Colorado Attorney General and gubernatorial candidate Phil Weiser has won the Democratic Party's state assembly nomination.

Weiser earned 90% of party delegates and secured the top line on the Democratic primary ballot for governor ahead of the June 30 primary.

The win comes after Weiser delivered a speech at the assembly in Pueblo. He highlighted his record against President Trump and the current administration, as well as corporations that he claims have taken advantage of Coloradans.

The following candidates have also earned access to the Democratic primary ballot by acclamation:

The Colorado Republican Party State Assembly is scheduled for Saturday, April 10, at Colorado State University - Pueblo.

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A shocking turn of events overnight Saturday, as President Donald Trump announced the capture of Venezuelan President Nicols Maduro and his wife.

In a press conference on Saturday morning, President Trump said that Maduro and his wife have been indicted and will be transported to New York to be tried.

During this time, President Trump stated that the U.S. would "run the country" until a political transition occurred. Trump also announced that oil companies would be rebuilding infrastructure in Venezuela.

Legislators across Colorado have spoken out about the developments, some in support of the operation, and others condemning it.

You can read their statements below;

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DENVER Colorado lawmakers continued their special session on Friday, advancing bills to limit corporate tax breaks as they work to address a $783 million budget gap.

They also advanced non-budget-related bills, including a measure to shore up funding for the SNAP food program.

The Colorado House gave preliminary approval to HB25B-1001 on Friday, which would limit tax breaks for wealthy business owners. It also gave preliminary approval to HB25B-1002, which aims to crack down on corporations that try to avoid paying state taxes.

"This bill closes the loopholes that let corporations dodge Colorado taxes by shifting profits overseas or by claiming special federal deductions that don't benefit our state, said State Rep. Yara Zokaie, one of the sponsors of HB25B-1002.

Getting rid of corporate tax breaks is one part of the Democrats' plan to address the budget gap. They also want to dip into the state savings accounts and make spending cuts, potentially up to $300 million. They would leave it up to the governor to determine which specific services to cut.

Meanwhile, in the Colorado Senate, lawmakers debated SB25B-003, a bill aimed at shoring up funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in Colorado. Its in response to President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Act (H.R.1), which shifted more of the costs for administering SNAP from the federal government to the states. It also eliminated funding for a SNAP program that provides nutritional education to families.

SB25B-003 would amend Proposition MM, which has already been referred to Novembers ballot. The new language would ask voters to allow leftover money from the Healthy School Meals for All program to be used for SNAP.

We are expanding it to ask the Colorado voters to fully fund the Healthy School Meals Program, as well as allow us to backfill the cuts that H.R. 1 made to SNAP and reinvest in those programs here, said State Sen. Katie Wallace, D-Longmont, who sponsored the bill along with State Sen. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, D-Commerce City.

Denver7 spoke with Wallace and Michaelson Jenet after their bill passed the Senate on Friday.

When H.R.1 passed, we saw significant cuts to the amount of money we would be receiving from the federal government for the SNAP program, which means up to 300,000 families in Colorado would lose their SNAP, said. Dafna Michaelson Jenet, who also serves as president pro tempore of the Colorado Senate. In a country and in a state as wealthy as ours, families should not have to suffer and go without when we have the means to pay for it."

Republicans accused Democrats of misrepresenting what H.R.1 actually does.

"We need to start getting our facts correct, said State Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, R-Brighton.

Kirkmeyer said H.R.1 cut $6 million from SNAP education funding and $50 million from implementation fees. She said these cuts will not affect recipients.

"The statement that was made to begin with, that said H.R. 1 cut funding to SNAP recipients, was incorrect, Kirkmeyer said. Benefits are still the same."

In response, Michaelson Jenet said Republicans were living in a different reality.

It seems to me like the Republicans have a view of H.R.1 that is completely different than the reality we are facing, said Michaelson Jenet. We are in a really difficult place when we're dealing with two different realities. And which reality is real?

H.R.1 penalizes states with high SNAP payment error rates, requiring them to pick up more of the costs. Critics say shifting costs to the states could lead some of them to cut SNAP benefits.

According to the USDA, Colorados error rate in 2024 was 9.97%, which is above the 6% federal threshold. Kirkmeyer said Colorados Department of Human Services should address the error rate.

They've known about the error rate issue for a while. We have time to try and fix that error rate, Kirkmeyer said. In fact, if we fix it and we get down below 6% then we don't have to match as much.

SB25B-003 passed the Senate by a vote of 23 to 12. It now goes to the House for consideration.

The special session will continue over the weekend.

DENVER, Colo. It's a nerve-wracking weekend for thousands of City of Denver employees who are waiting to find out if they still have a job.

The City of Denver will begin laying off employees on Monday, and impacted personnel will be notified throughout the week of August 18, according to an email from Mayor Mike Johnston.

"As a city employee, we're the face of Denver," said Audra Burgos, who has worked nearly four decades for the City & County of Denver Department of Parks & Recreation.

Denver7 spoke with Burgos ahead of the layoffs. Even with her seniority, she said she's still worried. That's because in July, the city's career service board approved changes to the citys layoff procedures, making it easier to lay off longtime city employees.

"Seniority should matter, it really should," said Burgos. "It's hard because people are going to be affected dramatically, dramatically by Monday's layoff."

In May, Johnston announced the city was projecting a $50 million budget deficit for 2025 and a $200 million budget deficit for 2026. In his letter to city employees, Johnston said his administration must consider layoffs to help the city balance next years budget.

As soon as the cuts were announced, Denver7 spoke with former Denver mayoral candidate Dr. Lisa Caldern.

"I really want to encourage city employees to fight for their rights, to know that they have rights, and if they feel that their due process rights are violated, they have a right to sue," Caldern said at the time.

As Burgos awaits her fate, she urges city leadership to recognize the significant impact these cuts will have on many.

"We matter. And we take these jobs, not because they're the best paying jobs..." said Burgos. "I think we deserve a better Denver than that."

According to Johnston's letter, the employee's last day of work will be the day they are notified.

Laid-off employees will receive 30 calendar days of paid administrative leave, according to the mayor. They will also continue receiving their salary and benefits, including time-off accruals. The official separation date will be 31 calendar days after notification.

Most benefits will end after 31 calendar days, but employees will retain their medical, dental, and vision coverage through September 30, according to Johnston.

Eligible employees will also receive a severance package in addition to the 30-day paid administrative leave. The packages will be based on their length of service, and employees who sign the severance agreement will receive their severance payment within 14 days after their employment officially ends.

Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet has announced that over $25 million is being included for five major projects across the state.

The money was announced through the congressionally directed spending process, in the first round of appropriations bills passed by the Senate.

This year, Senator Bennet and Senator John Hickenlooper had a joint application process for the project requests.

The five projects are listed below:

To see a full list of items included in the fiscal year 2026 Senate appropriations bills, visit the United States Senate Committee's website.

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DENVER If your lottery ticket wasn't a winner Tuesday night, you're certainly not alone. On the bright side, the money spent on all of the losing tickets in the state doesn't go to waste.

Recently, $117 million of outdoor grants were approved by Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO).

"All of them are our most significant investments to date in trails," said Chris Yuan-Farrel, director of programs for GOCO.

Those investments are funded in part by all of those lottery tickets, whether they win or in most cases lose.

"GOCO is funded by a portion of the Colorado lottery proceeds. We receive up to 50% of the proceeds directly. We're capped constitutionally, we're capped at roughly $78 million a year now," said Yuan-Farrel. "Lottery proceeds is our only revenue source, and we reinvest it in parks, trails, open space, and wildlife habitat across the state."

GOCO's estimated 2023 budget shows it received $74,192,506 in lottery proceeds and gave out $61,484,615 in grants that same year.

This month, Jefferson County was granted $7 million to help build a new section of the Peaks to Plains Trail. Wheat Ridge received $500,000 for a new outdoor community gathering space, and Colorado Open Lands received $298,000 to help conserve the South Platte River Basin.

Denver County also received $298,000 for South Platte River Basin conservation, as well as a $500,000 grant to renovate the Bluff Lake Nature Center.

The High Line Canal Conservancy received a $7 million grant for long-awaited improvements to a 28-mile stretch of the trail in the northeast portion through Arapahoe County and Aurora.

"It travels 71 miles and includes 860 acres of open space, which is larger than Central Park in New York City," said Harriet LaMair, CEO of the High Line Canal Conservancy.

The section of the trail that runs through south Denver and Cherry Hills is a haven for runners, horse riders and dog owners. The tree canopy is lush and the gravel trail is well maintained. But as the trail makes its way northeast into Aurora, the changes are obvious.

"The neighborhoods out here were developed for lower-income housing. So the difference is pretty dramatic. Here, you see some multifamily housing. Down in the southern suburbs, it's primarily single-family homes, abutting the High Line Canal, and many of them from affluent communities," said LaMair.

LaMair said that's led some parts of the canal seeing high investments, and others that simply haven't.

Many neighbors who live near the High Line in that area told Denver7 that the area is an eye sore, often littered with trash and in need of improvements.

"In Aurora, in communities with lower incomes, there's 40% less access to open space. So we have a problem," said LaMair.

A problem that's on its way to a solution with the grant from GOCO and some private-public partnerships.

"There are 228,000 people that live along the High Line Canal in these sections, and they will have access to quality open space as a result of this work," said LaMair. "There'll be a nature trail next to the canal, where kids can wander and look at little signage about what they might find there. There will be fitness areas, there'll be shade structures, seating, signage."

DENVER The debate over the states $40.6 billion budget bill will begin this week.

For the past several months, six lawmakers who sit on the Joint Budget Committee have spent countless hours crafting the state budget bill, along with the governors staff, to determine how to meet the states most pressing needs. The budget package was officially introduced on Wednesday.

For the most part, our committee had strong consensus on, I think, the things that really matter the most, said State Rep. Shannon Bird, a Democrat who chairs the committee.

Bird said education was one of their top priorities.

This budget fully funds K-12 education and puts us in full compliance with Colorado's Constitution and Amendment 23, said Bird. It's an over $500 million increase in K-12 funding.

Education advocates applaud the increased spending but say it only brings the state up to 1989 funding levels when you factor in inflation.

We're only going to be at 1989 funding levels, but it's a step forward, said Amie Baca-Oehlert, president of the Colorado Education Association.

The budget bill also includes more money for higher education.

We've seen a downward trend in students going into higher ed, Bird said. People simply don't think they can afford to go to college.

Lawmakers hope $132 million in extra funding will help colleges limit tuition increases to 3% for in-state students and 4% for out-of-state students.

It's something I know that the institutions themselves care about. And the legislature cares about it as well, said Bird.

State employees will receive a 3% across-the-board pay increase. Its part of a new pay plan the state is implementing.

The Department of Corrections, where one in five positions was vacant last fall, will receive additional funding to help attract more workers, including healthcare and social workers, which the department said are desperately needed.

These are some of the harder-to-fill positions within Corrections, and we need to do something better than we've done before, said Bird.

Funding levels for specific programs could change as lawmakers debate the budget bill.

The debate will begin in the House before moving to the Senate.

DENVER Colorado lawmakers are gearing up for a special session on rising property taxes. The special session, the 50th in Colorados history, will begin on Friday and is expected to last for three days.

The people of Colorado should not have to face a 40% increase in property taxes next year, said Gov. Jared Polis.

Polis said Proposition HH would have prevented that, but voters rejected it by nearly 20 points.

After its defeat, Polis called a special session.

