos, but it's looking for other new vendors

Playing the name game with Denver's War on Terrorism Memorial

Wake-Up Call: Putting a lid on medical marijuana dispensaries

​Despite suggestions that he hold his horses and wait to see what the Colorado Legislature does, Charlie Brown pressed on with his proposal to regulate medical marijuana dispensaries in the city of Denver, and that proposal will go to a vote of the full council tonight, after a two-hour public ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Senator Chris Romer submits a bill for pot!

​State senator Chris Romer could have used some medical marijuana last night, to soothe the headache of dealing with all of yesterday's complaints over his just-released, 63-page bill to regulate the industry. Among its provisions: creating a state licensing authority to handle licenses for bo ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Romanoff on the range

​"What's he doing in the Senate?" "Why, it's an honorary appointment. He's an honorary stooge." Frank Capra's classic Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was on TCM yesterday afternoon -- just the thing to warm up the set (and the sofa) before Jake Cutler returned to Mile High, particularly given a ... More >>

The Week Ahead: A threepeat for East

Yes, the Nuggets are advancing, but Colorado can already claim a real winning team: the East High Constitutional Scholars, who just won the We the People contest in Washington, D.C. -- for the third year running. The high schoolers are already preparing to make it four in a row, but should be avai ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Nathan Ybanez gets his week in court

By June of 1998, sixteen-year-old Nathan Ybanez couldn't take it any more. So he called his friend, seventeen-year-old Eric Jensen, to get him out of the house. And he got out, all right: In separate trials, both boys were convicted of the murder of Julie Ybanez, as detailed in Luke Turf's "Headed ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: It's on to 2010

The Colorado Legislature just convened yesterday, with four months of hard work and tough budgeting choices ahead. So it's no surprise that in their off-hours, citizen lawmakers would rather ignore this new year altogether and go directly to 2010, which promises plenty of political surprises. Alrea ... More >>

Wake-Up Call: Countdown to a Senate nomination

At gatherings on New Year's Day, the talk was all about when Governor Bill Ritter will announce a new senator -- and, of course, just who his pick will be to replace Ken Salazar, Barack Obama's choice to head the Department of the Interior. Technically, there's no hurry; Salazar's confirmation hear ... More >>

The Pit and the Pendulum

Big Deal for Big Head Todd

The Hillary’s suddenly alive with the sound of good music.

Peer Pressure

CU students pitch in against alcohol abuse.

Return of the Native

Ben Nighthorse Campbell works in silver, but his future looks golden.

Off Limits

Bolder in Boulder

The Alternative Voter’s Guide

The Legislative Council’s ballot-analysis booklet has inspired so many fights, it should be called the black-and-blue book. Here’s our cure.

At Close Range

The Cherry Creek Shooting Center finds itself under the gun.

Best Correction in the Denver Post

Off Limits

Joke's on you

Man With a Plan

A Boulder women's center survives governor's attempts to abort funding.

Letters to the Editor

From the week of March 2

A Perfect Ten

The Colorado Legislature has its Ten Commandments.

A Heavy Load

Off Limits

Letters

Home Boys

The state orphanage sheltered almost 17,000 children over the years. That makes for one big family reunion.

FINDERS KEEPERS

HAVING YOUR ADDRESS REMOVED FROM PUBLIC RECORDS MAY NOT MAKE YOU AS ANONYMOUS AS YOU THINK.