By Laura Snider (Contact)
Sunday, January 6, 2008
On Wednesday, 100 elected officials -- including nine people representing at least part of Boulder and Broomfield counties -- will file into the golden-domed state Capitol in Denver to gavel in the 2008 legislative session.
This spring, both the Democrats and the Republicans have the same issue at the top of their agendas.
"The No. 1 issue is certainly going to be health care," said House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder. "We're working on affordability and access."
The state's Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform, created in 2006, will give its final report to the General Assembly on Jan. 31, thrusting the costly issue into the forefront of the Republican's agenda as well. But the two parties will be dueling it out about the best way to move forward.
Madden said the Democrats' long-term focus is making sure all Coloradans are insured. First, though, she said the majority will try to get universal access for the state's 180,000 uninsured children.
Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, agreed that health care is a big-ticket item this session, but he said he wants to reduce the rules governing the system to fix the problem.
"I think that we've gone too far down the path of government control and regulation," Mitchell said. "Reforms need to do an about face and use a freer market rather than pressure it with more government micromanagement."
Both parties also will take a hard look at education, with Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, leading the charge for expanded preschool and full-day kindergarten programs.
"Almost all the experts agree, especially for the kids that are already lagging, that preschool and full-day kindergarten, if it's good quality, is really important," Pommer said.
The Republicans are trying to institute statewide graduation standards, including a push by Mitchell to require English proficiency before students can earn high school diplomas.
"We have been committing educational fraud for too long," Mitchell said. "It dis-serves the students and fails the purpose of education."
Mitchell also is wading into another hot-button topic: Gov. Bill Ritter's decision to let state workers form bargaining groups. Mitchell will introduce a bill attempting to repeal Ritter's executive order.
"He acted in the dark of night when the Legislature was out of session with his executive order," he said. "It'll probably be part of the early discussion this session."
Now entering his final session, term-limited Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, will sponsor bills close to many Boulderite's hearts with legislation designed to reduce the price of textbooks and create rebates for solar power. He also plans to co-sponsor a bill to amend Colorado's adverse possession law, which is at the heart of a headline-making land dispute in south Boulder.
Another Democratic Boulder legislator, Rep. Claire Levy, is backing bills that would boost energy efficiency and make it more difficult to try 14- and 15-year-olds as adults in the court system.
And, of course, if the 11 senators and 56 representatives hoping to retain their seats this fall want the November election to happen at all, legislators will have to deal with the recent decertification of many of the state's voting machines, including some used in Boulder County.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Laura Snider at 303-473-1327 or sniderl@dailycamera.com.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
On Wednesday, 100 elected officials -- including nine people representing at least part of Boulder and Broomfield counties -- will file into the golden-domed state Capitol in Denver to gavel in the 2008 legislative session.
This spring, both the Democrats and the Republicans have the same issue at the top of their agendas.
"The No. 1 issue is certainly going to be health care," said House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder. "We're working on affordability and access."
The state's Blue Ribbon Commission on Health Care Reform, created in 2006, will give its final report to the General Assembly on Jan. 31, thrusting the costly issue into the forefront of the Republican's agenda as well. But the two parties will be dueling it out about the best way to move forward.
Madden said the Democrats' long-term focus is making sure all Coloradans are insured. First, though, she said the majority will try to get universal access for the state's 180,000 uninsured children.
Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, agreed that health care is a big-ticket item this session, but he said he wants to reduce the rules governing the system to fix the problem.
"I think that we've gone too far down the path of government control and regulation," Mitchell said. "Reforms need to do an about face and use a freer market rather than pressure it with more government micromanagement."
Both parties also will take a hard look at education, with Rep. Jack Pommer, D-Boulder, leading the charge for expanded preschool and full-day kindergarten programs.
"Almost all the experts agree, especially for the kids that are already lagging, that preschool and full-day kindergarten, if it's good quality, is really important," Pommer said.
The Republicans are trying to institute statewide graduation standards, including a push by Mitchell to require English proficiency before students can earn high school diplomas.
"We have been committing educational fraud for too long," Mitchell said. "It dis-serves the students and fails the purpose of education."
Mitchell also is wading into another hot-button topic: Gov. Bill Ritter's decision to let state workers form bargaining groups. Mitchell will introduce a bill attempting to repeal Ritter's executive order.
"He acted in the dark of night when the Legislature was out of session with his executive order," he said. "It'll probably be part of the early discussion this session."
Now entering his final session, term-limited Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, will sponsor bills close to many Boulderite's hearts with legislation designed to reduce the price of textbooks and create rebates for solar power. He also plans to co-sponsor a bill to amend Colorado's adverse possession law, which is at the heart of a headline-making land dispute in south Boulder.
Another Democratic Boulder legislator, Rep. Claire Levy, is backing bills that would boost energy efficiency and make it more difficult to try 14- and 15-year-olds as adults in the court system.
And, of course, if the 11 senators and 56 representatives hoping to retain their seats this fall want the November election to happen at all, legislators will have to deal with the recent decertification of many of the state's voting machines, including some used in Boulder County.
Contact Camera Staff Writer Laura Snider at 303-473-1327 or sniderl@dailycamera.com.
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