Colorado House Democrats

End of the Session Materials

For information detailing the 2008 Legislative Session, view the documents below.

Download Legislative Session Report

Download 2008 Legislative Session, By the Numbers

-- Posted by staff

Rep. Kefalas (HD-52) Accountability Report #11: 10/15/07

ALL THINGS INSPIRATIONAL
As many of you know, I have been very engaged with the uranium mining project that is being proposed for Weld County near Nunn, Colorado.  On Sunday, Representative Randy Fischer (HD-53), Senator Steve Johnson (SD-15), Senator Brandon Shaffer (SD-17) and I, along with about 60 citizens, including 4-H children and two horses, braved the rain and cool weather to hold a press conference on the west steps of the State Capitol, “Lawmakers Announce Plan to Protect People and Property in the Path of Planned Uranium Mining.” We announced legislation that would establish high public safety standards regarding uranium mining in Colorado.  It was an inspiring and successful event that demonstrated the power of participatory democracy - when people stand up for what they believe.  Stay tuned!

JOHN’S LEGISLATIVE-COMMUNITY UPDATE
WORKING TOGETHER, WE ARE DOING BETTER
Here is a line-up of upcoming community events that you may wish to attend.

[ed note: meetings (1&2) that have already happened at posting time were moved to the end of this post. Subscribe to the Representative's newsletter for up-to-the minute information.]

3) COMMUNITY CONVERSATION IN THE MARKET PLACE - Rep. Kefalas Shops for Ideas
I am experimenting with a new way to meet the people following the lead of Rep. Randy Fischer.  I will set up shop and be available to the people on Saturday, October 20, 9 – 11:00 AM, King Soopers, 2602 S Timberline Rd, near the corner of Timberline & Drake, Fort Collins. Stop by.  After all, democracy is made better when you participate.

4) TOWN HALL MEETING with HOUSE SPEAKER ANDREW ROMANOFF & REP. FISCHER
On Saturday, November 3, 9:30 AM – 11:30, we will gather at the Fort Collins Public Library, 301 Peterson St, FC to hear from Speaker Romanoff, Rep. Fischer and me about our legislative priorities and what to expect in the 2008 Legislation Session that begins January 9.  Bring your questions and ideas!

5) TOWN HALL MEETING: HELPING HOMEOWNERS WITH FORECLOSURE
Monday, November 5, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Harmony Library, 4616 S. Shields (next to FRCC)
Senator Steve Johnson, Reps. John Kefalas and Randy Fischer will host staff members of the Colorado Division of Housing who will present information on state and local resources to help homeowners dealing with foreclosure and mortgage issues (more details to follow).

6) COMMUNITY FORUM: REFORMING COLORADO’S CRIMINAL JUSTICE SYSTEM
Wednesday, November 14, 6:30 – 8:30 PM, Fort Collins Public Library, 301 Peterson Street
Rep. Kefalas will host Department of Corrections Executive Director, Aristedes Zavaras and other state and local presenters. The panelists will address Colorado’s criminal justice system and reform efforts in the areas of recidivism and sentencing (more details to follow).

On the legislative front:

COLORADO’S EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT (EITC): Drafting legislation to restore the EITC using revenue sources that are fiscally responsible.  Restoring the EITC will benefit up to 250,000 low-wage, tax-paying working families in Colorado, including 12,000 families in Larimer County.  The EITC rewards work and helps lift children out of poverty.

Representative Sara Gagliardi Newsletter 10/2

Happy Fall to you all! Autumn is beginning to show itself in the mornings; where does the summer go?

I will continue to send you monthly updates on work that I will be doing in the summer and fall. You will find standing features each month that I hope will help you understand more about the work I am doing as your representative and the work the legislature is doing as a whole.

YOUR VOICE

Now is a great time to contact me and let me know your ideas or suggestions for the 2008 Legislative Session. While the next session does not begin until January 9, 2008, you may want to share your ideas now in order to:

• Increase the likelihood of getting your bill into the limited slot of 5 bills we can carry.
• Allow more time for drafting and feedback
• Allow more time for research.

