The Colorado Independent

In Colorado, McNulty goes nuclear to kill civil unions

By John Tomasic | 05.09.12 | 9:49 am

DENVER– Outmaneuvered over the last six days in a legislative chess game centered on a gay-rights civil unions bill here, the Colorado Speaker of the House on Tuesday, the second-to-last day of the session, effectively turned over the board. Frank McNulty, a Republican from Highlands Ranch, walked out of the House at roughly 9 p.m. and stayed away for more than two hours, letting a recess run all the while and killing the civil unions bill and nearly 40 other bills in the process.

As legislative session ticks rapidly down, Colorado redistricting bills move forward

By Joseph Boven | 05.10.11 | 1:04 pm

DENVER– It’s closing time. The swing-state Colorado legislature has one day left in the regular session this year for Republicans and Democrats to come together and deliver a congressional redistricting plan to the governor. The Republican-controlled House managed to pass its version onto the Senate this morning and, after a stop-and-start filibuster that stretched into the wee hours last night, the Democratic-controlled Senate today moved its version forward for a final reading.

Health insurance exchange bill heads to governor

By Joseph Boven | 05.05.11 | 12:13 pm

A bill to create health insurance exchanges in Colorado passed out of the Senate today, becoming one of the few bills to make it through the fires of Tea Party and other conservative groups this year. While Republicans largely voted against the bill, it passed with no discussion in the Democratically controlled Senate and is now on its way to the governor’s desk.

Committee shelves bill to allow juvenile parole

By Joseph Boven | 03.30.11 | 2:21 pm

A bill that would have retroactively allowed those sentenced as juveniles to life in prison to be eligible for parole after 40 years was killed on concerns of constitutionality and victim’s rights.

THC DUI bill passes second reading in spite of spirited debate

By Joseph Boven | 03.22.11 | 2:28 pm

Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, was rebuffed today in her attempt to raise the per se level for marijuana impairment from 5 nanograms of THC to 9.

Fetal homicide bill killed by misinformation

By Joseph Boven | 03.17.11 | 5:18 pm

Misinformation ended the life of House Bill 1256 that would have made the willful killing of a fetus up to a 2nd degree felony in Colorado statutes, according to Republican prime sponsor Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs. Waller said emails he received made it clear the bill would become the focal point for a fight over abortion, a fight neither he nor others wanted this year.