"We really only have a few tools at our disposal to reduce property taxes at the state level, said Senate President Steve Fenberg.

Democratic leaders outlined their plans on Thursday. Fenberg said several bills would be introduced during the special session. Democrats want to increase property value exemptions from $15,000 to $50,000.

They also want to lower the residential assessment rate for homeowners from 6.765% to 6.7%.

This bill also appropriates the $200 million from the general fund that was already set aside for property tax relief, Fenberg said. That money will go towards funding backfill for local governments, the vast majority of this will go towards making sure schools and fire districts are made whole.

Their plan does not provide any additional relief for commercial properties.

Fenberg said the state already provided $800 million in property tax relief for this year through the passage of a previous bill. But that wont be their only focus.

Democrats are offering a plan to boost the Earned Income Tax Credit and increase TABOR refunds for lower-income Coloradans. State Sen. Julie Gonzales, D-Denver, is introducing a bill to provide $30 million in emergency rental assistance.

I think it's clear that the housing crisis and the rising cost of living have impacted us all as Coloradans, Gonzales said.

We want to make sure, at the end of the day, that we do everything that we can in order to keep people housed this winter and into the spring, as long as we can, she said.

Republicans are calling for deeper cuts in the assessment rates.

"The Republican plan is an honest and real property tax relief plan, said Rep. Rose Pugliese, the assistant House minority leader.

One version of the Republican plan also cuts the state income tax rate from 4.4% to 4.0%. Overall, they say their plan will provide $1.4 billion in property tax relief to Coloradans.

"We want to deliver to them real and honest property tax relief, Pugliese said.

But Republicans are in the super minority, and most of their ideas are likely to go nowhere in the House or Senate.

In addition to property taxes, the governor also wants lawmakers to pass legislation to help get a new summer EBT food program for children up and running.

The state has until Jan. 1 to notify the federal government of its intent to participate in the program.

Polis said by participating in the program, Colorado would receive $35 million each year to provide food benefits to 300,000 children.

We want to pull people together to make sure that that gets done as well, and that there is time to implement that so that the Coloradans who need it most don't lose out on the funding that they need for lunches for their kids over summer, he said.

Colorado Governor Jared Polis is calling for a special legislative session to address the concerns of homeowners facing down skyrocketing property tax increases amid the defeat of statewide proposition HH during Tuesdays election.

He made the announcement on social media saying he would address the state live at 10:15 a.m.

You can watch that livestream in the player below.

Prop HH aimed to allow the state to retain money that would otherwise go back to taxpayers, known as TABOR refunds.

Legislators across the political spectrum and including Governor Jared Polis have been looking for ways to find tax relief for property owners who have seen home values rise over the last few years.

Even before Prop HH was soundly defeated by voters, Colorado Republicans called for the governor to call the special session laying out three potential bills.

One proposal aimed at seniors in Colorado would double the current homestead exemption to $200,000, according to Joshua Bly, Communications Director for Colorado Senate Republicans.

Republicans also propose lowering all assessment rates for residential and nonresidential properties including dropping residential property assessment rates from 7.15% to 6.7% and the first $50,000 in value would be exempted, Bly said.

Nonresidential property assessment rates would decrease from 29% to 27.9%.

While not directly tied to property tax relief, Colorado Republicans would also propose lowering the overall state income tax to 4% from 4.4%.

We want property tax relief, but we don't feel we have to give up our TABOR refund check to get it. And we know we don't have to, Kirkmeyer told Denver7 reporter Brandon Richard on Wednesday. And I think they were sending a message. Legislature, Governor, whether you're Republican or Democrat, y'all need to get together and give us that relief, that tax relief that you've been promising.

On Tuesday night, Polis issued the following statement: The Governor thanks everyone who voted in this years election. While he is disappointed voters didnt pass a long-term property tax cut, he is currently considering next steps.

GOP to Governor Polis after Proposition HH defeat, 'call us'

Republican state lawmakers are urging Governor Jared Polis to call a special session to avert potentially painful property tax hikes next year following the defeat of Proposition HH.

On Thursday morning Governor Polis did just that. Calling for a special session to convene on November 17 at 9 a.m. to discuss property tax relief using $200 million already side, plus other options. Additionally, the Governor wants the General Assembly to address funding for a program to provide meals to school children of low-income families.

Senator Larry Liston of Colorado Springs has tried three times in the past two years to bring property tax relief for senior citizens and disabled veterans living on fixed incomes. He said his bills were defeated each time because of partisan politics.

His legislation sought to expand what's known as the Homestead Exemption. Colorado seniors can currently deduct up to $200,000 of value from their property tax assessments. Liston wants to increase that amount because of rising home values. His bills also would have expanded the law to include disabled veterans and made the exemption portable. Current law requires seniors to live in the same home for a decade to qualify.

"There were seniors that would be willing to move into a smaller home to allow younger families that were looking. So, it was a win-win situation."

He said he could never get his colleagues across the aisle to vote for it. The bills were defeated in committee on party-line votes.

The portability language was included in Proposition HH, although the home value deduction was unchanged. Liston said the bill that referred HH to the ballot lacked Republican support because of the way his Democratic colleagues rushed the legislation through.

Liston was not surprised to see Proposition HH fail. However, he believes the margin of defeat should send a strong message to the Governor and Democratic lawmakers that voters do not want to sacrifice TABOR refunds to address the problem.

He believes a 3-day special session would provide enough time to pass straightforward property tax relief before new appraisals take effect next year.

"We have a window of opportunity. We should seize it, and we should do it. We're prepared to do it," Liston said. "Our encouragement to the Governor is to call us, we'll be there on day one."

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DENVER After Tuesdays resounding defeat of statewide proposition HH, which aimed to provide tax relief to Colorado property owners amid skyrocketing home values, multiple high-ranking sources within the state capitol tell Denver7 Chief Investigative Reporter Tony Kovaleski an announcement on a special session to find other solutions could come within the next 24 hours.

Legislators across the political spectrum and including Governor Jared Polis are looking for ways to find immediate relief for property owners who are facing huge property tax increases, values that in some cases in Denver rose as much as 45%.

Prop HH intended to allow the state to retain money that would otherwise go back to taxpayers, in the form of TABOR refunds.

Colorado Republicans have previously pushed for the governor to call a special session to address property tax relief and again called for the session on election night as it was apparent voters were rejecting Prop HH.

Colorado House Republicans, in a release on Tuesday, took aim at Democrats calling for the special session before increases take effect in the new year.

Voters clearly saw through the legislatures tax scheme intended to take more of their hard-earned money by historically increasing taxes. Republicans continue to ask that we and the Governor correct this fixable property tax mess now, said House Minority Leader Mike Lynch in the release. Dont make Coloradans wait any longer. Our caucus looks forward to coming to the table, rolling up our sleeves and finding real property tax relief for all Coloradans. The Governor has my phone number. Ill be waiting for his call, he said.

Republican lawmakers have presented three policy proposals they would like to introduce as bills, including increasing an exemption already available to seniors and veterans with disabilities.

The Minority Whip, Sen. Barbara Kirkmeyer, previously told Denver7 that would be a 50% reduction, essentially, on homes valued up to $400,000."

Secondly, Republican lawmakers propose reducing the states property assessment rate to 6.7% from 6.77% as a starting point for the statewide assessment rate, arguing local governments could act to reduce the rate further.

That assessment rate reduction to 6.7% was the same reduction proposed in Prop HH.

Third, Republicans called for permanently reducing the state income tax from 4.4% to 4%, but that would not directly impact property taxes.

Colorado Senate Republicans on Wednesday morning also renewed their call for a special session but it is unclear what legislation would come from a special session in which Democrats hold a majority in both chambers.

We want property tax relief, but we don't feel we have to give up our TABOR refund check to get it. And we know we don't have to, Kirkmeyer told Denver7 reporter Brandon Richard on Wednesday. And I think they were sending a message: Legislature, Governor, whether you're Republican or Democrat, y'all need to get together and give us that relief, that tax relief that you've been promising.

Governor Polis office released a statement following the passing of Proposition II, but has not issued a statement regarding Prop HH.

DENVER Lawmakers have drafted legislation that, if passed, would create a fee depending on how heavy a vehicle is. The money collected would later be granted to local governments for pedestrian safety improvements to the roadways.

According to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT), pedestrian deaths have been trending upward for the last decade, and hit a 20-year record high of 111 deaths in 2022.

"Data shows us that heavier vehicles are a part of the problem, and that's agnostic. It's not a judgment on the kind of vehicle you drive. It's just a fact that these vehicles are more often involved in fatalities and serious injuries," said Senator Lisa Cutter (D), a sponsor of the bill.

The legislation passed through the Transportation and Legislative Review Committee as an interim bill.

If passed, the fee would be implemented for vehicle owners in the 12 most populous counties in Colorado.

"We will create a separate enterprise, and the fees will be deposited into this enterprise and then grants will come out of that to local governments," said Cutter. "Cities can apply to do things to make their main streets safer and to provide their high traffic areas more safety for their pedestrians and bicyclists and all the vulnerable road users."

Commercial vehicles will be exempt from the fee, while passenger cars and light trucks would be charged a sliding scale.

The legislation does not require a fee for a vehicle owner if their car weighs under 3,500 lbs. From there, the fee would be:

At that rate, the owner of a 2024 Subaru Outback, with the maximum curb weight of 3,946 lbs, would see a fee of $11.83 annually. The owner of a 2023 Tesla Model Y, with the maximum curb weight of 4,555 lbs, would see a fee of $18.22.

The fee scale is different for trucks. A 2022 Ford F150 with a maximum curb weight of 5,740 lbs would fall under the fee category of one cent per dollar per pound in the range of 5,500 to 6,500 lbs for a total fee of $57.40.

"Inflation's high, fuel's high, energy costs are high. The last thing you need is the government further in your pocket," said Abraham Aryan, owner of Truck Kings in Denver. He also sits on the Colorado Independent Dealers Association.

Aryan said the fees are a band-aid fix for safety and are government overreach.

"It really has nothing to do with the weight of the vehicles as much as it has to do with road construction and how far Colorado is behind," Aryan said. "It's going to hurt just the regular Colorado citizens like you and I who just drive an SUV because you like to go hiking and you maybe have a midsize dog that you'd like to take places with you. Everybody's gonna pay this."

The bill is expected to be introduced on the floor in early 2024.

A new indictment filed Tuesday charged U.S. Rep. George Santos with stealing the identities of donors to his campaign and then using their credit cards to ring up tens of thousands of dollars in unauthorized charges.

Prosecutors said some of that stolen money ended up in his own bank account.

The 23-count indictment replaces one filed earlier against the New York Republican charging him with embezzling money from his campaign and lying to Congress about his wealth, among other offenses.

The new charges include allegations that he charged more than $44,000 to his campaign over a period of months using cards belonging to contributors without their knowledge. In one case, he charged $12,000 to a contributor's credit card and transferred the "vast majority" of that money into his personal bank account, prosecutors said.

Santos is also accused of falsely reporting to the Federal Elections Commission that he had loaned $500,000 to his campaign in an attempt to convince Republican Party officials that he was a serious candidate, when he actually had less than $8,000 in his personal accounts.

SEE MORE: Ex-treasurer for Rep. George Santos pleads guilty to conspiracy

"As alleged, Santos is charged with stealing people's identities and making charges on his own donors' credit cards without their authorization, lying to the FEC and, by extension, the public about the financial state of his campaign," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace said in a statement.

