by Julie Pelegrin
With the 2013 legislative session starting in less than two weeks, we thought it might be time to review some of the ins and outs of bill sponsoring with a few frequently asked bill-sponsor questions: (more…)
Year: 2012
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Educator Effectiveness and Senate Bill 10-191
by Jane Ritter
The Licensed Personnel Performance Evaluation Act (Act), Article 9 of Title 22, C.R.S., created in 1984, addresses licensed personnel evaluations for K-12 educators. Minor amendments to the Act were made over the years, but until 2010, the essence of the Act remained untouched.
In 2010, the General Assembly passed the controversial S.B. 10-191, the majority of which focused on a sweeping overhaul of the Act and the way teachers, principals, and other licensed educators are evaluated. (more…)
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Must and Shall: A Statutory Distinction
by Thomas Morris
You may have noticed that some of the bills recently drafted by the Office of Legislative Legal Services have begun to use the word “must” in some instances where we previously would have used the word “shall”. What is the reason for this change and what does it mean for bills the Office will write in the future? (more…)
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Single Subject Requirement Prevents a Multitude of Evils
by Julie Pelegrin
Because of the legislative rules you can only introduce five bills. But, you have eight issues that really need to be addressed in legislation. Why not combine a few of them and accomplish more in less time with less hassle? While it sounds efficient, it might also be unconstitutional. (more…)
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Bill requests in? Now you’re ready for the bill introduction shuffle.
by Patti Dahlberg
According to Joint Rule 24(b)(1)(A), every legislator is allowed five bill requests each session. These five bill requests are in addition to any appropriation, committee-approved, or sunset bills that a legislator may choose to carry — seems pretty simple doesn’t it?
Not so fast. In order to keep these five bill requests, a legislator’s bill requests must also meet specific bill introduction deadlines.
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Departments, Agencies, Boards, and Commissions – The Organization of the Executive Branch of State Government
by Chuck Brackney
Colorado’s constitution creates the three arms of state government we all know — the legislative, judicial, and executive branches. The legislative branch is the General Assembly, while the judicial branch encompasses all state courts. The executive branch is a bit more complicated. (more…)
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We’ve Moved! – New URL
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All of our content is still here, and any old links will automatically redirect you to the new address. Email subscriptions should also continue without any action required on your part. Please use the feedback form to let us know of any trouble you may experience with the transition. Thank you for reading LegiSource!
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First time member of the General Assembly? Hold On To Your Hats!
by Patti Dahlberg
First, let me just say “Congratulations and welcome aboard!” You probably thought you’d have at least two months between your election and easing into being a General Assembly member. After all, the 2013 General Assembly doesn’t convene until Wednesday, January 9, 2013. But, hold on to your hats — the Legislative Rules concerning bill deadlines require that the bulk of bill drafting be accomplished before the first day of the legislative session. (more…)
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Voters to Face Three Statewide Ballot Measures on November 6
by Chuck Brackney and Richard Sweetman
Colorado voters will be asked to determine the fate of three proposals on this year’s statewide election ballot. One measure is a referendum sent to the voters by the General Assembly, while the other two are the result of citizen initiatives. (more…)
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Lobato Plaintiffs and Friends Argue the Trial Court Was Right: The School Finance System Is Unconstitutional
by Julie Pelegrin
On Sept. 26, the plaintiffs and plaintiff-intervenors in Lobato v. State, and 13 other organizations filed briefs with the Colorado Supreme Court in response to the state defendants’ appellate briefs. The plaintiffs’ briefs and the briefs filed by the amicus curiae (“friends of the court”) argued that, for varying reasons, the trial court was correct in finding that the “Public School Finance Act of 1994” (PSFA) does not meet the state constitution’s requirement that the General Assembly establish and maintain a thorough and uniform system of public education. For this reason, they argued that the Supreme Court should uphold the trial court’s findings and order. For the Office of Legislative Legal Services’ memorandum describing the trial court’s decision, click here. For our August 9 article summarizing the defendants’ appellate briefs, click here. (more…)