Tag: Amy Stephens

Colorado House Majority Leader Amy Stephens is feeling the heat – not from sweltering summer temperatures but instead from the sizzling tempers of Republican "anarchists" who think the Monument legislator has violated conservative and constitutional values. They seem bent on anointing a warrior to defeat Stephens in 2012 – the frontrunner is Kanda Calef.

Monday marked the first day of meetings to implement the new Colorado Health Benefit Exchange – one of the most controversial bills to make it through both chambers of the State Legislature last session. But it’s clear that Republicans, many of whom voted against the bill, still see it as a hedge against the evils of the federal Affordable Health Care Act, which they derisively refer to as “Obamacare.”

Former President George W. Bush's chief of staff and senior adviser Karl Rove was greeted by right-wing protesters Wednesday evening at the annual Lincoln Dinner in Colorado Springs, a fundraiser for the El Paso County Republican Party.

Gov. John Hickenlooper today signed the Colorado Health Benefits Exchange bill into law. One of the more controversial bills to make it through both chambers this year, the bill enables Colorado to become one of the first states with its own health care exchange.

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.

Colorado Consumer Health Initiative Executive Director Dede de Percin released this statement in support of the health exchange bill passed by the Colorado House Tuesday:

SB 200, Colorado's health insurance exchange bill, christened "Amycare" after House sponsor Amy Stephens by its detractors, was rushed through committee in a two-day sprint that ended with it exiting the house on a 44-21 vote. The bill's passage came under threats of recalls for Republicans voting for the bill.

Republicans attacked a bipartisan bill to set up a health benefit exchange in Colorado with a 3rd reading poison-pill amendment Wednesday while calling the bill an extension of the Federal program. Democrats voting to pass it said that the bill was anything but that.

House Republican leadership has sent a letter to the Colorado Congressional delegation that calls for an end to federal Medicaid mandates. The letter from Speaker of the House Frank McNulty and Majority Leader Amy Stephens, R- Monument, calls on the delegation to work with the state to find a Colorado solution.

A tentative budget agreement was struck between Senate Democrats and House Republicans this morning after Democrats agreed to satellite legislation that has been the sticking point for Republicans.