I have also established regular times when you can talk to me:
1st Monday of every month: 7:00 A.M. – 8:30 A.M. at Panera Bread, 7739 Wadsworth Way

4th Monday of each month: 7:00 A.M. – 8:15 A.M. at Billy D’s Coffee, 14705 W. 64th Ave.

1st Saturday of every month: Monthly Town Hall Meetings 10:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M., Susan Duncan YMCA; 6350 Eldridge Street; Arvada, CO 80004

[ed note: edited to remove meetings that had already taken place at the time of posting; for up-to-the-minute information, subscribe to Rep. Gagliardi's newsletter.]

November 3rd: Jobs, tourism, and the Criminals Justice System

Blue Ribbon Commission Update

The commission has completed a fifth proposal. The commission is also continuing to solicit public input through statewide community meetings. Please check out their website for more information locations of upcoming meetings.

Fast Tracks

Latest information and updates regarding transportation issues can be found at www.rtd-denver.com.

Our Community at the Capitol

I am happy to schedule a time with you for a meeting or a tour as well. Feel free to call me at home at 303.467.0619, or email me at sara@saragagliardi.com.

As many of you know I am doing outreach door-to-door to residents, business, organizations and schools in my District. This is an incredible opportunity to learn from citizens. As always, feel free to email me your suggestions on what priorities you’d like me to focus on for 2008.

Remember: you can look up any bill and its fiscal note yourself by going to www.leg.state.co.us or agencies information www.colorado.gov/colorado/agencies.html.

Additional Community Information

Jobseekers: If anyone you know is looking for work, check out your local Workforce! Centers by visiting http://www.co.workforce.com/emp. There are a variety of different free programs, many of which are available to everyone.

Employers: If you or anyone you know is an employer, they should know that there is a free “help wanted” posting available through the Workforce! center as well as some employee training services at http://www.coworkforce.com/emp.

--posted on behalf of Representative Sara Gagliardi

Jim Riesberg: News and Coming Attractions

Last week I spent four days in north-west Colorado with the Capital Development Committee.  It is a beautiful area of the state.  I was surprised to see the significant impact the oil and gas production has had on the quality of life and the housing and employment patterns of the area.  The State has many fine programs and facilities in the area and the state employees have done a good job providing necessary services.

The week-end was spent with several events to celebrate the 100th birthday of James A. Michener and the wonderful legacy he left in Northern Colorado and around the world.  A wonderful new exhibit area has been established in Michener Library.  It is free and open to the public.  It should be a "must see".

UNC Homecoming Week begins on Monday.  The parade and football game will be on Saturday, October 13th.  I will be walking in the parade and would love to have a few people walk with me.  We will meet near 10th Avenue and Cranford at 9:40 a.m.

This summer I am Vice Chair of the Health Care Task Force to study how to provide more affordable, accessible quality health care to all Coloradans.  We meet again on Tuesday. 

This week you have a chance to share your views on health care reform.  The 208 Blue Ribbon Commission wants to hear from you.  The meeting in Greeley will be on Thursday, October 11, from 5:30-8:00 p.m. in the Lindou Auditorium in Michener Library on the UNC west campus.  Park in the west lot and enter the lower level doors on the west side. 

You may testify for up to three minutes.  Please structure your comments around the following:

• What should be the role of individuals, employers, government,or health care providers?
• What do you think the Commission should focus on?

I am now working on proposed legislation for the 2008 session.  Bills must be identified by December 1.  Please contact me if you have something you think should be proposed.

--posted on behalf of Representative Jim Riesberg

Subscribe to Rep. Riesberg's newsletter.

Randy Fischer: State Capitol Update

On this beautiful autumn Saturday afternoon, October 6, 2007, I am reminded why Fort Collins has been named the best place in the nation to live.  It truly is a magnificent day in Colorado.  I'm also reminded that it has been a month since my last legislative update. After an enjoyable bicycle ride with my wife, Kathy, on what is forecast to be the last warm day for a while, I write to catch you up on my activities as your state representative from House District 53.

