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Colorado: Jeanne Labuda

February 6, 2009 - 03:43 am
NEWS FEED: Rocky Mountain News

Bill to fix bridges, roads off to House after Senate OK

By Ed Sealover

The Senate passed a $265 million road- and bridge-repair plan Thursday, despite a threat that a lawsuit would be filed to overturn it.

The vote was 19-16 for the "Faster" bill, the most far- reaching transportation- funding proposal the legislature has considered in years.

If approved by the House and signed by the governor, it would increase vehicle-registration fees for most drivers $41 a year by 2011 for road and bridge work. It also would allow for easier tolling of roads.

Two Democrats who had opposed the increased-tolling provision - Sen. Morgan Carroll, of Aurora, and Lois Tochtrop, of Thornton - joined with Republicans in voting against Senate Bill 108.

Read More at Rocky Mountain News >
There have been 25 comments posted in response to this story.

February 5, 2009 - 02:12 am
NEWS FEED: Rocky Mountain News

House panel kills measure targeting 'puppy mills'

By Lynn Bartels

Colorado dog breeders panned a "puppy mill" bill Wednesday, saying more inspections and not more rules are the answer.

But an animal activist pointed out that some of the same breeders who testified against the measure were found to have operated filthy facilities and had reportedly sold sick dogs.

As amended, House Bill 1072, by Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver, limited the number of dogs in a facility to 50 and also required breeding dogs to be seen annually by a veterinarian.

Lawmakers on the House Agriculture Committee killed the bill on a 7-5 vote, saying they were concerned it wouldn't stop puppy- mill operators and instead would hurt reputable breeders.

Read More at Rocky Mountain News >
There have been 24 comments posted in response to this story.

February 4, 2009 - 05:49 pm
NEWS FEED: Face the State

Democrats vote against transparency

Democrats have once again thumbed their nose at transparency Tuesday as the House State Affairs Committee defeated a bill on a near party line vote that would have aided in the implementation of the voter-approved Amendment 54, which requires the creation of a searchable database listing the recipients of no-bid government contracts over $100,000.

To date, just five vendors have reported a combined 46 sole-source government contracts. House Bill 1165, sponsored by Rep. Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs, would have enabled funding for the database, now required under the state Constitution. All Democrats on the House State Affairs Committee except for Rep.

Read More at Face the State >
There have been 19 comments posted in response to this story.

Fri, 12/05/2008 - 15:40

Scanlan replaces Levy as House majority whip

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

 

State Rep. Christine Scanlan (D-Dillon) is the new House majority whip, as state Rep. Claire Levy (D-Boulder) left the position to chair the House Judiciary Committee.

The House Democratic Caucus elected Scanlan to the position on Friday over state Rep. Jeanne Labuda (D-Denver).

Levy said while she would have liked to have been both majority whip and Judiciary Committee chair, the House Democratic Caucus prefers for committee chairs not to hold leadership posts "so we can spread the work around."

There have been 10 comments posted in response to this story.
Mon, 11/03/2008 - 19:58

2008 Colorado election preview: State House races

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

In a year that looks pretty good for Democrats, Republicans will be hard-pressed to make a big dent in the Democrats' 15-seat majority in the state House of Representatives.

But that doesn't mean all is lost for the GOP. House District 40 looks virtually certain to return to the Republicans, one year after Debbie Stafford turned rogue and delivered it into Democrats' hands.

There also appear to be a number of close races shaping up, the most interesting of these being House Districts 25, 27, 29, 30, 31, 37, and 56.

There have been 49 comments posted in response to this story.
Mon, 02/04/2008 - 14:39

Two Vie For Assistant House Majority Leader; Winner May Be Next Majority Leader

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

State Reps. Terrance Carroll (D-Denver) and Paul Weissman (D-Louisville) are the two leading candidates to replace ex-state Rep. Michael Garcia as assistant House majority leader, said House Majority Leader Alice Madden (D-Boulder) Monday morning.

 But when House Democrats caucus tomorrow at noon Tuesday at the First Baptist Church, 1373 Grant St. in Denver, to vote on the position, they'll be choosing more than just a replacement for Garcia, Weissmann said.

There have been 35 comments posted in response to this story.