Santos did not immediately return a text and a phone message seeking comment. He has previously denied defrauding anyone.

The new charges deepen the legal peril for Santos, who likely faces a lengthy prison term if convicted. So far, he has resisted all calls to resign, insisting he intends to run for reelection next year.

Santos' personal and professional biography as a wealthy businessman began to unravel soon after winning the election to represent Long Island and Queens last year, revealing a tangled web of deception.

In addition to lying to voters about his distinguished Wall Street background, Jewish heritage, academic and athletic achievements, animal rescue work, real estate holdings and more Santos is accused of carrying out numerous fraud schemes meant to enrich himself and mislead his donors.

Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com

DENVER After a months-long election cycle, Denver Mayor-elect Mike Johnston said hes ready to start making his campaign promises a reality.

During Johnstons victory speech Tuesday night, he revisited many of his plans to end homelessness and reduce crime.

We can build the city that is big enough to keep all of us safe, to house all of us, to support all of us, Johnston said. Do I still believe I can afford to live in this city? Do I still think my kids will be safe growing up in the city? Do I think I can get my life back together in this city? Well, folks, tonight, Denver decided that we believe in a city that can do all of those things.

In a one-on-one interview with Denver7 Wednesday morning, Johnston reiterated his plans to end homelessness during his first term.

Our first year, well be extra ambitious, but we are focused on the first four years, the mayor-elect said. I focused on micro-communities with tiny homes because those can be built in seven days and give people access to shelter. We get wrap-around services at those sites, and then we help move people from the encampments where they are as a community to those new sites. We can help people really succeed in those settings.

Johnston also discussed how he plans to create affordable, attainable housing for Denver residents.

I do know that we need to add density. That means, when youre next to a light rail stop or youre next Colfax and a bus line, thats where we should have more density, he said. So we will focus on increasing supply around the city. My goal is to do 25,000 units that are permanently affordable, that are attainable to those making 60, 70, $80,000 a year.

Johnston said under his administration, local businesses will thrive, and underrepresented groups will be supported.

I will be here, shoulder to shoulder, to walk with you on this journey until you find what you need, and you pick yourself up off of the ground and you get your life back together again. That's the city we believe in, he said in his victory speech.

DENVER After a lot of heartache and frustration, Shelli Fransen can finally call Wheat Ridge home.

Its a great location for us. The yard, its perfect for us. We really like it, she said.

Fransen moved into her rental home with her two daughters at the end of March with the help of a housing voucher.

If I were to pay my own rent, it would be 50% of my income for the rent, said Fransen.

She was turned away from a prior rental due to what she called discrimination.

"She said, 'Well, because the apartment is $1,900 a month, and your voucher is for $1,850, you don't qualify for it.' But I have my income plus the voucher, said Fransen. She was basically pushing me in a direction like, 'Here's where we keep our housing voucher holders in these apartments.'

State Senator Faith Winter (D) says Senate Bill 23-184 will make it easier for renters with vouchers to get housing.

Right now, landlords can require applicants to have an income equivalent to three, four, even five times the rent in order to qualify for their property.

This says you cannot require more than two times the income to qualify for rent. But for those with vouchers, it can only be about what they're paying above the voucher. So we're going to make sure a lot more people qualify for a lot more units with this legislation, said Winter.

While vouchers are designed to help with affordable housing, Winter says it comes with a stigma.

If you're asking folks to have two, three times the income even with voucher income, the system isn't working, said Winter.

John Paul Marosy, outreach and education coordinator for the Denver Metro Fair Housing Center, says the three most common forms of housing discrimination are landlords refusing to accept the housing voucher, refusing to count the value of the voucher toward the rent to income ratio and steering voucher holders into an area with other voucher holders. He encourages people to reach out and file a complaint if they suspect discrimination.

We talk the person through their situation and determine if their complaint rises to the level of legal discrimination. If it does, we help them prepare the complaint then refer them to the Colorado Civil Rights Division, said Marosy.

The Colorado Civil Rights Division told Denver7 if it determines a complainant was treated unfairly due to their source of income, the case could end up in front of a judge if not settled.

Fransen is hopeful she and her daughters are safe in their new home.

I hope we can stay here for a while, said Fransen.

The bill was sent to Colorado Governor Jared Polis' desk and awaits his signature. Winter says she's confident he will sign it into law

If signed, the law will take effect in August.

This week, a legislative push to help crime victims pay towing and impound fees was signed into law, but not before most of its provisions were gutted. Now, lawmakers will further study the issue

House Bill 23-1217 would have required tow companies to release crime victims' cars at no charge.

Rep. Meg Froelich, D-Arapahoe County, co-sponsored the measure, which would have set up a fee for every tow and created a fund to pay for crime victim impound fees. Ultimately, the new law only requires the Transportation Legislation Review Committee to study the issue this summer and make legislative recommendations for the next session, which is a signal that the idea will take priority then.

"I think the pushback was from the administration in general," said Froelich, who added there were concerns about implementation and potential costs. "It's semi-back-to-the-drawing board. I mean, we have the initial concept. We have all the parties who have been informed that this is what we want to do. So, we will look at the issue from soup to nuts, go back to the table."

Similar legislation has failed in previous sessions, but Froelich said she is confident the committee will move forward with workable legislation next session.

"It's a standing committee with drafting privileges," she said. "So that means bills come out of that committee, which is what we're hoping for."

Meanwhile, the city of Aurora is studying creating a city-owned impound lot that waives crime fees. Denver already has a city-owned impound lot.

An influential state commission that has helped Colorado leaders shape criminal justice policy for 15 years is shutting down.

A bill to reauthorize the Colorado Commission on Criminal and Juvenile Justice (CCJJ) was postponed indefinitely by the House Judiciary Committee.

It means the CCJJ will finish its work and dissolve this summer.

The commission, which is comprised of state officials and community members representing a variety of perspectives, has helped craft many criminal justice policies since lawmakers created it in 2007.

Most recently, Gov. Jared Polis asked the commission to help develop strategies to crack down on auto theft in Colorado.

The commission came up with a list of recommendations for a bill to make all auto thefts a felony, regardless of a vehicles value.

The bill passed both chambers and was sent to the governor.

But many lawmakers saw problems with the CCJJ.

Part of what we saw with the CCJJ in its current structure were a lot of long meetings, often during work hours, which made it very difficult for members of the public to participate, said State Sen. Julie Gonzales. And it just became pretty cumbersome and difficult for everyday Coloradans to keep track of what was actually happening.

Gonzales was among the lawmakers pushing for the commission to be shut down.

She also sits on the commission and says the 30-member body lacks diversity and has become too political.

I don't shy away from political conversations. But I do want for evidence-backed and data-driven policies to really be able to be vetted thoroughly from a broad cast of characters, said Gonzales.

But others say its lawmakers who have become too political.

The Colorado District Attorneys Council (CDAC), which is also represented on the commission, fought against letting the commission expire.

But their arguments did little to persuade progressive lawmakers who were against reauthorization.

The House Judiciary Committee voted to postpone a bill reauthorizing the commission indefinitely.

It is incredibly disappointing and puzzling that the same House Judiciary Committee that just last week openly lauded the importance of and value of the long history of success and collaboration of the CCJJ now finds, in a party-line vote, that the commission is unworthy of continuation, the CDAC said in a statement.

As for whats next, Gonzales wants to see another commission or task force thats free from politics and more open to the public.

Our next legislative session begins in January. I'm sure that conversations will unfold between now and next January, said Gonzales.

According to the commissions website, it will conclude all work by June 30.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is testing a new surveillance device on immigrants in the Denver area, with plans to roll it out nationwide. But immigrant rights advocates told our Denver7 partners that this latest expansion of ICE's so-called alternatives to detention program is unnecessary, expensive and harmful.

The VeriWatch device looks similar to a smartwatch, but it can track a persons location in real-time, scan their face and send and receive messages from ICE officers and case managers.

The device was created by BI Incorporated, a private monitoring technology company based in Gunbarrel, Colorado, just north of Boulder.

ICE announced the pilot program in late April, calling it a less obtrusive manner of increasing compliance for immigrants who are not detained while they move through the legal system.

Fifty people are currently wearing the watches in ICES Denver test group. None of them were in detention, and all were already showing up for their court hearings and meetings with officers, according to advocates familiar with the cases.

This is not an alternative to detention. It's actually an expansion of an invasive surveillance technology, said Siena Mann, a campaign manager with the Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition.

The watch combines surveillance technologies that BI Incorporated and its parent company, the private prison giant Geo Group, have sold to ICE for almost a decade. Since 2004, the U.S. government has paid more than $1.8 billion for the Colorado-based company to monitor immigrants who do not have criminal records and would not otherwise be detained.

Given the high costs, and the fact that almost all immigrants show up for their court hearings and ICE meetings without being monitored or detained, advocates are opposed to the new device.

It is not needed, and it's extremely expensive, and it's for profit too, said Gina McAfee, a volunteer with the American Friends Service Committees Colorado Immigrant Rights program. Taxpayers are paying a private company to make a profit off of these technologies that they put on immigrants to try to control them.

Unlike a standard smartwatch, this new surveillance watch is very large and obtrusive, said Jordan Garcia, a program director for the American Friends Service Committee. Half of the immigrants wearing the watches in Denver must keep them on 24 hours a day. The other half are required to wear them during the day while they are working.

The new watch functions similarly to an ankle monitor, a device that can contribute to stigma, discrimination and negative physical and mental health effects. These devices can also jeopardize employment and deprive people of privacy, a recent study shows.

"If you're in a job interview, it's really obvious, Garcia said. "If you're working in manufacturing or in agriculture, it could be a dangerous thing to have to wear.

Instead of paying private companies to monitor immigrants, Garcia said the U.S. government could invest in more lawyers, and more people who are processing paperwork so that we can have people normalize their status and process their cases.

ICE has successfully tested case management and legal assistance programs in the past. But under the past three presidential administrations, the federal government has increased its spending to both detain and surveil immigrants. Under President Joe Biden, ICE has paid more than $250 million per year for privately-run surveillance of immigrants.

We are concerned that this could be massively expanded and utilized not only in our communities here in Colorado, but around the country, said Mann. We have the opportunity with this being piloted in Denver to try to halt it here.

DENVER Immigration officials are bracing for a surge in migrants entering the United States, and the humanitarian crisis is already overwhelming the City of Denver.

The federal government's COVID-19 public health emergency will end Thursday, and with it Title 42, a policy preventing people who are seeking asylum from coming to the U.S.

On Wednesday, 286 migrants arrived in Denver, according to a 6 p.m. update from the city. Denver saw 378 migrant arrivals the day before.

Four city shelters are at capacity, and others are filling up, the city told Denver7.

We are at a point where it has become unmanageable for one agency to address and to manage alone, said Mikayla Ortega with the Denver Officer of Emergency Management. Our resources are not infinite. We are not able to do this long term.

In anticipation of even more arrivals, Denver activated its Emergency Operations Center Wednesday.

The city demobilized the center just two months ago. It opened to support migrants as they arrived in an influx starting on Dec. 6.

Denver says it has spent upward of $15 million on this humanitarian crisis, and the city has only received $2 million from the state. Now, city officials are calling on the federal government to step up.

It's unclear if we'll be able to obtain reimbursement for all of the money that we've put into this effort, Ortega said.

In a joint letter to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Colorado Governor Jared Polis said, We want to reiterate that non-border jurisdictions are very much impacted by this crisis. Receiving additional funding is essential to caring for the needs of migrants while maintaining solvency of our local finances."

