Backers of a proposed constitutional amendment to ban affirmative-action programs in Colorado government declined today to address several questions posed by nonpartisan legislative legal experts.
The amendment, which supporters hope to put on the November 2008 ballot, would prohibit the state from considering race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin in employment, education or contracting decisions.
Officials from the Legislative Council and the Office of Legislative Legal Services provided four pages of questions seeking more information about terms in the amendment.
Specifically, officials suggested that backers define terms, including “preferential treatment,” “public education,” “public employment,” “normal operation” and “federal program.”
In most cases, amendment backers declined to elaborate. Manuel Klausner, a California lawyer working on behalf of the proponents, told officials, “We don’t believe any further clarification is necessary.”
The proposal now heads to the Secretary of State’s office for a hearing on the ballot language.
