Highlights from the Legislature on Tuesday.
— The Senate continued debate on whether lawmakers should take $1.5 million the state planned to spend on road construction in order to provide more money for renewable energy programs at community colleges as they considered amendments to the $17.6 billion state budget.
— A bill that would allow communities to help homeowners and businesses finance solar, wind and energy efficiency improvements (House Bill 1350) won unanimous approval in the House Transportation Committee.
— The House approved to a bill raising the threshold for boaters to be charged with driving under the influence. The measure (Senate Bill 159) would lower the minimum blood alcohol limit for DUIs from 0.10 to 0.08 and cover all vessels, not just motorboats and sailboats. It now goes back to the Senate for consideration of amendments.
— The House approved Senate amendments and sent to the governor a bill (House Bill 1003) that would require the governor to call for a special congressional vacancy election if there is a terrorist attack or disaster that creates 100 or more vacancies in Congress if it includes a representative from Colorado. Lawmakers say congressional leaders requested the bill.
— The House approved and sent to the Senate a bill (House Bill 1358) to exempt parent-teacher organizations from paying sales tax on fundraisers like bake sales and silent auctions.
