Colorado: Weissmann

A bill requiring new homes and houses for sale to have carbon-monoxide detectors is headed to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk.

The House passed the bill Wednesday on a 42-19 vote after approving some minor amendments from the Senate, sending it on to Ritter. His spokesman, Evan Dreyer, said the governor would sign the bill.

"Tragically, and perhaps avoidably, we lost a number of Coloradans this winter to carbon-monoxide poisoning," Dreyer said. "This legislation will save lives and prevent these types of deaths from happening in the future."

House Bill 1091 would require that all homes built after July 1 or put up for sale on or after that date have carbon-monoxide detectors installed.

As the Denver Post reports:

A House committee Monday night, after hearing hours of emotional testimony, approved a bill that would ban the death penalty in Colorado.

In a more than six-hour hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, families of murder victims along with former prosecutors and others argued for and against HB 1274, which would make life in prison without parole the highest punishment available to prosecutors.

Under the bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, any savings from not trying the expensive cases in court would go to investigating unsolved homicides.

"You can debate the morals (of the death penalty) forever," Weissmann said. "You can debate the question of deterrence forever."

But what can't be debated is the cost savings from not pursuing the death penalty, which Weissmann estimated to be millions of dollars per year...

A poll follows.

A House committee Monday night, after hearing hours of emotional testimony, approved a bill that would ban the death penalty in Colorado.

In a more than six-hour hearing before the House Judiciary Committee, families of murder victims along with former prosecutors and others argued for and against HB 1274, which would make life in prison without parole the highest punishment available to prosecutors.

Under the bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader Paul Weissmann, D-Louisville, any savings from not trying the expensive cases in court would go to investigating unsolved homicides.

"You can debate the morals (of the death penalty) forever," Weissmann said.

A Greeley senator ripped the House majority leader Thursday for threatening to kill his bills, calling Rep. Paul Weissmann's behavior "unacceptable."

GOP Sen. Scott Renfroe said Weissmann's apology was "half-hearted."

"When I apologize to someone, I go face to face and look them in the eye," Renfroe said. "I don't do it walking away from their desk."

Weissmann, D-Louisville, said he thought the matter was over after he apologized to Renfroe on Wednesday and sent a letter to each senator.

"What's he want, roses?" Weissmann asked.

The firestorm began Wednesday morning after the Senate voted 24-10 against a resolution that would allow lawmakers to take a four-day weekend at the end of the month.