DENVER—Your weekly look at what’s coming up at the Colorado Legislature:
TOO HIGH TO DRIVE?
Lawmakers are trying for the third straight year to pass a blood-level standard for what’s considered too high to drive. The debate has added significance this year because Colorado voters made marijuana use legal. The bill differs from previous years because drivers could argue they were sober despite exceeding legal bloom limits. The House Judiciary Committee expects a lengthy hearing Tuesday.
CIVIL UNIONS MARCHES ON
The Democrats’ proposal to grant gay couples rights similar to marriage gets considered Thursday in House Judiciary Committee, where it’s expected to pass before a showdown on the floor of the chamber. Democrats who control the unanimously support the bill; Republicans blocked the bill the last two years when they controlled the House.
VOTING FOR IMPRISONED YOUTH
Juvenile offenders who are in the Division of Youth Corrections would be allowed to vote while they’re incarcerated, under a proposal being considered in a Senate committee on Wednesday. The bill would require facility administrators to make it possible for youths to register to vote and cast their ballots if they’re 18 by the time of the next election. The bill has already passed the House.
JOBS ANNOUNCEMENT
Gov. John Hickenlooper and Denver Mayor Michael Hancock are making an announcement on Tuesday about bringing as many as 200 jobs to the state, according to the governor’s office.
TAX SUBSIDY REVIEW
A decades-old state tax credit aimed at spurring development in distressed has come under scrutiny over whether it’s being used where it’s needed, and whether Colorado’s economy is benefiting from it. Democrats are proposing changes to the “Enterprise Zone Act,” including limiting the amount companies can claim up to $1 million per tax year. The bill is heard Thursday in the House Finance Committee.
