Highlights from the Legislature on Thursday.
— The Senate Agriculture Committee unanimously approved a bill (House Bill 1160) that would allow Coloradans to support energy independence by generating energy from wind turbines and rooftop solar panels, while staying on the grid. Under the proposed legislation, excess energy could be sold back to the utility company for others to use. It now goes to the full Senate for debate.
— The Senate voted to postpone a vote on a proposal to drain Bonny Reservoir in northeastern Colorado, effectively killing the bill (Senate Bill 28). Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, said he wanted to give state officials more flexibility in negotiating with other states in the Republican River compact.
— The Senate gave initial backing to increasing the amount juries can award in some medical malpractice suits. The proposal (Senate Bill 164) applies to cases where someone has been disfigured or impaired. It would allow those people to sue for up to $1 million in damages, although the judge could allow jurors to award more money.
