Author: Marissa Ventrelli
-
Coalition urges Gov. Jared Polis to move forward with Northern Front Range passenger rail project
A coalition of elected officials, organizations and advocates is urging Gov. Jared Polis and the state’s transportation agencies to move forward with an initiative to create a passenger rail service connecting Denver and Fort Collins. A series of letters sent to Polis, the Regional Transportation District (RTD), the Colorado Department of Transportation, and the Front…
-
Poll: Gov. Jared Polis’ favorability rating drops below 50%
Gov. Jared Polis’ favorability rating has dropped below 50%, according to a recent poll. The November poll, conducted by the Colorado Polling Institute, surveyed 622 Colorado voters about a number of issues, including affordability, the state’s economy and their opinions on elected officials. Back in March, just over half of respondents said they held a…
-
Gov. Jared Polis urged to deny request for Tina Peters’ transfer to federal prison
Attorney General Phil Weiser and Mesa County District Attorney Daniel Rubinstein are urging Gov. Jared Polis not to grant the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ request to transfer Tina Peters to federal custody. On Thursday, Weiser and Rubinstein sent a letter to Polis, arguing the federal government has “no legal basis” to interfere with Peters’ sentence.…
-
Colorado awards first round of grants to promote construction of ‘granny flats’
The state has awarded its first round of grants to seven recipients as part of Colorado’s broader campaign to increase the supply of affordable housing options, notably what’s called accessory dwelling units or ADUs. The grants from Colorado Department of Local Affairs would support local governments as they promote the construction of ADUs, also known…
-
Colorado ballot measure for tougher fentanyl penalties moves forward
A proposed measure that would increase penalties for fentanyl manufacturing, distribution and possession has collected enough signatures to qualify for the 2026 ballot, following several failed attempts by the state legislature to pass similar legislation. Backed by Advance Colorado, the ballot initiative would make the sale of any amount of fentanyl a Class 1 felony,…
-
Committee on Legal Services approves legal defense for 15 Colorado Democrats accused of accepting illegal gifts
The Colorado legislature’s legal services arm has approved a request from a group of Democrats for legal representation to defend an ethics complaint that accuses them of accepting illegal contributions to fund a retreat in Vail last month. On Thursday, the Committee on Legal Services, a bipartisan panel, unanimously approved the request to hire Mark…
-
Colorado could loosen regulations on intoxicating hemp products, countering new federal ban
As the federal government is poised to impose a near-ban on intoxicating hemp products next year, Colorado lawmakers are planning to loosen the restrictions imposed by a 2023 law. Last week, Congress included a provision in its funding bill intended to end the federal government shutdown — a ban on all intoxicating hemp products with…
-
Lawmakers, Gov. Jared Polis clash on Medicaid provider rates
Colorado legislators on Tuesday heard from an advisory committee, which proposed making several adjustments to the state’s reimbursement rates for health care facilities that provide services to Medicaid patients. The proposal from the Medicaid Provider Rate Review Advisory Committee diverged from Gov. Jared Polis’ own proposed changes outlined in his budget proposal for the next…
-
With all traces removed from Capitol grounds, fate of Union soldier statue remains uncertain
More than five years after it was vandalized and removed, the pedestal that formerly held a bronze statue intended to commemorate Colorado’s role in the Civil War has been taken away from the west side of the state Capitol. The Colorado Civil War Monument was commissioned to memorialize the 500 soldiers who died fighting against…
-
Colorado’s Polis and Florida’s DeSantis clash over marijuana tax revenue and black market THC
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis exchanged barbs with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on social media earlier this week over Colorado’s marijuana tax revenue and THC products in the black market. The exchange between the Democrat and the Republican comes amid Congress’ surprise inclusion of a near-ban of hemp-derived consumer products in a funding bill passed on…