Owens breaks out veto pen
Gov. Bill Owens vetoed his first two bills of the year Thursday.
His first veto came on House Bill 1005, which would have allowed school districts to seek voter approval to raise property taxes to fund full-day kindergarten.
As the economy recovers, Owens wrote in his veto letter, “government should not be seeking to increase the tax burden on hardworking Coloradans.”
He also vetoed an education licensing bill, House Bill 1023.
Owens wrote that he disagreed with a provision that would have placed additional credentialing requirements on aspiring principals from non-academic backgrounds.
He wrote that such a move would be a deterrent to those seeking the job.
Last year, Owens vetoed 47 bills – a record for a modern Colorado governor.
Contract oversight targeted
Two bills to tighten oversight of government contracting were given preliminary approval in the Senate on Thursday.
Senate Bill 63 would require the state technology office to sign off on the management of major computer projects. Senate Bill 64 would create a more detailed evaluation system for state contracts.
The bills now face a final vote in the Senate.
Plush equine’s abuse decried
Agriculture Commissioner Don Ament jokingly reprimanded Democratic Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon and Republican Sen. Steve Johnson for using a stick to strike a toy stuffed horse during debate.
Ament took Gordon to task Thursday for his “illegal, insensitive and downright mean” actions.
That led Johnson to quip, “If (Wednesday) was the last time we beat a dead horse in this chamber, it was worth it.”
In other action
The Senate health committee passed a measure 6-1 Thursday (Senate Bill 198) that would require that a standardized contract be used between doctors and health insurance companies.
Health care professionals on Thursday publicly thanked lawmakers for approving a measure that would exempt them from being charged with manslaughter if a patient they’re treating with pain-management drugs dies. Senate Bill 102 is headed to the governor.
