If you’re wondering why the Colorado legislature kicks off this week and Gov. John Hickenlooper and other statewide offices take the oath of office next week, it’s the law — a law that wasn’t followed in 2011 when Hickenlooper was first sworn into office.
Going in this right order this year.
No one caught the oversight four years ago, including the attorney general, who also was sworn into office, or state lawmakers sworn in the next day.
Four years ago, Hickenlooper took the oath on a Tuesday, hosted inaugural ceremonies that night, the legislature kicked off the next day on Wednesday and Hickenlooper delivered his first state of the state speech on Thursday.
I couldn’t figure out this year why the legislature opens on Jan. 7 and the swearing in and inaugural were set for the following week. The spelled out the situation pretty clearly:
The constitution requires the General Assembly to declare the winner of the election for governor and the lite gov. To declare the winners, the legislature must be in session. The constitution also requires the General Assembly to open its regular session at 10 a.m. “no later than the second Wednesday of January each year.” That means that in a year in which the governor needs to be sworn in, lawmakers must convene before the second Tuesday in January. Hence, this year’s opening on the first Wednesday.