Government at the Grocery

In order to make it easier for Fort Collins citizens to speak their minds on matters of state government, I will be taking to the grocery aisles for a series of open meetings called "Government at the Grocery."  The first of these meetings will take place between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m. on Monday, October 8, 2007, at the King Soopers store located at 1015 Taft Hill Road, on the corner of Elizabeth and Taft Hill.  Other "Government at the Grocery" meetings are planned at stores throughout the fall in my west Fort Collins house district. What better way for folks to contact their state legislator personally than to have a face-to-face meeting as they stop by the grocery on their way home from work?  I hope you and other citizens will take advantage of my "Government at the Grocery" meetings to stop and chat about your concerns, questions, or issues about state government.

[ed note: this meeting had already occured at posting time. For the most timely updates, subscribe directly to Representative Fischer's newsletter. Read the Coloradoan's coverage of Rep. Fischer's Government at the Grocery here.]

Let Your Voice Be Heard on Health Care

On Friday, October 12, Fort Collins residents will have one final opportunity to testify before the Blue Ribbon Panel on Health Care Reform, also known as the 208 Commission.  Members of the Commission will hold a public hearing at the Fort Collins Lincoln Center, 417 Magnolia Street, from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.  I will be attending this hearing to listen to and to learn from my constituents' testimony.  I encourage you to attend this final hearing and to provide either written or oral testimony.  Let your voice be heard!

The Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform was created by the Colorado Legislature in 2006.  The Commission is currently evaluating five major health care reform proposals.  It is required to make final recommendations for comprehensive health care reform to the General Assembly by January 31, 2008.  The meeting on Friday, October 12, is the last hearing scheduled for the Fort Collins area before the panel makes its final recommendation.

For more information about the 208 Commission please visit the Commission's website or email 208outreach@coloradofoundation.org or phone 303.837.8466 ext. 130.

Are Colorado Students Prepared for Their Future?

To discuss this question, please join me and Representative John Kefalas (Fort Collins, HD-52) on Wednesday, October 17, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. in the Media Center at Rocky Mountain High School, 1300 West Swallow Road, Fort Collins, for Conversation 2007: Shaping Educational Excellence in Colorado.

Conversation 2007 is part of a state-wide program in which legislators around Colorado host dialogues with their constituents about education.  Fort Collins' residents are invited to attend this discussion on education reform to build on a community forum that I hosted this past summer on June 30th.  These community meetings, held from June through October across the state, will allow policymakers to gather qualitative information about what Coloradans value and expect from our state education system.  The effort is intended to generate information that elected officials, the Governor's P-20 Education Coordinating Council, and other stakeholders can use to shape the future of education in Colorado.  For more information, visit www.conversation2007.org or contact me at randyfischer@frii.com.

Legislative Telecast -- "COLORADO OPEN HOUSE" -- is a Go!

For the first time, Coloradans will be able to tune in and log on to their state lawmakers - on TV.

Legislative leaders voted 4-1 recently to televise the Colorado House of Representatives, beginning in January.  Floor debates will be carried live through a Comcast cable channel and through the Internet; the proceedings will also be archived for viewers to search.  "Our state government should be as open and as transparent as possible," said House Speaker Andrew Romanoff.  "This decision will help bring the General Assembly into the 21st century.  Technology can strengthen the connection between voters and their representatives."

"Thirty-four states already have similar C-SPANs' in place," Speaker Romanoff continued.  "Today's decision brings Colorado in line with the rest of the country.  This is the wave of the future, and we're
catching it."

The House channel will be called "Colorado Open House".  The name was picked from among more than 400 entries submitted in an online poll.

Contact Me

As always, please feel free to contact me with any comments, questions, concerns or ideas about Colorado state government.

Best Wishes,
Randy Fischer, State Representative
House District 53
3007 Moore Lane
Fort Collins, Colorado 80526-2103
970-215-7898 (Cell)
303-866-2917 (Office)
E-mail:  RandyFischer@frii.com
www.RandyFischer.org

--posted on behalf of Representative Randy Fischer

Click here to subscribe to Representative Fischer's newsletter.

