Here's a misleading story from the Associated Press. This version is from KJCT8 in Grand Junction.
The 50-13 roll call by which the Colorado House adopted a measure (House Bill 1292) to regulate the oil and gas industry on Friday.
Voting yes were 36 Democrats and 14 Republicans.
Voting no were 1 Democrat and 12 Republicans.
Democrats voting yes: Dennis Apuan, Colorado Springs; Debbie Benefield, Arvada; Terrance Carroll, Denver; Edward Casso, Thornton; Lois Court, Denver; Kathleen Curry, Gunnison; Mark Ferrandino, Denver; Randy Fischer, Fort Collins; Jerry Frangas, Denver; Sara Gagliardi, Arvada; Gwyn Green, Golden; Dicky Lee Hullinghorst, Longmont; Joel Judd, Denver; John Kefalas, Fort Collins; Andrew Kerr, Lakewood; Jeanne Labuda, Denver; Claire Levy, Boulder; Elizabeth McCann, Denver; Buffie McFadyen, Pueblo West; Anne McGihon, Denver; Michael Merrifield, Manitou Springs; Karen Middleton, Aurora; Joe Miklosi, Denver; Sal Pace, Pueblo; Cherylin Peniston, Westminster; Jack Pommer, Boulder; Dianne Primavera, Broomfield; Joe Rice, Littleton; James Riesberg, Greeley; Sue Ryden, Aurora; Christine Scanlan, Silverthorne; Sue Schafer, Wheat Ridge; John Soper, Thornton; Nancy Todd, Aurora; Edward Vigil, Fort Garland; Paul Weissmann, Louisville.
Democrats voting no: Wes McKinley, Walsh.
Republicans voting yes: David Balmer, Centennial; Bob Gardner, Colorado Springs; Cheri Gerou, Evergreen; Jim Kerr, Littleton; Marsha Looper, Calhan; Don Marostica, Loveland; Mike May, Parker; Frank McNulty, Highlands Ranch; Kevin Priola, Henderson; Ellen Roberts, Durango; Amy Stephens, Monument; Ken Summers, Lakewood; Spencer Swalm, Centennial; Glenn Vaad, Mead.
Republicans voting no: Cindy Acree, Aurora; Randy Baumgardner, Hot Sulphur Springs; Laura Bradford, Collbran; Cory Gardner, Yuma; Steve King, Grand Junction; Kent Lambert, Colorado Springs; Larry Liston, Colorado Springs; Carole Murray, Castle Rock; B.J. Nikkel, Loveland; Jerry Sonnenberg, Sterling; Scott Tipton, Cortez; Mark Waller, Colorado Springs.
The story is of interest in Grand Junction because some people there, and the local newspaper, erroneously blame the rules for the loss of oil and gas jobs.
The story is misleading because HB09-1292 isn't a bill about regulating the oil and gas industry. It's the annual Rule Review bill.
The legislature passes laws, then the state departments write more detailed rules to implement the laws. The rules have to be both constitutional and within the scope of the authority the legislature gave to the agency to make rules.
Each year we run a bill that's essentially our review of all of the rules that changed during the previous year. We can add or delete a rule if we believe it goes beyond what we intended in the law.
The Rule Review bill is rarely controversial. This year it is because, among the new rules, are those that implement a couple of bills we passed to protect people, property, wildlife and the environment from oil and gas operations. The oil and gas industry hates the rules and wants us to wipe out some of them.
Among those listed as voting for the bill are Reps. Bob Gardner and Ellen Roberts, who led the thoughtful, intelligent and reasonable effort to eliminate a few of the rules. Ellen is from the West Slope.
They made a specific point of saying that most of the rules in the Rule Review bill are appropriate and that many are necessary. Although they disagree with a few of the oil and gas rules, they didn't let that keep them from supporting the the bill and all of the other rules.
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