Hancock and Office of Emergency Management Director Matthew Mueller will hold a media briefing Thursday at 11 a.m. to discuss the situation.

Several nonprofits are helping provide food, clothing and shelter to the new arrivals. The city has specifically asked faith-based communities for help in providing shelter.

If you would like to help the migrants arriving in Denver, you can donate to the Newcomers Fund.

Democratic lawmakers passed a property tax relief bill on Monday, the last day of the 2023 legislative session. The measure will now go before Colorado voters this November as Proposition HH.

It comes after many homeowners experienced sticker shock with their latest property tax assessments in the past two or three weeks. Some homeowners are reporting increases of 50% or more in their property values.

This relief package will lower those property taxes by about 18-20% for the average homeowner through a combination of creative relief and tax-cutting strategies weaved into Senate Bill 303.

We know housing is far too expensive in our state, said Governor Jared Polis at a news conference on Tuesday at the State Capitol. And its pricing folks out of their communities.

Proposition HH also includes a $600 TABOR refund for every Coloradan regardless of whether youre a homeowner or a renter.

You can only get the refund by voting for the property tax decrease, which has some lawmakers calling foul about the connection between the two.

I dont think its fair to link those two issues together, said Rep. Mike Lynch, a Republican from Larimer and Weld Counties. Theyre really different. Theyre coming from a different tax revenue source, so why would those two things be attached? And its pretty blatant whats going on. You get one thing if you vote for this.

Senate Republicans take it a step further and said Prop HH is a bait and switch by Democrats to ultimately eliminate the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) permanently.

Simply a marketing tool to try and incent the voters of Colorado to vote in favor of HH which will, over time, abolish the TABOR refund in order to get at a little bit of property tax relief, said State Sen. Paul Lundeen, R-El Paso County. Thats not the way it should be done.

A nonpartisan council said Coloradans can expect approximately a 23% decrease in their TABOR refunds in 2025 if voters approve the November ballot initiative.

A preliminary 16-page analysis by the nonpartisan Colorado Legislative Council Staff was published after Democratic Gov. Jared Polis and other legislators announced SB 303 on Monday.

Democrats said the two are closely related enough, so why not put them on the ballot together?

I think thats a reasonable way to say, Look, we can do all these things, Polis said. We can show a strong and healthy surplus, we can reduce property taxes, by reducing property taxes it reduces revenues for many districts, we can backfill some of that.

This package is largely about property tax relief in a moment when property taxes are expected to skyrocket, said State Sen. Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder. The opposition is saying were taking away everyones TABOR refunds and were not. We want to make it clear that everybody is still going to get a refund into the future.

Colorado lawmakers are spending some of their final hours focused on guns, youth violence, and drugs.

Lawmakers passed a bill to ban so-called ghost guns, which they say have become a big problem.

"We're seeing an increased use of ghost guns by criminals because you don't have to have a background check. So, it's a way for them to undermine and evade what is required to own a gun, said State Sen. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, who sponsored the bill.

If signed by the governor, the bill would require current ghost gun owners to have to get their guns serialized by Jan. 1. Theyll also likely have to undergo a background check.

While many law enforcement leaders support that bill, theyre opposed to another bill to raise the minimum age prosecutors can charge a juvenile with a crime from 10 to 13.

The sponsors of HB23-1249 say it will get young offenders the help they need much sooner outside the juvenile justice system.

When we're catching this at the front end, when kids are young and impressionable, this is the best time to have that influence and show that change of behavior, said State Rep. Serena Gonzales-Gutierrez, D-Denver.

Aurora Interim Police Chief Art Acevedo said the bill will lead to older criminals exploiting young kids, getting them to commit violent crimes because they wont be prosecuted.

Now were going to see young kids, said Acevado. And you know whos going to have to live with that when those police officers end up getting a shooting with a 12-year-old because we just opened the door to that kind of behavior? Its our police officers.

Prosecutors would still be able to charge youth accused of murder.

The bill passed the House but stalled in the Senate.

When it comes to drugs, lawmakers considered a bill to allow prosecutors to charge someone with a felony if they supply fentanyl to someone who dies from an overdose.

Our goal is to really try to make sure that, if someone deals these drugs, and kills someone in our community, that there is a significant consequence there so that that family has justice, said State Sen. Kyle Mullica, D-Adams County, the bills sponsor.

The bill passed the Senate but died in a House committee.

Opponents say it would have caused more harm.

I think that bill is similar to most drug-induced homicide bills and laws, they don't actually protect people, said Anaya Robinson, with the ACLU of Colorado, which opposed the bill. "In most cases, they'll increase overdose rates because people who are with someone while overdosing have so much fear around getting prosecuted with a felony charge if they're on the scene when help arrives for that overdose."

Lawmakers have until Monday night to adjourn.

Our Denver7 partners first shared Heather Sisenstein's story back in January.

The single-mom lives in the Lamar with her 7-year-old daughter. She had received contraceptive care for years from a physician assistant (PA) she grew to love and trust, but when she learned the doctor at her practice was retiring, her PA couldn't offer her the care she needed anymore.

Her previous supervisor was stepping out, and somebody else was now her supervisor who did not have the certification or knowledge to do that, said Sisenstein.

Sisensteins only option was to travel to Pueblo several times, which is a two-hour drive each way. Her physician assistant, Susanna Storeng, ended up moving to Michigan.

 The lack of my ability to practice my training, said Storeng. I wanted to stay, but Im the primary breadwinner for my family of four. I couldn't risk being out of a job in a rural area."

Governor Jared Polis signed Senate Bill 23-083 into law last week to address this problem.

 Its not doing the job without the doctor. Its a collaborative agreement where we're saying you should have a collaborative agreement with a physician or numerous physicians, said state Sen. Faith Winter (D), one of the bill's sponsors.

 Right now, physician assistants must be under the supervision of a physician. SB23-083 will give PAs more flexibility, which physician assistant Heidi Warner is thrilled about.

 This bill allows me now to practice to the top of my training and use my years and years of experience to work to the top of my license and increase access to care to all Coloradans, said Winter. "There are a lot of places in Colorado that don't have a physician. And in those situations, now, a PA will be able to practice at the top of their training and expertise to provide care for people who have to travel otherwise hours for access to care."

State Senator Kyle Mullica (D), who is an emergency room nurse, disagrees with the collaborative approach, citing patient safety.

 Collaboration is not oversight, said Mullica in January.

 Winter says safety won't be a concern.

 Were ensuring if a physician assistant is getting new training, they have a certain amount of training. They have a certain amount of training before providing the health care they're certified to do, said Winter.

SB23-083 will take effect later this year.

Colorado's ban on plastic bags and polystyrene cups and containers will take effect in 2024. In the meantime, retailers are working to clear them from their stores.

On January 1, a statewide fee for single-use plastic bags went into effect. The law requires a fee of at least 10 cents per plastic or paper bag, although any community that already had a higher fee in place can continue enforcing that fee.

With the 10-cent fee, four cents stay with the business to help them implement plastic reduction techniques, while six cents go to the local government.

House Bill 23-1285 is working its way through the Colorado State Capitol, and would ensure that small communities without local government programs dedicated to bag fees spend the money on reusable bags.

What we're trying to do is fix an issue that we didn't foresee," said State Representative Alex Valdez, D-Denver, who is a prime sponsor of the legislation. There are some really small municipalities, really small towns in Colorado ... Since they don't necessarily have a local government that can remit those funds, they need something to do with them. This bill fixes that by allowing them to buy reusable bags.

If a local government has programs set up for the collected funds, then the fees will go there first.

If that program doesn't exist, then the merchant can now use that to purchase reusable bags," said Valdez. We think we come full circle that way and we create less waste, which is really what we're after.

Mike Keuler is the owner of So Damn Gouda, a cheese shop in Denver. He said the shop has a system for the plastic and paper bag fees now, and supports the goal of the bill currently in the legislature.

If this program is bringing in money, it needs to go back to what the original cause of the bill is," said Keuler. Especially in lower-income areas, you don't want to be charging people additional money for something that they A, don't want to pay for or B, can't afford. So, the key is to give them the resources to be able to not have to pay for it.

HB23-1285 passed out of the Senate on Thursday, May 4, and heads back to the House of Representatives so lawmakers can concur with amendments made. Valdez believes the bill is likely to become law.

Restaurants and small local businesses with three or fewer locations will be exempt from the plastic bag ban in 2024.

In 2020, Colorado voters decided to repeal the state's "Gallagher Amendment".

It was put in place in 1982 and named after the legislator who authored it, Dennis Gallagher. Supporters liked it because as home values went up in the state, it lowered the rate used to calculate how much homeowners owed in property taxes.

Opponents, however, felt that it put a burden on the state to back fill funding for schools and fire services. With less money coming from local property taxes to schools, the state would put more of its dollars into the school district's coffers.

In passing the Gallagher Amendment in 1982, the residential assessment rate went from 21% to 7.15% by 2020.

The repeal of Gallagher in 2020 also froze the assessment rates at 7.15% for homeowners and 29% for most non-residential properties, like businesses.

In 2021, state lawmakers reduced the residential assessment rate, temporarily for 2022 and 2023. The rate for 2023 is currently 6.76%.

State lawmakers also created new categories for assessment rates for single family homes, multi family homes, as well as different types of properties for agriculture and renewable energy. Under the Gallagher Amendment, oil and gas companies were at a different assessment rate.

Fast forward to 2023, state lawmakers are proposing a plan, to try and reduce property taxes across the state. Part of the proposal is to reduce the residential assessment rate in 2023 and 2024 to 6.7%. This would apply to single family homes and only to primary residences, not investment properties or second homes.

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Many Coloradans are suffering from sticker shock at the mailbox as they learn just how much their property taxes are set to increase in 2023.

The spike is largely due to a historic bump in property values statewide. Also contributing, though, is the decision by voters in 2020 to repeal the Gallagher Amendment.

The Gallagher Amendment, which was passed in 1982, was meant to be a way to keep residential property tax rates lower than the rates paid by non-residential property owners, such as businesses.

The share of the states overall property tax was split, with residential properties paying 45% of the share while non-residential properties paid 55% of the share.

As property values have increased over the years, assessment values on residential properties have had to steadily decrease to maintain the 45/55 split mandated by Gallagher. Assessment rates determine how much of a propertys value can be taxed.

The reason homeowners have never experienced this before is [that,] until 2020, we had the Gallagher Amendment, said Scott Wasserman with the Bell Policy Center, which focuses on economic policy in Colorado. When Coloradans residential home values went up, the assessment rate went down, and the business side the non-residential side would go up to compensate."

When we got rid of the Gallagher Amendment in 2020, that meant that when residential home values go up, so too will residential property taxes, said Wasserman.

At the time, the repeal of Gallagher was seen as a victory for those who hoped to balance out the share of property taxes paid by businesses and ideally free more money up for schools, fire districts, hospitals and more particularly in rural parts of Colorado.

Opponents of the repeal, including the amendments author, Dennis Gallagher, had argued that recessionary times the months after the onset of the coronavirus wasnt the right time to repeal the amendment.

Gov. Jared Polis on Monday, May 1, unveiled proposed legislation that he said would take a three-pronged approach to cutting property taxes:

Advance Colorado, the conservative advocacy group, said the bill does not provide a long-term solution. The group called the bill a "half-baked proposal" that provides relief "with money taxpayers are already owed" through the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).

You can read a detailed summary of the proposed property tax bill here.

