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Lawmakers busy with start of new session

It has been a very busy time since the election, Nov. 4.

I had to be in Denver on the night of Nov. 5 for a meeting with the house Republican Caucus and attended full-day legislator orientation sessions Nov. 6-7 with the Legislative Council staff and the Office of Legislative Legal Services, which house invaluable nonpartisan employees who work at the Capitol and help legislators with research – in writing bills, in answers to constituents and with many other functions.

I also attended orientation sessions Nov. 18-Nov. 20 and Dec. 9-10. It was very good to meet newly elected legislators in both the House and the Senate and to get the perspective of both party’s leadership; I was impressed everybody put politics aside to do what’s best for Colorado. The problem is: There can be a philosophical difference between parties and even within parties as to what is best for our state.

The House is controlled by the Democrats. The Speaker of the House is Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, and the Majority Leader is Crisanta Duran. I consider both friends and consider them very reasonable. I pray that they will allow a good discussion of the issues and not purposely send bills to the “kill committee” (also known as the Veterans and State Affairs Committee) just because the sponsor is a Republican.

To get bills passed in a timely manner, legislators have a very strict schedule of deadlines. All legislators are allowed to run up to five bills. New legislators must have three bill titles into the bill drafters by Dec. 15.

Two of my bill titles were the repeal of two gun bills passed in the last legislative session. These bills did not have any Republican support, and Colorado sheriffs are suing because they believe the bills are unenforceable.

Also, I submitted a title for a bill to repeal or amend Senate Bill 252, which doubled the renewable mandate for rural electric cooperatives and substantially will raise the cost of electricity.

I was notified that all three of those bills were duplicate bills that other Legislators were sponsoring, so I made the decision to let them run those bills, while I will be a prime cosponsor.

I will be running a bill to allow for the registration, licensing and insuring of off-highway vehicles, a bill to reduce mandates on school districts and a bill that will define hydroelectricity as a renewable energy. Our last two bill titles had to be submitted by Jan. 13. Those bill titles are one, using some of this year’s severance tax money for water storage and two, highway funding.

I want to congratulate state Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, on her election as president pro tem of the Colorado Senate. Ellen has been very helpful to me, and I will sponsor some of her bills in the House. It is an honor to represent the 59th House District of Colorado.

J. Paul Brown represents House District 59 in Colorado’s General Assembly. The district encompasses Archuleta, Hinsdale, La Plata, Ouray, San Juan counties and part of Gunnison County. Reach him at jpaul.brown.house @state.co.us.



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