Labor showdown Monday
The high-profile labor bill (HB 1072) that has dominated the legislature for the past two weeks gets a final vote in the Senate on Monday.
Then the pressure will be on Gov. Bill Ritter, who won his race against Republican Bob Beauprez in part because he campaigned as a pro-business, moderate Democrat. Although the governor said during his campaign that he would sign a bill modifying the Labor Peace Act, he has declined to comment directly on the proposal moving through the legislature.
“The fact of the matter is, this thing has not gotten to my desk,” the governor said. “We do not know how it looks. It has not gotten though the second house yet. And that’s as much as I can say about it.”
On Friday, the Colorado Contractors Association sent Ritter a letter reminding him it was the first major business association to endorse him, and urging him to forge a compromise.
“CCA members are deeply disappointed that the very prospect many in the business community most feared prior to the election – a de facto one-party monopoly of state government rising up to (do) labor’s bidding … is being realized,” the letter said.
Powering up renewables
Once that labor issue is out of the legislature, another area that lawmakers will turn their attention to is renewable energy.
Ritter and Democratic legislative leaders hope to move a package of bills promoting wind and solar power production and the potential economic development that could accompany those efforts.
This week’s highlights
Several bills are up for consideration in committees this week.
The House will debate a bill from Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, that would extend the “make my day” law. House Bill 1011 would let you kill someone without penalty at your business if the person instilled a “reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily injury.”
Colorado’s “make my day” law currently applies only to home invasions.
The Senate will consider a bill that would make it easier for counties to designate more open space. Senate Bill 98 from Senate President Joan Fitz-Gerald, D-Jefferson County, would allow an exemption on tax limits used to fund open space.
On Monday, Ritter is expected to sign his first bill, Senate Bill 1. The measure will allow the state to establish a discount generic drug program for Coloradans who lack health insurance.
The legislative calendars frequently change. To see the most up-to-date schedule, go to www.leg.state.co.us