Colorado lawmakers have one week left in the current legislative session and hundreds of bills to get through.

Last year lawmakers passed a sweeping bill to add harsher penalties on fentanyl distribution. Part of that legislation created a new class one drug felony charge for drug distribution resulting in death.

A bill this session would extend the charge to cases involving other drugs, not just fentanyl. The bill's progress in the legislature appears to be stalled with limited time left to get bills through. The bill is bipartisan with Democratic and Republican prime sponsors.

Class one drug felonies can mean a prison sentence of eight to 32 years and fines ranging from $5,000 to $1 million. The maximum sentencing wouldn't apply unless the case involves the following.

The bill passed the Senate in March and has not had a committee hearing in the House as of Monday.

Opponents of the bill argue substance abuse is something that should be handled by public health, not the criminal justice system.

In the Senate committee hearing in March, testimony shared from those opposed to the bill, including those who had lost loved ones to substance abuse said the conversation needs to be centered around getting people help with substance use, including those selling drugs.

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Colorado cannabis entities are forced to conduct business mostly in cash, leaving them vulnerable to robberies. But a bill recently reintroduced in Congress would change that.

Anyone would be hard-pressed to find any business on South Broadway in Denver more regulated than the marijuana shops.

"We cannot let anybody in the door without checking their ID. I could go down to [a liquor store] and buy 40 cases of beer if I was so inclined, but we have strict limits on what we can sell to patients and customers here in the store," explains Clif Gordon, manager of the family-owned business, Herban Underground.

It's the same story at Peak Dispensary three blocks north.

"We have set back requirements, distance requirements from schools, daycares and even each other. We've got lock requirements for our doors, storage requirements, audits, inspections, and multiple agencies to adhere to," said Justin Henderson, owner of Peak.

Both owners said they are happy to follow every regulation to be able to stay in business, but there is one rule they hope will change soon, operating as a cash-only business.

With marijuana still illegal on the federal level, national banks and major credit card companies don't want to touch pot money over a fear of federal prosecution. Over the years it's created a major safety concern.

"A lot of businesses that don't have banking abilities are stuck with a lot of cash on site," said Gordon, who explained his business has been able to work with Colorado-based banks and credit unions to offer a more safe option. "If we could take credit cards, I would guess that 70% to 80% of my business would be transacted electronically. We wouldn't have that cash, we wouldn't be at risk, because the money's just not there."

"We've had multiple attempted break-ins and we've had multiple robberies. I'm not alone. I've seen a lot of other dispensaries going through the exact same thing," said Henderson.

Even large companies aren't immune to being a target for criminals.

Eaze medical cannabis delivery company also owns Green Dragon which is one of the largest dispensary chains in Colorado.

"We have 59 retail locations across the U.S. We take a mix of debit cards, as well as ACH for our delivery business. So we are not purely cash only, but what I would say is, we still have a substantial amount of cash throughout our business. We employ about 1,300 retail and delivery employees across the U.S. The use of cash significantly increases the risk to those employees," said Eaze CEO, Cory Azzalino.

He explains the company's size and scale allow them to have relationships with payment processors and banks that allow debit card use.

He said they deal with at least one robbery a month across their dispensaries and reducing the amount of cash on-site would be a help to public safety.

A group of bipartisan lawmakers including both Senators from Colorado have introduced the Secure and Fair Enforcement (SAFE) Banking Act.

Colorados cannabis industry is American innovation at its best, but operating in all-cash is stifling its potential and making small businesses a target for crime, said Senator John Hickenlooper (D) in a statement. Its time for the federal government to catch up to Colorado.

The legislation, if passed, would allow legally operating cannabis businesses access to banking services and credit card services without either party facing federal punishment.

"We're legitimate businesses. We pay our employees. We pay our state and we pay our federal taxes. We follow every regulation and I guarantee you, there is no business in Colorado more regulated than the cannabis industry. We do that. All we're asking for is not only to make it safer for our staff, and our store, but make it easier and safer for our customers," said Gordon.

Different versions of the SAFE Banking Act have passed the House six times. However, it has not once been taken up in the Senate.

"Where it becomes more hotly contested is when there are other social equity elements added to the bill. Although they have good intentions, the actual impact of that is that you start to lose Republicans and potentially even some Democrats, which means that it just becomes less viable to actually pass. Because this is such an important issue for small businesses, and just general public safety, I think that really needs to be the focus," said Azzalino.

DENVER Colorado lawmakers could make it a felony to falsely report an active shooter.

It comes as law enforcement across the state deal with what officials describe as a disturbing and dangerous prank known as swatting.

Swatting occurs when someone calls in a fake emergency to get the police to rush to a particular location.

Kevin Klein, the director of the Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, says over 60 swatting incidents have occurred in Colorado since January 2022.

He says 51 of those incidents targeted schools.

Klein says 41 swatting incidents have occurred in 2023, including on February 22, when Boulder High School and 28 other schools were targeted.

Klein shared the figures as he testified in favor of SB23-249 before the Colorado Senate Judiciary Committee.

Anna Craig, a student at Denvers East High School, also testified in favor of the bill.

On September 19, 2022, East High School was targeted in a swatting incident.

Investigators say someone falsely reported an active shooter at the school, sending students into lockdown and officers scrambling.

Craig told lawmakers she still feels traumatized months later.

She shared details from that day.

About 30 minutes into the lockdown my teacher turned on the news. We watched as SWAT teams escorted our friends out of their classrooms, said Craig. At that moment, you dont know its a drill. You think youre going to die.

Craig said another reason she and other students at East felt scared was because of an actual shooting that had taken place near campus less than two weeks prior.

In February of this year, an East High School student, Luis Garcia, was shot just yards from campus. He died from his injuries a couple of weeks later.

In March, two faculty members were shot by a 17-year-old student.

State Senator Kevin Van Winkle, R-Douglas County, is among a group of lawmakers pushing to make falsely reporting an active shooter a felony.

Its an incredibly harmful prank and something that is incredibly dangerous, said Van Winkle. One of the things we're hoping to do is by creating a felony offense will raise awareness and deter it from ever happening again.

The Colorado Attorney Generals Office said just one swatting incident can cost taxpayers $100,000.

Thats money spent on police resources responding to the call and disruption to the school day.

The Colorado Criminal Defense Bar is against the bill.

This bill will further criminalize minors and using the juvenile justice system to address fear and trauma in minors is simply counterproductive, said Tristan Gorman, who testified against the bill on behalf of the Colorado Criminal Defense Bar.

The bill, which is sponsored by Van Winkle, State Sen. Jeff Bridges (D-District 26), State Rep. Barbara McLachlan (D-District 59), and State Rep. Gabe Evans (R-District 48), passed the Senate by a vote of 35-0 and now heads to the House for consideration.

A hearing on the bill has been scheduled for the House Education Committee on Thursday.

In 2018, lawmakers made it a misdemeanor to falsely report a bomb threat.

The charge can be upgraded to a felony if someone dies or is injured.

A proposal laid out by Governor Jared Polis and Democratic leaders at the state capitol this session is getting heat from local government leaders including Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers.

The bill focuses on creating more housing in the state.

The bill's sponsors presented several amendments to the bill during a Senate committee hearing Tuesday night.

Polis points to a need to increase housing in Colorado to address the state's affordability challenges. One amendment introduced Tuesday night eliminates a requirement in the bill for "upzoning" for middle housing.

It's one requirement in the bill that brought out staunch opponents like Mayor Suthers.

"One of the things Im very insulted by is the notion that they can do a better job at being considered about affordability," Suthers said in an interview with News5. Suthers pointed to projects in the city over the last four years in Colorado Springs that focused on affordable housing.

Polis said it's time for the state to step up, pointing part of the blame on housing costs on local restrictions.

"Its really about the right that homeowners have," Polis said, it takes the state to step up and protect your rights as a homeowner.

Suthers called the claims on local government restrictions "disingenuous" and said other regulations put in place by the state are driving up the costs of construction.

In a visit to Colorado Springs Tuesday, Polis touted the proposal as a solution for people like Sherri Podue, a teacher at Twain Elementary.

Podue has been teaching for six years. Her husband also works for Colorado Springs School District 11 and with an 11-month-old baby at home, expenses are adding up.

"We've thought about moving out of state we've thought about moving to Kansas we've thought about moving to other states, just anywhere that we can afford," Podue said.

She and her husband have looked at buying a house, they were approved for a $250,000 loan, well below the median home price of about $450,000 in Colorado Springs. Podue said they've found five homes in their price range near where they work.

In some cases, homes in that price range are only for people aged 55 and up. The process has been heartbreaking for Podue.

"There's just this balancing act that's so difficult with the housing market and with finances in general, things just get more and more expensive," Podue said.

Her hope is that more affordable options will be available soon and her family can find a home to grow into.

The bill was in the Senate Local Government and Housing Committee going through the amendment process well into the evening hours of Tuesday. The bill passed the committee in a 4-3 vote and now will head to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further discussion.

A total of 18 amendments were passed as a result of this committee hearing.

For a full breakdown of the bill, visit the link here: Land Use Bill

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Democratic state lawmakers advanced four major gun reform bills this session, with the Colorado House of Representatives even holding rare weekend sessions to get it done.

But a proposal to ban so-called assault weapons is facing some uncertainty after a committee hearing was suddenly canceled.

The largest package of gun reform bills in a decade may soon be headed to the governors desk.

This week, lawmakers could take final votes on amendments to the bills.

The bills remove legal protections from gunmakers, expand the states red flag law, require a three-day waiting period, and raise the minimum age to buy a gun to 21.

Republican lawmakers criticized Democrats for limiting debate on the bills and accused them of attacking the Second Amendment.

It isnt defending guns. Its defending the ability to protect yourself, protect your family and protect your country, said State Rep. Ty Winter, R-District 47. When you pass legislation, it has farther reaching consequences than they see.

House Democratic leaders celebrated the passage of the bills.

With 40 days left in the session, it was a significant milestone to get through the bills that we did, said House Speaker Julie McCluskie.

But the package of bills they passed does not include a bill banning so-called assault weapons.

That bill, which is sponsored by Representatives Elisabeth Epps and Senator Rhonda Fields, has yet to be heard in committee.

A hearing was scheduled in the House Judiciary Committee last Tuesday but was suddenly called off.

McCluskie told Denver7 they wanted to focus on a package of abortion bills instead.

Recognizing how demanding this [past] weekend was, and the three bills we have on reproductive health that are coming this week, it was a good decision to delay, said McCluskie.

While many progressives have called for a ban on certain guns, its unclear whether Colorados Democratic leaders are willing to go there.

The governor has repeatedly declined to comment or endorse the bill when pressed by reporters, and neither McCluskie nor House Majority Leader Monica Duran would say if they supported the bill when Denver7 asked them about it during a media availability.

I havent read the bill, said Duran. I'd like to really kind of hear the bill and make sure it does what it's supposed to do, so I don't have a position yet.

Opponents of the bill, including the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, celebrated the hearing's cancellation, seeing it as a sign that the bill was dead.

But the group's executive director posted a video later, saying they had "prematurely" celebrated and urged followers to sign a petition to lawmakers and the governor.

The bill defines assault weapons by certain features and characteristics.

It also bans the manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring of ownership of an assault weapon.

As of Sunday afternoon, the House Judiciary Committee has not rescheduled a hearing on the bill.

Multiple messages left for Fields and Epps seeking comment have not been returned.

