BILL WOULD REQUIRE ENGLISH COMPETENCY BEFORE DIPLOMA
High school students won’t be able to walk the walk if they can’t talk the talk under a proposed bill requiring English-language competency in order to receive a diploma.
The plan made it through the Senate Education Committee on Thursday on a 5-2 vote but won’t be heard by the full chamber until the governor unveils his education overhaul, said the sponsor, Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield.
Senate Bill 98 would require school districts to define “competency” and certify that their graduates meet those standards before they issue a diploma.
“We’re failing our students . . . if we don’t prepare them to enter society,” Mitchell said. “The compassionate course is to say we have to teach these students English.”
Panel approves lowering blood- alcohol level for boaters
A bill that would reduce a boater’s allowable blood-alcohol level to 0.08 percent from the current 0.10 percent passed unanimously out of the seven-member Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday.
It applies the restriction to all vessels — not just sail- and motorboats.
“This bill will help reduce instances of dangerous activity so that Coloradans can safely enjoy our state’s beautiful lakes and rivers,” said Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne, one of Senate Bill 159’s main sponsors.
Penalties for boating under the influence include fines up to $1,000 and between five days to one year in jail.
Collecting roof water gets a boost.
The Senate Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy Committee approved a plan to allow homeowners to collect water that drains off of roofs up to 3,000 square feet so ranchers and farmers could use it to water livestock and metro residents could use it to water their lawns and gardens.
The measure (Senate Bill 119) passed unanimously and goes to the Senate for debate.
