150 bills introduced on opening day

Proposed legislation deals with abortion, lies, funeral homes

By John J. Sanko, Rocky Mountain News
January 9, 2003

State lawmakers proved Wednesday they've got more than money problems and drought on their minds as they battle to shape up Colorado laws and life this year.

On the opening day of the 2003 session, more than 150 bills were introduced in the Senate and the House - measures on such issues as guns, funeral homes, job protection for firefighters and restrictions on jobs for former legislators.

There's even a bill aimed at stopping political candidates and others from voicing bald-faced lies during a campaign.

Shortly before 2:30 p.m., when Senate President John Andrews, R-Centennial, gave committee assignments to the last of 62 bills to cross his desk, the staff members and few lawmakers still in the chambers applauded.

In the House, Speaker Lola Spradley, R-Beulah, worked even longer. She assigned the last of 89 bills just 15 minutes later.

One of the bills Andrews assigned for a committee hearing was his own - SB 36 - requiring that high school students successfully complete a course on civil government of the United States and Colorado in order to graduate.

Andrews fought a losing battle last year for legislation to force the teaching of patriotism and to require students to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

The state already requires schools to teach history, culture and civil government. He wants to make sure students actually know something about civil government.

"It does not say it's a graduation requirement, so it's a toothless requirement in the law right now," Andrews said. "We're putting some teeth in it with my law."

Sen. Mark Hillman, R-Burlington, introduced SB 14 which makes it easier to prosecute people who make, publish, broadcast, or circulate false statements about a candidate or issue.

It's similar to a law he introduced a year ago that won support in the Senate but died in the House State Affairs Committee.

"Under current law, in order to show someone is guilty of lying in a campaign, you have to show they set out with the intent to lie," Hillman said.

"Under this change, you would simply have to show someone made absolutely no attempt to discern what the truth is. I believe this would be much more effective than trying to clean up campaigns by getting money out of them."

Among the other first-day bills were:

• SB 44, by Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, barring lawmakers from working as paid lobbyists for the first year after they leave the legislature.

• SB 40, by Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Golden, providing job protection for any public employees who take a leave of absence from their regular job to fight designated wildland fires.

• HB 1064, by Rep. Debbie Stafford, R-Aurora, requiring funeral establishments to register with the state and to comply with the "Mortuary Science Code."

• HB 1022, by Rep. Dave Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs, requiring abortion clinics to be licensed by the state health department and directing the state health board to enact rules governing abortion clinics. The bill by Schultheis, an abortion opponent, outlines many of the requirements to be addressed in the rules.

• SB 24, by Sen. Ken Chlouber, R-Leadville, setting up a statewide requirement for sheriffs to issue conceal-carry permits for Colorado residents, 21 and older, who meet certain qualifications.

• SB 28, by Sen. Doug Linkhart, D-Denver, adding sexual orientation and gender variance to anti-discrimination laws for employers.

• SB 1, by Sen. Bruce Cairns, R-Aurora, providing a property-tax credit for donors to organizations that provide assistance for students to attend independent or parochial schools.

• HB 1044, by Rep. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora, making it easier to go after motorists who avoid paying tolls, including denial of drivers license renewals for those with default judgments for toll evasion.

• HB 1037, by Rep. Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, expanding the list of those who must immediately report suspected cases of child abuse or neglect to workers in child-care facilities and child-placement agencies.

• HB 1032, by Rep. John Pommer, D-Boulder, requiring school boards to approve a district's application to participate in the interest-free loan program overseen by the state treasurer. The bill stems from problems in the St. Vrain Valley School District.