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A series of bills are being discussed at the Colorado state capitol this session to change gun laws. One of which is an expansion to the state's Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) commonly called red flag laws.

SB23-170 would add to the groups of professionals who can petition for an ERPO including District Attorneys, educators, healthcare professionals, and mental health providers.

In the wake of the

,

to strengthen and broaden the law. The Club Q shooting suspects 2021 arrest for allegedly making bomb threats has put Colorados red flag law back in the spotlight.

Colorados red flag law allows a family or household member or law enforcement to petition a court if they believe a person poses a significant risk to themselves or others.

They can ask a judge to issue an order, known as an extreme risk protection order, to have the persons firearms removed and prohibit them from purchasing other firearms.

Following the lead of Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, some lawmakers say it is time to consider changes to the law, like expanding who can petition a court to have guns removed from someone's custody.

Senate Bill 170's prime sponsors are Senator Tom Sullivan (D-Arapahoe, Douglas), Senator Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder), Representative Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver), and Representative Mike Weissman (D-Adams, Arapahoe). SB21-170 was introduced in late February and is currently assigned to the Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs committee. The purpose is to repeal the previously passed law and reenact with the new provisions.

Sen. Sullivan lost his son in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting and sponsored the red flag law as a House member in 2019. He's argued in favor of adding district attorneys, attorney generals, and health care professionals as part of the group that can petition.

The proposed bill in this session "expands the list of who can petition for an extreme risk protection order to include licensed medical care providers, licensed mental health-care providers, licensed educators, and district attorneys", according to the summary text.

It also "requires the office of gun violence prevention to expend funds annually on a public education campaign regarding the availability of, and the process for requesting an extreme risk protection order."

During a hearing Wednesday morning in Denver, current El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal testified against the bill. He argues the "legislation that violates 4th Amendment protections against unreasonable search and seizure and a citizens right to the 14th Amendment- protections of due process," according to a release. In Roybal's prepared remarks he told lawmakers, "As sheriff, it is my priority to uphold the constitution, carry out the letter of the law, and keep our community safe.

For the purposes of this bill:

Anyone who files a petition or is involved in the process is offered protection against an employer disciplining or terminating an employee, whether it is in regard to filing a petition, omitting information, or refusing to take part in the investigation.

The bill includes provisions allowing a licensed healthcare professional or mental health professional to disclose private health information for the purposes of review by a court, but that information must be sealed by a court. Additionally, the bill offers protection from civil or criminal liability for disclosing private health information.

A petition for an extreme risk protection order must include:

As part of the process to consider the petition, there should be a hearing in-person or over the phone, on the same day the petition is filed to determine whether a temporary extreme risk protection order should be issued. Before issuing an order, the court is to consider whether the subject meets the standards of mental health concerns to warrant an emergency commitment.

Within 14 days after the initial hearing, there would be a second hearing to determine if a 364-day extreme risk protection order is warranted. During the second hearing, the subject of the order would be allowed to represent themselves or be represented by an attorney in the proceedings, including cross-examination of witnesses.

Relevant evidence to be considered on whether an extreme risk protection order will be issued:

A temporary extreme risk protection order would expire on the day the second hearing is held or if the petition is withdrawn. Upon expiration of an order, the law enforcement agency in possession of the subject's firearms should provide notice on how to reclaim the firearms.

If an extreme risk protection order is granted, a court order would be issued for a law enforcement agency to serve the order and start the process of transferring possession of the subject's firearms. The subject would be required to sell or transfer possession of firearms to a federally licensed firearms dealer or arrange storage by a law enforcement agency within 24 hours of being served. They would also have to surrender any concealed carry permit. If the court determines not all firearms were surrendered, a search warrant can be issued to find other items.

Notice to the subject of an extreme risk protection order would include the following language.

'To the subject of this temporary extreme risk protection order: this order is valid until the date and time noted above. You may not have in your custody or control a firearm or purchase, possess, receive, or attempt to purchase or receive a firearm while this order is in effect. You must immediately surrender to the (insert name of law enforcement agency in the jurisdiction where the respondent resides) all firearms in your custody or possession, and any concealed carry permit issued to you. A hearing will be held on the date and at the time noted above to determine if an extreme risk protection order should be issued. Failure to appear at that hearing may result in a court entering an order against you that is valid for three hundred sixty four days. An attorney will be appointed to represent you, or you may seek the advice of your own attorney at your own expense as to any matter connected with this order.'

In the case that someone does not respond or comply with the order to surrender firearms, the local law enforcement agency is to make a 'good faith effort' to determine if the information is being withheld.

Any orders will be entered into the National Instant Criminal Background Check System as a measure to prevent purchases of firearms while the order is in effect. Violations of the order regarding the possession or purchase of firearms would constitute a class 2 misdemeanor.

When someone does not come to reclaim their firearms more than a year after an order has expired, the firearms should be disposed of by the law enforcement agency.

It is worth noting some local jurisdictions opposed the 2019 version of the law before it even passed, including El Paso County Commissioners and then El Paso County Sheriff Bill Elder.

At the time, Elder wrote, It is the policy of the Sheriffs Office to respect and protect the constitutional rights of all those we serve. The El Paso County Sheriffs Office will ensure that the rights of people to be free from unreasonable search and seizure and to receive due process of law are safeguarded and maintained. These protections are reflected in our mission statement, the law-enforcement code of ethics, and codified in our policies.

An Associated Press analysis of the law found Colorado courts issued 151 gun surrender orders since the law took effect in 2020, a much lower rate than the other 18 states and the District of Columbia with red flag laws.

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A bill to ban so-called assault weapons in Colorado is getting a first look in a House committee hearing on Wednesday. Colorado House Republicans say more than 400 people have signed up to testify either in support or against the bill.

Because of this, House Speaker Julie McCluskie moved the Judiciary Committee hearing to an early morning event instead of its usually scheduled time in the afternoon.

Listen to the hearing on the Colorado General Assembly website.

Republicans are against this move, saying it prevents representatives on that committee from voting on the bills that will be heard on the House floor.

Supporters of the bill reference the use of semiautomatic rifles by suspects in the Club Q Shootings, the Colorado Springs Planned Parenthood shootings, the Colorado Springs Halloween Even shootings, the Columbine High School attack, the Boulder King Soopers shootings, and the Century 16 attack in Aurora as local justification for the proposed changes.

Many witnesses who testified in favor of the measure referenced the impact of gun violence on their families and communities, specifically around mass shootings committed using semi-automatic firearms.

El Paso County Sheriff Joe Roybal was among the law enforcement officials who testified in opposition to the bill. He told the Judiciary Committee this "is an attempt to rewrite the past.. which is not possible." He also argued the bill "only addresses the how not the why" by offering "false hope" that it will make an impact on crime.

Sheriff Roybal argues it will not impact people who already break the law and they will find a way to obtain firearms. He asked, "What will you as legislators do when the killings continue? Because they will." Roybal also opposes the current version of the bill which prevents the transfer of firearms from one generation of family members to the next.

When questioned about what his office is doing under current law to help prevent future violence, specifically with the Club Q shooting suspect, Roybal argued his office did follow the law in regard to the handling of the suspect's weapons during a prior investigation. Roybal said he was not able to speak further on the Extreme Risk Protection Orders law as it stands, due to potential impacts on the pending trial of Anderson Aldrich.

You can read his remarks below.

Weld County Sheriff Steve Reames spoke about the statistic of roughly 10% of his constituents being concealed carry holders who are mostly first-time gun owners. Reames says when he issues these permits the overwhelming reason given is for self-defense due to rising crime rates.

Reames testified he does not believe this bill addresses the underlying cause of gun crimes which he says is tied to a mental health crisis and not enforcing laws already on the books.

The bill would ban the sale and transfer of "assault weapons" which are defined as semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns with specific, common characteristics. See below for a very detailed look at what would be banned, if passed as written.

Governor Jared Polis has said in the past he won't support the bill, but told News5 gun safety is still his priority.

While the bill does not ban current ownership of the firearms defined, it does restrict the sale or transfer to anyone in Colorado.

If passed, HB23-1230 'Prohibit Assault Weapons In Colorado' would go into effect once signed by Governor Jared Polis and leave firearm dealers until July 1, 2023, to sell or transfer the remaining inventory to non-Colorado residents.

The measure was introduced by Representative Elisabeth Epps (D-Denver) and Senator Rhonda Fields (D-Adams, Arapahoe). For now, the bill is assigned to the House Judiciary Committee where the sponsors serve.

According to the summary text, "the bill defines the term 'assault weapon' and prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of an assault weapon. The bill further prohibits a person from possessing a rapid-fire trigger activator. A violation is a class 2 misdemeanor."

The legislative declaration states, in part:

The organization Rocky Mountain Gun Owners strongly opposes this measure and others before the General Assembly this session.

Gun bans, like this, are a direct infringement of both the United States and Colorado Constitutions and have been shown to have no positive effect on crime rates or deterrence of mass shootings. Additionally, this so-called assault weapons ban senselessly turns thousands of law-abiding Colorado business owners into criminals for simply attempting to sell a firearm with features arbitrarily deemed scary by the gun grabbing Democrats, said Taylor Rhodes, Executive Director of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners in a release.

The group is already working on a process to collect petition signatures to present to lawmakers and Governor Jared Polis in opposition to HB23-1230.

"This isnt your stereotypical semi-auto ban targeting firearms like AR-15s and AK-47s this ban will also restrict the purchase of most semi-automatic pistols and shotguns. This the line in the sand and Im asking every single freedom loving Coloradoan to stand with us and demand their legislators and Gov. Polis oppose this horrendous bill, said Rhodes.

The measure joins many other firearm regulation measures introduced in this year's Colorado General Assembly to raise the age to purchase a firearm, adding a waiting period for sales, county authority to prohibit firearm discharge, and the ability for people to sue gun manufacturers.

What's in the bill

Within HB23-1230, an "assault weapon" is defined as a firearm that includes any of the following:

The bill also has a provision for someone who has the parts to make a complete weapon, with the definition of "any combination of parts from which an assault weapon may be readily assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person."

Excluded from the bill are rimfire weapons, such as a .22 caliber pistol or rifle.

Also excluded are members of the armed forces while acting within the scope of their duties, sales to the US armed forces, temporary transfer of possession for maintenance and repair, historical societies and museums, forensic laboratories, an entity that operates an armored vehicle business, a peace officer, or an agency that employs peace officers.

The penalties for violations involving an "assault weapon" include:

The penalties for violations involving an "assault weapon, including a rapid-fire trigger activator" include:

Also prohibited in this bill is the sale, rental, or transferring ownership of a firearm, including an assault weapon, to a juvenile without the consent of a parent or legal guardian.

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Colorado lawmakers are looking to cap the cost of EpiPens, which can be a life-saving medication for people with severe allergies. A bill is set to go before a legislative committee on Friday this week.

The cost of the drug has risen by hundreds of dollars since 2007 when the price of the drug was about 95 dollars. for a pack of two. Today, a pack of two for EpiPens costs between $600-$700, and the generic version is about $400-$500.

State lawmakers are proposing a cap for a pack of two at $60.

"Deciding whether or not to access this life-saving medication can mean the difference of making rent or not," Representative Javier Mabrey, one of the bill's prime sponsors said.

Thousands of Coloradans living with allergies use the drug. According to the bill, more than 500,000 Coloradans have severe allergies, and of those more than 101,000 are under 18 years old.

