— Gov. Bill Ritter signed an executive order establishing a preferred drug list, a necessary step for entering a multistate purchasing pool for pharmaceuticals. Supporters say the pool would save money on drugs for Medicaid clients and help Coloradans who don’t qualify for Medicaid but can’t afford prescriptions or insurance.
— Ritter signed his first bill, a measure that could provide up to 264,000 people with discounts on prescription drugs by allowing the state to negotiate lower prices for generic drugs.
— Ritter vetoed a measure that would have made it easier to set up all-union workplaces, angering labor leaders. Ritter said he was satisfied with the bill but not with the process that led to its passage, arguing the debate should have been broader. Business leaders had complained they were excluded from the discussions.
— Lawmakers have introduced a number of measures to promote renewable energy, a key promise made by Ritter and Democrats during their campaigns. The bills would require large utilities to generate up to 20 percent of their electricity from renewable sources by 2020, help energy companies build or upgrade transmission lines and provide incentives for home and business owners to install their own renewable electric systems.
— Lawmakers have been unable to agree on measures to clear up confusion over what is banned by Amendment 41, a voter-approved constitutional amendment imposing strict ethical rules.
— The House approved and sent to the Senate a measure that would require energy companies to minimize the impact of drilling on surface owners, despite objections a provision allowing trespass lawsuits against the companies was too strict.
