Colorado: Sen. Shawn Mitchell

How does it shake down when Colorado’s Republican senators are forced to choose, for the record, between protecting the rights of individuals and the prerogatives of business?

Right this minute, the Senate is debating the degree to which your medical records should be kept private from your employers.

Our Republican senators are arguing against what seems a fairly straightforward amendment to House Bill 1012, which centers on the right of insurance companies to provide incentives to employees to attend health-promoting programs. The amendment the Republicans are now opposing — proposed by Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora — would increase safeguards against employers learning about your medical history, including, say, your visits to therapist offices, rehab centers, heart doctors or fertility clinics.

At roughly 10:30 p.m., in the waning minutes of the all-day Republican filibuster against Colorado budget reform bill SB 228, Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, threw an elbow.

The Democratic majority wouldn’t budge or break. After 10 hours, partisans on either side of the floor had clearly read into the record all the campaign trail fodder that could be transcribed. They were tired and getting sloppy.

The long-hoarse voice of Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, had by that point crawled to the bottom of his throat to be heard no more.

A half-hour earlier, Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver, yawned and stretched and yawned and then mistakenly stood up to cast a “yes” vote on one of Sen.

Senate Majority Leader Brandon Schaffer, D-Longmont. (Photo/Bob Spencer, The Colorado Independent)

Colorado Senate Republicans find themselves in the odd position today of arguing for extending dependency on tax money and maligning proposed increases in fees and tolls to pay for roads, a perhaps more obviously free-market solution.

Senate Majority Leader Brandon Schaffer, D-Longmont. (Photo/Bob Spencer, The Colorado Independent)

Heated exchange preceded today’s debate on Colorado Senate Bill 228, which seeks to repeal the the so-called “6 percent solution,” which would put a cap on General Fund growth. The new bill would give lawmakers increased flexibility to decide how to allocate Colorado’s shrinking state budget.

Animated members of the Republican minority trolled the speaker’s podium this morning, taking turns calling out House Majority Leader Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) on his decision to move debate on the bill to later in the day by invoking procedural gag rule 9-C, which would limit discussion to five hours.

The Rocky Mountain News reports on the demise of an early pet project of Governor Bill Ritter's.
Senate Republicans are positively giddy that a drug prescription bill Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter touted in his first year is now being repealed.

Senate Bill 1 in 2007 directed a state agency to negotiate discounts on generic drugs for up to 264,000 Coloradans who don't have health insurance and whose income is less than 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

But only about 40 people have taken advantage of the program, Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood, said Tuesday.

"This is a red line through the Colorado Promise," chortled Sen.