At this week's meeting of the Title Board, a statewide ballot measure will be vetted that would require the fiscal impact of any constitutional amendment or statutory proposition be included on the petition circulated by the proponents of the proposal. This fiscal impact would provide citizens with an understanding of the costs or benefit associated with the measure, Initiative 137. Sound familiar? It should - it mirrors language in the proposed legislation we and a coalition of 14 other statewide groups focused on for increasing the integrity of our ballot process. And we contemplated running this legislation this session. However, even-numbered-year politics and heated debates over proposed changes to state law around recall elections were clouding the discussion around our measure. Therefore, to ensure it received the full and thoughtful review it deserves, we and our bill sponsors chose not to proceed this session.
Initiative 137's proponents are leaders in the business community: Pat Hamill, chairman of Colorado Concern, and Bob Diebel, chair-elect of the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce. This effort is in concert with Coloradans for Responsible Energy Development (CRED), an effort focused on educating the general public about the energy, economic and environmental benefits of safe and responsible oil and natural gas development.
Should the Title be set - there is always the possibility of someone contesting the proposal, which leads to a longer process - the next step is approval of the template to collect signatures. That process takes several months, and the total number of valid signatures required is 86,105. To ensure success, the total collected is usually double the required amount. More to come as this measure moves forward.
As a follow-up to last week's column, facing defeat of his proposal in its first committee, Representative Salazar chose instead to postpone indefinitely his proposed legislation that took aim at the heart of education reform - HB14-1268, "Nonprobationary Teachers No Indefinite Unpaid Leave" (Salazar/Todd). However, the litigation over the issue continues, making it a critical one to monitor.
Should you have questions about these issues, or any other policy matter, please do not hesitate to contact me at [email protected].
Warmly,
Tamra
Colorado Concern Legislative Tracking
Click hereto find out what legislation Colorado Concern is tracking. The report includes links to bill text, sponsors, Colorado Concern's positions, bill status, and additional notes.
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May 22: Colorado Concern Membership Networking Breakfast Hosted by John Ikard and Featuring Ken Lund
Join Colorado Concern for a Membership Networking Breakfast May 22 hosted by John Ikard and featuring Ken Lund, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. Click herefor details and to register. ___________