john hickenlooper

Senate Bill 11, which would allow civil unions in Colorado, had its first hearing today, before the Senate Judiciary Committee, and we hope it will have smooth sailing all the way to Gov. John Hickenlooper's desk. That would be a welcome contrast to the treatment the proposal received last session, when House leaders halted all business in the final hours and prevented final consideration of the bill.

The debate over whether Colorado should expand Medicaid eligibility under the federal health care reform law has been a much-discussed topic for the past seven months. As a result of the Supreme Court's ruling on the Affordable Care Act last summer, the decision on whether to expand Medicaid lies with each state. And that decision ultimately revolves around costs and benefits.

In Colorado, Gov. John Hickenlooper has announced plans to proceed with the expansion, and one direct benefit could be job-creation.

The General Assembly opened its 69th session on Wednesday, a mostly ceremonial day that featured speeches from the majority and minority leaders outlining their broad goals and policy objectives for the 120-day session.

Gov. John Hickenlooper presented his budget for 2012-13 today, and there was some good news, largely because of the slowly improving economy.

"Because of the hard work we did together in 2011 and 2012, the State's financial position is markedly improved," the governor said in a letter to the Joint Budget Committee. "Our plan reflects cautious optimism for Colorado's economy and a prudent, sustainable approach to managing the state's budget."

Here are some highlights as we see them:

April 25, 2012

The Honorable John Hickenlooper
Office of the Governor
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203-1792

Dear Gov. Hickenlooper:

Thank you for signing House Bill 12-1271, concerning juvenile direct file limitations.

We know it was a difficult decision.  But like you, we think the fact that it garnered broad bipartisan support despite the sometimes contentious debate signifies it is good policy that reflects the views of a wide range of Coloradans.

April 11, 2012

The Honorable John Hickenlooper
Office of the Governor
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203-1792

Dear Gov. Hickenlooper:

We are writing to encourage you to sign House Bill 1271, "Juvenile Direct File Limitations," into law. This bill would place limits and safeguards on the ability to directly file charges against youthful offenders in adult courts. It recognizes the large body of research showing that prosecuting teens as adults makes it less likely they will be rehabilitated and become productive members of society.

By By Andrew Carrera
Rocky Mountain Collegian

Financial aid programs supporting Colorado's low- to middle-income college students may soon be defunded to the tune of $30 million.

Gov. Hickenlooper suggested the cuts in his fiscal year 2012-2013 budget proposal, which was unveiled in early November. The budget will take effect July 2012, if approved by the state's congressional leaders.