DENVER-
Now that the Legislature is over, Gov. Bill Ritter Monday said he wants more discussion on bills that concern him, including a bill that opponents say would significantly weaken the identity documents required to get a Colorado driver’s license.
“We have things on our desk that we’re looking at, things where we’ve heard from both sides and I want some additional conversation on that. I’m just not going to prejudge anything right now,” Ritter said at a meeting with reporters to review the legislative session that ended on Friday.
Ritter said he has 30 days after the end of the session to discuss controversial legislation, including the license identity bill (House Bill 1313).
Secretary of State Mike Coffman has urged Ritter to veto the bill, saying the documents required could be easily altered or reproduced with a personal computer. Documents included in the bill include a driver’s license issued by another state, a signed Social Security card, a military ID card, a Colorado or federal tax return, a marriage or divorce certificate, an adoption decree or proof of life or health insurance.
Ritter said there has been an active campaign urging him to veto the bill. He said he is concerned because it takes away some of the power he has as governor deciding how the law will be carried out.
“Part of the issue is there was once rulemaking authority under the Department of Revenue, and now the bill defines what documents are acceptable in deciding whether a person gets a Colorado license or Colorado identification card, and so those things are now the province of legislation,” Ritter said.
Ritter also said he has concerns about a bill (House Bill 1139) that would require more severance tax money be spent in areas directly affected by mineral extraction that has raised hackles on the Western Slope, which has been the focus of a lot of oil and gas development.
“There are folks who have urged us to look at it carefully and there are folks who have encouraged its veto,” Ritter said.
Ritter said it may take some time to change the makeup of the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after lawmakers passed a bill that adds two new members and requires more people from outside the industry after critics said it was too cozy with the companies it regulated. He said the industry will have input when rules are made to run the commission.
“It’s going to take some time,” Ritter said.
Ritter also said he has the backing of members of the business community for a proposal that made it to his desk that would freeze residential property mill rates to provide more money for education.
House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, said there is no guarantee any of that money will go to local schools. He said most of it will probably go into the state’s main bank account for other programs.
“None of this will be spent on K-12 education,” he predicted.
