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Colorado: Mike Kopp

March 2, 2009 - 07:22 pm
NEWS FEED: Colorado Independent

Heated GOP senators call on Ritter to veto budget reform bill

By John Tomasic

Colorado Senate Minority Office (Photo/Bob Spencer, The Colorado Independent)

Republican senators in Colorado are going all out today to stop a bill that would end automatic tax-revenue allocations for roads and capital construction.

Colorado Senate Minority Office (Photo/Bob Spencer, The Colorado Independent)

Threatening a long debate in the Capitol tonight and a “barrage of amendments” to cripple the bill, the senators have now turned to Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter to join them in defeating legislation they say will “gut” both highways and the constitution.

“Republican lawmakers called on the governor to commit publicly… [today] to veto another pending proposal that would amount to the largest cut ever in transportation funding,” read the Senate GOP release e-mailed to the press this afternoon.

Read More at Colorado Independent >
There have been 23 comments posted in response to this story.

February 11, 2009 - 12:23 pm
NEWS FEED: ColoradoPols.com

Beauprez Loves Him Some Feet

By Colorado Pols

From Colorado Media Matters, once (and future?) GOP gubernatorial candidate "Both Ways" Bob Beauprez suffered a little bout of trademark GOP amnesia while filling in for "Gunny Bob" Newman on AM radio recently:
...BEAUPREZ: And then in our 9 o'clock hour we're gonna be joined by Senator Mike Kopp, who is fightin' the demons at the state legislature -- the demons bein' the governor's office and the Democrat leadership, who's scramblin' around trying to find the dough to fill the budget deficit hole, and guess what -- they're raiding workmen's compensation funds again. [Pols emphasis]

...BEAUPREZ: I was a little taken aback, maybe more than a little taken aback, by some headlines recently that gave the governor credit for finding 600-plus million of cuts.

Read More at ColoradoPols.com >
There have been 19 comments posted in response to this story.

February 4, 2009 - 05:35 pm
NEWS FEED: Face the State

Railroad companies caught in the middle of eminent domain bill

In Tuesday's Senate Transportation Committee meeting senators voted 4-3 to indefinitely postpone a bill that would have prevented railroad companies from exercising their right to use eminent domain. The bill was in response to CDOT's forthcoming proposal to relocate freight rail away from the Front Range and to eastern Colorado in order to facilitate the implementation of passenger rail systems in the metro area. Trapped in the middle of this legislation were railroad companies, who expressed little desire to relocate or use eminent domain.

Senate Bill 63, sponsored by Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, and Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, would prohibit railroad companies from condemning land through eminent domain.

Read More at Face the State >
There have been 29 comments posted in response to this story.

February 3, 2009 - 02:29 pm
NEWS FEED: Face the State

Voters should choose U.S. Senate replacements

Michael Bennet has been sworn in to represent Colorado in the U.S. Senate. His pick came as a shock to many, but the impact of Gov. Bill Ritter's selection is still making waves in Colorado politics. Now Colorado Republicans are pushing to put the crucial, albeit rare, decision to fill a Senate vacancy to a public vote. They are right.

State Senators Mike Kopp, R-Littleton, and Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, are the sponsors of Senate Bill 152. As it stands, the bill would require "...vacancies in the office of United States Senator be filled by a vacancy election." Although the bill is lengthy, it essentially boils down to this: a vacancy in one of Colorado's U.

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

January 16, 2009 - 01:34 pm
NEWS FEED: Rocky Mountain News

Partner coverage proposed

By Ed Sealover

Health insurance would be extended to same-sex partners of state employees under a bill that could set off a values debate in a legislative session largely focused on the economy.

Sen. Jennifer Veiga and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, Denver Democrats and the only openly gay legislators, introduced a bill late Wednesday that could bring an unknown number of partners onto state insurance rolls. No date has been set for its hearing.

Veiga and Ferrandino said the measure is meant to establish equity between heterosexual and homosexual employees. Ferrandino also believes it will help the state recruit and retain workers and move at least a small number of the estimated 800,000 uninsured Coloradans onto a health- care plan.

Read More at Rocky Mountain News >
There have been 22 comments posted in response to this story.

Thu, 11/20/2008 - 16:10

Senate GOP releases 2009 committee assignments

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

With the state Senate District 26 race decided, Senate Republicans released their 2009 committee assignments on Thursday.

Senate Democrats announced their committee assignments last week.

Read More >
There have been 36 comments posted in response to this story.
Wed, 11/19/2008 - 17:49

SD-26 recount scheduled to begin Nov. 24; Clapp to issue statement soon

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

As Arapahoe County Clerk and Recorder's office prepares for a recount in the state Senate District 26 race, Republican Lauri Clapp is reportedly ready to concede the race to Democrat Linda Newell.

With provisional ballots counted in Arapahoe County, Newell leads Clapp by 191 votes.

There have been 6 comments posted in response to this story.
Wed, 11/19/2008 - 15:43

Kopp: Newell expected to win SD-26 race

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

Democrat Linda Newell appears to have won the closely contested state Senate District 26 race, Senate Minority Caucus Leader Mike Kopp (R-Littleton) told the Rocky Mountain News on Wednesday.

But some say Kopp called the race too soon, as an automatic recount might be triggered.

With all provisional ballots counted, Newell holds a 191-vote lead over her Republican opponent Lauri Clapp, the News reported.

There have been 6 comments posted in response to this story.
Thu, 11/06/2008 - 12:42

Penry, May, Balmer, Kopp elected by acclamation

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

UPDATED 10:45 A.M. 11/6/2008 

DENVER--State Sen. Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) was named Senate Minority Leader by acclamation Thursday morning.

State Reps. Mike May (R-Parker) and David Balmer (R-Centennial) were also elected House Minority Leader and Assistant Minority Leader unanimously.

State Sen. Mike Kopp (R-Littleton) was named Senate Republican Caucus chair.

In the House Democratic Caucus, though, several members urged postponing a vote on House Democratic leadership, saying they needed more time to consider the nominees.

There have been 6 comments posted in response to this story.
Wed, 11/05/2008 - 18:55

GOP state Senate leadership positions set; Clapp to caucus Thursday

By Jeremy Pelzer, PolitickerCO.com Reporter

State Sen. Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) appears set to be elected Senate Minority Leader at Thursday's Senate Republican caucus, said state Sen. Greg Brophy (R-Wray).

Brophy will be named assistant Senate minority leader, he said, while state Sen. Mike Kopp (R-Littleton) will be elected Republican Caucus Chair and state Sen. Nancy Spence will become Minority Whip.

Brophy said all of the positions have been decided on and didn't expect any contested leadership positions during the caucus on the third floor of Legislative Services Building Thursday morning.

There have been 7 comments posted in response to this story.