10 May 2016

Colorado's Legislative Session Ends Tomorrow

Colorado's General Assembly ends its 2016 session tomorrow (by state constitutional mandate) and since every bill must be heard in its final chamber on two different days, today is the last day to get bills that have passed one house out of committee in the second house for a floor vote.

Among the bills that are down to the wire are a bill to gradually phase in grocery store sales of wine and full strength beer, and a bill to replace Presidential election year caucuses with an open primary system in 2020.  There are better than even odds that both bills will pass.

A repeat bill to ban most red light cameras has also passed both houses but faces a likely veto from the Governor.  Critical bills like the annual state budget have already passed and been signed into law despite the fact that there is divided control of the Colorado legislature with Republicans narrowly controlling the state senate and Democrats less narrowly controlling the state house and Governor's mansion (complete with line item veto power).  But, TABOR give anti-spending Republicans considerable leverage nonetheless.

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