Health care reform meetings

Hi Everyone,

I have just received the list of meeting dates, times and places for the 208 Health Care Commission.

In addition you will find information on how to best frame your questions for the Commission.

Again, let me express how important it is for all of us to attend a meeting to learn what options we might have to ease the health care crunch.

alice borodkin 

P. S.  Please feel free to pass this information on to your own email list! (Full listing of schedule and questions to address in testimony.)

--Posted on behalf of Representative Alice Borodkin

Rep. Romanoff Reporting – Sept. 12, 2007 – Lame Duck

Maybe it’s time I grew a beard.

Two-and-a-half years into my term, I’ve been having a hard time persuading anyone that I’m really the speaker of the House. “Are you kidding?” one person recently asked me. “I was expecting someone a lot older,” said another. “You don’t seem that important,” sniffed a third.

I could carry a gavel but I’d rather not have to use it.

SUNDAY IN THE PARK

Do you live in House District 6?  Are you willing to move?  Do you like to eat?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you’re invited to a potluck picnic on Sunday, Sept. 16, from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., at Cook Park (Monaco and Mexico), Shelter #1. Soft drinks will be provided; please bring a dish to share.

The unmistakably Democratic organizers also suggest bringing reusable plates and utensils “to cut down on landfill waste” – now there’s an appetizing thought.

HOW I SPENT MY SUMMER VACATION

Do kids still have to write essays like that?  I’d flunk.

Fortunately, the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post provided rough drafts.  Click here, here and here to follow the visits my colleagues and I recently made to some of Colorado’s poorest school districts.
That so many of Colorado’s schools are in substandard condition is not news.  The State Auditor released a report to that effect in 2003, and advocacy groups such as Great Education Colorado and Children’s Voices have been pushing for improvements for years.  In 2000, Colorado settled the Giardino lawsuit, agreeing to invest $190 million in the most critical school-construction projects; the state has not yet completed payment.

What’s missing now is a statewide assessment of our schools’ capital needs, as well as the development of a strategy for meeting them. Those are among our next steps.

FALL FORWARD

Three major panels are preparing recommendations this fall, just in time for next year’s legislative session:

(1)  The legislature created a Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform last year to study models for expanding health care coverage, especially for the underinsured and uninsured, and for decreasing health care costs for Colorado residents. The Commission’s 27 members – appointed by legislative leaders from both parties and by Govs. Owens and Ritter – have been meeting for the past 10 months. They narrowed an initial list of 31 proposals to four and are currently developing a fifth. The Commission will host 14 community meetings next month; click here for the schedule.  The Commission’s final report is due on January 31, 2008.

(2)  Gov. Ritter announced the formation of a Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel in March. Its 32 members are scheduled to recommend transportation project priorities and strategies to fund those projects in November. Click here for the panel’s schedule.

(3)  Gov. Ritter appointed a P-20 Education Coordinating Council in June. Its mission: “to ensure Colorado’s educational systems from pre-school to grade 20 are seamless, are aligned along an ‘education highway’ and are meeting the needs of today’s employers.” The Council consists of 32 members and five subcommittees – on Dropout Prevention and Recovery, P-3, Data and Accountability, Preparation and Transitions, and Educator Recruitment, Preparation and Retention.  The Council’s first set of recommendations is expected in November.

And while we’re on the subject, several other committees are crafting legislative recommendations. Click on the links below to learn more about each, or click here for an overview of these interim committees.

Health Care Task Force

Long-Term Care Health Care Services and Support to Persons with Developmental Disabilities Committee

Mental Illness in the Criminal Justice System
                                          
Police Officers and Firefighters Pension Reform Commission
                                          
Severance Tax and Federal Mineral Lease Revenue Allocation

Transportation Legislation Review Committee

Water Resources Review Committee

All of the committees’ meetings are open to the public.

Have a good week – and for those celebrating a new year, a happy and healthy 5768!

Sincerely, Andrew