With the drug increasing in price, many have turned to resources like a coupon provided by the drugmaker to reduce the cost. Others have been able to get the complete cost of the drug covered by insurance, but that's not the case for everyone.

Ann Bernard discovered her daughter Eden was deathly allergic to tree nuts when her daughter was only 17 months old. She had known her daughter was allergic to peanuts, but doctors recommended allergy testing to wait until her daughter was two years old. Years later, she remembers the discovery vividly.

"It was terrifying," Bernard recalled, "[she was] clawing at her neck, suffocating, her face was twice the size, bright red, shes crying, doesnt know whats going on."

She remembers yelling at her son to get an EpiPen and she lodged it into her daughter's thigh and counted to 10.

"Every number I was getting more dramatic and more dramatic and more dramatic and crying cause I felt so bad," Bernard said.

Bernard's daughter is now in middle school and not only lives with her allergies, but a brain tumor. The older she gets, the more difficult it can be to avoid being around peanuts and tree nuts.

With the high cost of the drug, Bernard said she waits until she's met her $3,000 prescription drug deductible every year to get EpiPens.

"Ive learned over the years to save expired ones and just hope if we ever need them that theyll work," Bernard said.

The drug typically expires after one year and it is one-time use.

Lawmakers are proposing the cost of copays for EpiPens for people with insurance also be capped at $60. The bill is similar to a program passed by lawmakers in 2019 to cap the cost of insulin.

The insulin bill passed with bipartisan support. So far, no Republicans have signed on as sponsors. Mabrey said that will change after the bill is in committee.

This bill will also include a program set up by the Division of Insurance to provide the drug at the $60 price for people without health insurance. People who qualify will have to apply through the Division of Insurance.

The bill is facing opposition from insurance companies.

"The health insurance community is generally against the EpiPen cap bill, Brandon Arnold with the Colorado Association of Health Plans said, "The industry would rather be able to work with their partners like the Division of Insurance, Department of Healthcare, Policy, and Finance to find solutions that arent going to create great impacts of Coloradans."

Arnold argues capping the cost doesn't get to the root of the problem, which is the manufacturers setting the high price. He added the cost would be passed on to higher health insurance premiums.

Thats not affecting the actual price of the drug, its just shifting the cost from at the counter to then being wrapped up into premiums later on down the road, Arnold said.

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Coloradans can expect to hear a lot about housing, affordability, energy, and education during this legislative session.

The topics took center stage in Governor Jared Polis first state of the state speech of his second term, Governor Jared Polis outlined some of his key policy priorities for the upcoming year.

Those priorities included a packed agenda with issues like housing and water policy, energy, and education.

The governor painted a theme of working to move the state forward ahead of the state's 150th anniversary in 2026. Affordability, specifically affordable housing a recurring theme throughout the speech.

Lets start with housing, Polis said in his address many are struggling to find a place where they can afford to live.

The question remains, how can the state become a more affordable place to live and what will lawmakers do to make it happen?

Some of the solutions the governor brought up included taking a look at "flexible zoning" laws for communities, reducing property taxes, and looking at programs currently underway to build affordable housing.

"It's more of just keeping everything on the table," Representative Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs) said, "these are all going to be tough negotiating points but I think thats what the governor is talking about, lets open it up and have those conversations."

Republican lawmakers say the decisions on zoning laws shouldn't be left up to the state.

"Lets not usurp local government control, everybody has a lane, and we should stay in that lane," Representative Rose Pugliese (Colorado Springs-R) said.

Another solution Polis proposed in his address, making the senior homestead property tax exemption "portable." Currently, seniors in Colorado are eligible for an exemption on property tax if they've lived in a property for 10 years. Seniors have to apply for the exemption which exempts them from taxes up to 50 percent of the first $200,000 in market value.

Senator Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs) said he's working on a bipartisan piece of legislation to expand the senior homestead property tax exemption.

"I hope that the governor will support action to his words and support my legislation, Liston said, if theres anybody that needs tax relief, from property tax, its the good seniors that have been paying property tax for 20,30,40 years that are going to see their property taxes raise again."

The governor also discussed priorities like education funding, the rise in auto thefts in Colorado, as well as ways to move the state to 100 percent renewable energy by 2040.

One big topic the legislature is expected to look at this session is gun laws, the governor's speech didn't focus heavily on changes at the state level when it comes to guns. He did mention a need for cracking down on "ghost guns" which are guns that do not have a serial number and are untraceable.

The governor also paid respects to the victims of the shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, honoring those who lost their lives as well as some of the survivors, who were guests of the governor on Tuesday.

The house gave a standing ovation as Polis recognized the heroes of the shooting, Richard Fierro, who attended the address with his wife Jessica and daughter Kassy who were both in the club the night of the shooting.

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Governor Jared Polis gave his state of the state address this morning and we're expecting to learn more about his specific policy plans for the year.

Last week the governor made his inaugural address where he talked about some of the same issues the legislature has outlined for the upcoming session.

From affordable housing, water, natural resources, and public safety. Polis says he'll get into more detail on how he plans to reduce housing costs in today's state of the state speech.

Last week I sat down with the Governor to discuss his priorities and plans to make Colorado a more affordable place to live.

Polis said he plans to work closely with local government leaders to tackle issues like affordability.

"By working with our commissioners and our Mayors, we can really make sure that the state is able to support that really important role to reduce costs to improve the quality of life and bring good paying jobs," Polis said.

Polis also pointed to some of the work already done in his first term that specifically impacted southern Colorado, Including transitioning Pikes Peak Community College to a state college offering four-year degrees.

He says that expanding access to building skills can empower the local economy.

We're also going to hear about some plans to address the learning impacts brought on by the pandemic.

This will be a lengthier speech compared to the one for the governor's inauguration.

There will be a lot to break down and we'll have that recap for you coming up tonight on news5.

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The 74th Colorado General Assembly is now underway a the state capitol. This session will include a lot of new members of the General Assembly, especially in the case of representatives for El Paso county and southern Colorado.

Of the 13 house districts that make up our area, only four will be represented by incumbents. Thats because many incumbent lawmakers were either drawn out of districts, term-limited or just decided not to run.

See the new Colorado House Districts in this interactive map

All of the new members were sworn in this morning. Outgoing Rep. Deneya Esgar (D-Pueblo) served as House Speaker for the opening of the General Assembly before the election of Julie McCluskie (D-Dillon) as the new House Speaker.

Whether you know who your state representative or state senator is, chances are that person probably changed for you after the November election.

But some of the new legislators see the change in representation as a good thing. Republican Don Wilson will now represent House District 20, serving Monument and the Black Forest area. I think the legislators we have coming in from El Paso County do have El Paso County in mind," Wilson tells News5.

Thats not to say the new lawmakers dont have any experience in government. Wilson is the former Mayor of Monument. "As mayor, I saw how much state policy affects the local communities and how it can be harmful or helpful and Id like to continue working on that on behalf of our smaller communities," said Wilson.

Democrat Regina English represents District 17, covering southeast Colorado Springs. She also serves on the Harrison District 2 school board. "Being on the board of education and listening to policies and concerns, you can only do so much on the local level," said English.

Shes looking to take some of the skills shes learned on the school board to the capitol and more. "Being a state legislator is definitely multi-faceted I want to do some work around affordable housing, criminal justice," she said.

News5's Alasyn Zimmerman will join us for News5 this afternoon to break down day 1 of the General Assembly and a look at lawmakers' priorities this session.

For the first time in state history, women will make up the majority in the legislature. Colorado is the second state in the country behind Nevada for this to happen.

But the state is no stranger to being ahead of the curve when it comes to women at the state capitol. In 1894, Colorado became the first state to elect women to the state legislature. And Colorado was also the second state to allow women to vote in national elections.

Local districts:

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County employees across almost all of Colorado can now come together to ask for higher wages, better benefits, and more.

On Friday, Governor Jared Polis signed a bill into law allowing county employees, in counties with more than 7,500 people living there, to collectively bargain.

"County employees literally were the backbone of keeping our communities going during the pandemic. They deserve to have a stake at the table when they do work every single day that many of us would never be able to do," said Daneya Esgar, a Colorado State Representative who sponsored the bill.

However, over 170 elected county officials from all over the state signed a letter to the Governor on May 19 asking him to veto the bill.

The letter read in part:

12 El Paso County elected officials signed the letter, including the Clerk and Recorder Chuck Broerman.

"It's a large unfunded mandate... I think everyone comes from different perspectives, but they all realize the challenges that it brings to how they govern," said Broerman.

The bill was introduced on April 25, 2022. The concerned county officials also believe the bill was pushed through too quickly, but Rep. Esgar disagrees.

"We've been talking about this bill for nearly two years now, we have extensive stakeholder work, we worked with different organizations that represent the different counties across Colorado with input from them. We changed the bill significantly with suggestions that came directly from the counties."

The law will go into effect on January 1, 2023. The bill in its entirety can be found here.

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A bill aimed at tightening security around Colorados elections passed a big vote on the House floor Wednesday night after several hours of debate.

Senate Bill 22-153, otherwise known as the Internal Election Security Measures bill, is aimed at preventing insider attacks to the state's voting system.

Heres a quick preview of what the bill would do:

Many parts of the bill a direct response to the actions allegedly taken by Mesa County Clerk and Recorder Tina Peters.

We want to make sure that people have comfort to know that their vote was counted and that it matters," said Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver, referencing the Mesa County allegations. "We can't allow this to continue or happen again if we want to have voter confidence."

Peters had not completed the certification course and is facing felony charges for allowing unauthorized people to image the countys voting machines while the cameras were off. Those images and the passwords eventually ended up online.

I hope it bolsters voters' confidence that their elections are safe and secure, Lontine said.

Wednesday nights floor debate was largely led by Rep. Ron Hanks, R-Chaffee, who has repeatedly questioned the results of the 2020 election. During the discussion, he questioned the security of the voting machines repeatedly and accused China of trying to intervene.

Elections belong to the people," Hanks said. "These systems are not secure. Theyre not secure in any sense of the word, and they ought to be."

Those claims, however, have been repeatedly disproven by election officials on both sides of the aisle from across the country.

Hanks also questioned whether certain parts of the bill will make it more difficult for public scrutiny over elections and defended voting equipment imaging, saying one persons crime is anothers duty to preserve information.

Other, more moderate Republicans, also questioned the necessity of certain portions of the bill and accused it of centralizing some of the election power with the Secretary of States office.

To me, thats the question we are here to answer does this bill do a better job at creating trust, being open and transparent and dedicated to constant improvement? And I would say no, said Rep. Hugh McKean, R-Larimer. I feel like it fall short of that. It brings some of that transparency back into a more central location.

Because of that, McKean worried the bill would mean counties would lose local control and people who live away from Denver would not be able to check in on their election systems.

In the end, both sides agreed that they want the elections to be secure, they just disagreed on how to do it.

Over the course of the night, Republicans suggested a number of amendments ranging from stating that dead people cannot vote and banning ballot harvesting to requiring voter role audits and removing people from voter roles who respond to jury duty requests saying they dont live in the area. Democrats contended that those changes werent needed and are already in statute.

None of the amendment suggestions passed in the end.

Despite the calls for amendments and filibuster, Democrats remained unwaivered on the bills language and were able to pass it just before midnight. It now requires one more vote in the House, which could happen as soon as Friday.

There are roughly seven days left in the 2022 legislative session and hundreds of bills still left on the calendar.

According to the states legislative legal services department, as of Wednesday morning, of the 655 bills that have been introduced so far this legislative session, 287 still need some sort of action.

