Muscle for state auditor
The Legislative Audit Committee on Tuesday turned the heat up on the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The committee – without mentioning the department – passed a motion that would let its staff use subpoena power to gather information if necessary.
The committee also called for a bill that would reassert the state auditor’s ability to gather confidential information from a state department.
State auditors and lawmakers on the committee declined to discuss an ongoing audit, but officials at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment acknowledged they are the target.
In December, the auditor’s office began a review of the state’s oversight of nursing homes and requested complaints and injury reports. The department of public health said such documents contained confidential information that could not be released to the auditor.
School flag policy OK’d
The House gave final approval to a proposal that would require all school districts to adopt policies complying with a state law that protects the right of students to display flags. Districts that don’t comply would risk losing their accreditation. The proposal was included in the annual school finance bill, which now heads to Gov. Bill Owens.
In other action
The House approved House Bill 1092, a measure that would make possession of sexually explicit photos of children a felony. The measure now goes to the Senate.
The Senate voted 33-2 to give final approval to a bill that would require law enforcement agencies to tell federal immigration agents whenever they arrest a suspected illegal immigrant. Senate Bill 90 also would deny state funds to cities that discourage or prevent police officers from working with federal immigration authorities. Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, and Sen. Paula Sandoval, D-Denver, voted against it. It now heads to Gov. Bill Owens.
The Senate sent Senate Bill 185, which would require that 75 percent of the gasoline sold in the state contain at least 10 percent ethanol, back to the Appropriations Committee. Opponents claim it might cost the state a lot more to fill up its fleet with the blended gasoline.
