In the shadow of the , Colorado critics announced an effort Tuesday to block any investment of state dollars with corporations that do business with state sponsors of terrorism.
House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs, addresses his colleagues on the last day of the 2013 session. (Ed Andrieski, The Associated Press)
The divestiture push, led by former House GOP leader Mark Waller and current House Assistant GOP leader Polly Lawrence, is targeted at Iran and part of a that is starting in five states. It serves to amplify critics’ objections with the agreement negotiated by the Obama administration.
The Colorado move will take the form of a citizen-led ballot measure to change state law or the constitution — organizers have yet to decide on an exact strategy — for the 2016 election. Lawrence, R-Douglas County, also said she is considering introducing legislation to the same effect in next year’s session.
As part of the initiative process, the measures supporters must gather signatures to get it on the ballot. Lawrence said that “having folks go out and collect signatures will give legitimacy to the fact the folks of Colorado do not like this deal.”
Rep. Polly Lawrence,
R-Douglas County
Right now, Colorado does not have a law banning investments with Iran. But the state’s Public Employee Retirement Association companies that do business with Iran and may decide to divest if it is deemed a risk, . A PERA spokeswoman refused to comment Tuesday on the potential 2016 ballot measure.
In 2007, Gov. Bill Ritter to prohibit that state from investing public pension funds in companies with ties to the Sudanese government amid the genocide in the Darfur region.
Waller, an honorary national chairman for the organization, said the campaign is a response to a provision in the nuclear deal that suggests the U.S. government should take steps to remove any state or local level laws aimed at sanctioning Iran. He said the exact language of the ballot measure is not yet finalized.
“Effectively, what we are looking to do here is simply say to the legislature, say to the federal government, that we don’t want Colorado tax dollars to be invested in … Iran,” Waller said.