Another 256 bills have already passed, of which 127 have been signed by the governor. Roughly 112 have died in the legislative process.

Heres a look at the current status of some of the bills:

Flavor nicotine ban bill: After getting stuck in the House, the bill finally passed its third reading and is moving on to the Senate. However, Governor Jared Polis has expressed concerns with the bill and said he will not support it in its current form. So even if it passes, it faces the possibility of being vetoed.

Property tax reduction bill: A bill to cut down on property taxes for the next two years is quickly making its way through the legislature after being formally introduced this week. It has passed the Senate and is now on its way to the House. If passed, both homeowners and businesses would see a nominal property tax cut.

Whistleblower protections bill: A bill to expand whistleblower protections in the state passed the legislature this week. It prohibits discrimination or retaliatory action against workers who speak out in good faith about a health or safety concern they might have regardless of whether there is a declared public health emergency.

Pink tax bill: The bill would end state sales taxes on diapers and feminine hygiene products beginning in 2023. It also allows localities to do the same.

Homeowner association board accountability: A HOA bill that would require HOAs to alert homeowners of delinquencies using multiple methods of communication, restrict interest rates on unpaid fines to no more than 8 percent a year and require HOAs to offer a repayment plan passed the legislature.

Paid Family Leave premium reduction: One bill that did not survive the session was a paid family leave premium reduction. It would have reduced the amount employers have to pay into the program for the first six months of next year by $57.5 million to offer some financial relief. It made it through the House with all Democratic co-sponsors but was killed in a Senate committee.

Privacy protections for educators: A bill aimed at stopping the doxxing of educators passed through the legislature last week. It adds educators to the list of protected people whose personal information may be withheld from the internet if they believe it could pose a threat to their familys safety.

A draft opinion circulated among Supreme Court justices suggests that earlier this year a majority of them had thrown support behind overturning the 1973 case Roe v. Wade that legalized abortion nationwide, according to a report published Monday night in Politico. Its unclear if the draft represents the courts final word on the matter.

The Associated Press could not immediately confirm the authenticity of the draft Politico posted, which if verified marks a shocking revelation of the high courts secretive deliberation process, particularly before a case is formally decided.

The news outlet published what was labeled as a 1st Draft of the Opinion of the Court in a case challenging Mississippis ban on abortion after 15 weeks, a case known as Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization.

Colorado lawmakers have their own views on the documents, including Governor Jared Polis. He released a statement Monday night. "While states like Texas, Florida, and Arizona are engaging in the unwelcome intrusion of government into deeply personal and religious decisions, Colorado remains a refuge where individual rights are respected and where any person has the ability to live, work, thrive, and raise a family on their own terms, said Governor Jared Polis. While this is extremely disappointing news, representing a radical shift in American life away from individual freedom, in Colorado we will continue to  fight for and respect the right to make decisions about your own body and medical health.

In April, Polis signed a bill that guarantees abortion access and other reproductive rights in state statute on Monday. HB22-1279, the Reproductive Health Equity Act, says that state and local public entities are prohibited from interfering with a persons right to continue a pregnancy, give birth, or have an abortion. It also calls peoples access to contraception a fundamental right.

Republican Colorado Springs Congressman Doug Lamborn also weighed in with a statement saying in part, "I pray and am hopeful that these reports are true, and the Supreme Court does the right thing. The 1973 Roe v. Wade decision was tragically wrong and has cost over 73 million unborn children their lives."

The Supreme Court has yet to issue a ruling in the case, and opinions and even justices votes have been known to change during the drafting process. The court is expected to rule on the case before its term is up in late June or early July.

The draft is signed by Justice Samuel Alito, a member of the courts 6-3 conservative majority, who was appointed by former President George W. Bush.

Roe was egregiously wrong from the start, the draft opinion states.

We hold that Roe and Casey must be overruled, it adds, referencing the 1992 case Planned Parenthood v. Casey that affirmed Roes finding of a Constitutional right to abortion services but allowed states to place some constraints on the practice. It is time to heed the Constitution and return the issue of abortion to the peoples elected representatives.

The draft opinion in effect states there is no Constitutional right to abortion services and would allow individual states to more heavily regulate or outright ban the procedure.

Politico said only that it received a copy of the draft opinion from a person familiar with the courts proceedings in the Mississippi case along with other details supporting the authenticity of the document.

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With days left in the 2022 legislative session, state lawmakers are proposing some property tax reductions that would go into effect in 2023 and 2024.

"Nearly every part of our state is seeing rising home values in costs," Rep. Daneya Esgar (D-Pueblo) said.

The proposal would include a combination of a reduction in assessment rates and the taxable value of a property.

Single-family home assessment rates would be reduced from 6.95 percent to 6.77 percent, with a reduction in taxable value for the first $10,000-$12,000. Non-residential assessment rates for most businesses would be reduced from 29 percent to 27.9 percent and taxable value would be reduced for the first $30,000.

"We think that will provide disproportionate relief to lower-income families as well as smaller businesses on that taxable value reduction, but also get that broad relief by changing the assessment rates in both categories," Sen. Chris Hansen (D-Denver) said.

In 2021, state lawmakers created new categories for assessment rates beyond the residential and non-residential property classifications.

The new assessment rate structure includes classifications for single-family homes and multi-family properties. Non-residential properties are in different categories for commercial, lodging, agriculture, and renewable energy.

Sen. Chris Hansen said one-time surplus from state money would backfill funding for local services such as fire departments, libraries, and K-12 education.

Lawmakers say this would save $700 million over two years in 2023 and 2024.

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Just about anyone you talk to at the Colorado Capitol has a metaphor for the last two weeks of the legislative session.

For some, its like a sprint to the finish after a marathon of work. Others liken it to cramming before a big test in college. Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert likens it to juggling BBs and bowling balls while House Minority Leader Hugh McKean says it feels more like a long drive.

Its like the end of a long road trip where everybody's out of snacks and they're a little grumpy and we're down to the warm water in the back, McKean said.

No matter what metaphor you use though, none of them truly explain the chaotic push to the end for everyone involved in the process.

During the last two weeks in particular, there is a noticeable shift in the energy around the Colorado Capitol. The hallways are more crowded, the whispered negotiations become a little louder and the debates can drag out as some try to delay bills to their death. No matter what happens in the last two weeks, though, the session stops at 120 days.

It seems like, you know, the legislature kind of always procrastinates till the end, and all of the work ends up getting piled up towards the end of session, said Senate Majority Leader Dominick Moreno.

There are officially less than two weeks left in the 2022 legislative session and still roughly 328 bills that are making their way through the process, including some big legislation that will inevitably lead to long debates.

Because there is so much left to work on and such little time, both the majority and minority in the Senate agree some of the lower priority bills will need to wait until a future session.

There is actually no way to get through the pending bills in the remaining two weeks of legislative session, Moreno said.

The Senate inevitably blames the House for the holdup in bills, saying theyre eagerly awaiting more legislation to either approve or nix.

They were pretty proud of themselves a couple of days ago. They sent us 30, and they gave themselves a pat on the back for that. And I said, "That is great. Please do it four more times, because that is the volume of bills that you have in your chamber," Moreno said.

House Majority Leader Daneya Esgar, however, doesnt like the fact that the blame is being placed on the House once again this year for the delay. She points out that the House has a lot more members, so it has a lot more opinions and a lot more bills to work through than the Senate.

She also took a jab at the Senate, saying her chamber is being much more prudent with spending. Nevertheless, Esgar is starting to ask herself and her members to take a look at the bills that are left to determine which ones must pass this session and which ones can wait.

We do have a lot of great work that we need to get done, and I'm hoping that we can come together in bipartisan ways, Esgar said.

Heres a snapshot of what is left:

Fentanyl bill: After some very long committee discussions in the House, House Bill 22-1326 is now in the Senate, where once again it could undergo some serious changes. The bill aims to curb the prevalence of fentanyl in the state by cracking down on distribution networks while also offering more rehabilitative service. The biggest fight over the bill to date is whether possession should be a felony. Republicans, law enforcement and some district attorneys want a zero-tolerance policy. Many Democrats, however, have argued that penalizing addicts wont fix the problem.

The House compromised and brought felony possession levels down to one gram. The Senate will now take a closer look at whether the House version of the bill is something they want to move forward with.

Unemployment trust fund replenishment: Colorado lawmakers unveiled a bipartisan bill Wednesday that aims to put $600 million toward the states Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund to pay off more than half the debt Colorado owes to the federal government for supporting its unemployment payments during the pandemic-induced recession. The bill still needs to make it through both chambers to pass. However, both Republicans and Democrats agree that this is important to take care of this session.

We need to restore that unemployment trust fund before we leave here, and we need to do it in a significant way. We also believe in the Republican Party that we shouldn't do that just by increasing fees or taxes on businesses. We are swimming in money, federal relief dollars should be used in a very significant way for that, Holbert said.

Election integrity bill: Democrats this session introduced a bill that aims to shore up election security further in Colorado in the face of alleged security compromises in Mesa and Elbert counties by the clerk and recorders in those counties. Senate Bill 22-153, called the Colorado Election Security Act, would strengthen some existing security laws and add new ones to try to better keep people from potentially compromising election systems. The bill has already passed the Senate and two House committees. However, it could lead to a lengthy debate on the House floor because Republicans have expressed concerns with the bills intent.

Election integrity has a lot of people concerned because it changes the structure of what we've had for local control of elections and it brings so much more of that control back to the Secretary of State at the state level, McKean said.

Producer responsibility bill: House Bill 22-1355 would create a producer responsibility program in the state. It would require companies that sell products in the state to pay into the program for the amount of goods they sell in the state and the waste they contribute. The money would then be used towards a statewide recycling program that would establish a clear, uniform list of whats recyclable and educate the public on it. The bill passed two House committees but still needs two more votes in that chamber before heading over to the Senate.

"Forever chemicals" in consumer products bill: House Bill 22-1345 would prohibit the sale of carpets, cosmetics, cookware, fabric treatments, food packaging, childrens products, furniture and other items that have PFAS chemicals in them starting in 2024. The bill passed three House committees but still needs the chambers final approval before debate can begin in the Senate.

Climate bills: Colorado Democrats continued their work this session to work on a series of bills aimed at cleaning up the states air and water. One of the bills, Senate Bill 22-138, would, among other things, incentivize people to buy electric lawn equipment by offering them a tax credit. Others would offer free transit during high ozone months or set up several grant programs in the state to help businesses and families cut down on pollution. All are at various stages in the legislative process.

Collective bargaining: One of the more contentious bills still left on the calendar is a bill that would allow public workers from the states counties to form unions and, if enough people join, enter into collective bargaining agreements. The bill was introduced this week after lengthy behind-the-scenes discussions among Democrats. Republicans are promising to fight it, though, saying they have up to 230 amendments ready to go.

I really don't understand why this waited so long, and if it's so important to the Democrats and their supporters at AFLCIO, is it really worth putting this bill through this late when it's going to take so much time? Holbert said.

Despite the disagreements over some of the most contentious bills, both sides agree that there are some that must pass, including the wildfire bills and bills that allocate out federal money.

With so many debates left to be had and so little time, lawmakers will likely be called in on at least one weekend to finish up some work.

The only constitutionally-mandated bill legislators must pass each year is a budget. Gov. Jared Polis signed that bill into law this week. However, both Republicans and Democrats say theres still a lot of work theyre hoping to wrap up in the next 13 days, whether its constitutionally mandated or not.