Colorado LegiSource

An informational and educational resource for the Colorado General Assembly by the Office of Legislative Legal Services.

Author: olls

  • Educational Success Task Force Wraps Up Its Second Interim

    by Brita Darling

    As most schools recently began their new year, the Educational Success Task Force was finishing its major interim work. The task force was created in 2011 and charged with reviewing research concerning academic transition points for students in K-12 and higher education and recommending strategies for identifying and providing developmental education services to ensure that students are successful at navigating through these transition points. The task force includes legislative members and officials from school districts and the executive branch, as well as education advocates. (more…)

  • The Transportation Legislation Review Committee Gets Moving

    by Chuck Brackney

    During the 2012 interim, the Transportation Legislation Review Committee (TLRC) met  four times to hear presentations from a wide spectrum of individuals and groups involved in meeting Colorado’s transportation needs. It also approved eight bills for introduction in the 2013 regular session. (more…)

  • State vs. Local Oil and Gas Regulation: “Who’s the Boss” of the Booming “Dynasty” and How Their “Diff’rent Strokes” for Dealing with the Industry Cause “Growing Pains”.

    by Jennifer Berman

    You’re thinking “Gimme a Break, I can’t learn anything about state versus local oil and gas regulation from 1980’s television shows.” But let’s take a Quantum Leap of faith together and I’ll guide you to the Head of the Class on the issue of preemption by using a 1980’s television show analogy. (more…)

  • To Succeed During Session, You Have to Know the Rules

    by Julie Pelegrin

    There’s an old saying: “You can’t play the game if you don’t know the rules.” Although the legislative session is not a game, a legislator who doesn’t know the legislative rules has a difficult time accomplishing his or her legislative goals. (more…)

  • The Power of the People – Reservation of the initiative and referendum powers

    by Julie Pelegrin

    As originally adopted, section 1 of article V of the Colorado constitution gave all of the legislative power to the General Assembly. During the Progressive Era, however, a group called the Colorado Direct Legislation League advocated for an amendment to the constitution to reserve to the people the power of initiative and referendum — law-making powers that the voters of Colorado exercise directly rather than through their elected representatives. In a special legislative session in 1910, the General Assembly referred a constitutional amendment to the ballot, which amendment passed in the 1910 general election, establishing the powers of initiative and referendum. (more…)

  • Plenary Power – How Far Can the General Assembly Go?

    by Julie Pelegrin

    You hear it all the time, “The General Assembly has plenary power.”  But what does that mean? Can the General Assembly really enact any law that it thinks is necessary?  Are there limits on what the General Assembly can do? And, if there are, what are those limits and who decides when they’ve been violated? (more…)

  • U.S. Supreme Court Upholds Affordable Care Act–The Aftermath

    by Brita Darling

    On June 28, 2012, the United States Supreme Court ruled on objections to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) in National Federation of Independent Business v. Sebelius (567 U.S. ___ (2012)), or NFIB v. Sebelius. The majority opinion upheld the ACA, including the provisions relating to the creation of health insurance exchanges and the individual mandate to obtain insurance coverage, as well as the Medicaid expansion provisions. (more…)

  • Who Does What? The Boundaries of Governmental Authority

    by Julie Pelegrin

    During the legislative session, legislators and legislative staff are so busy working with bills and amendments that we sometimes lack the opportunity to step back and see the operations of the legislature in context with the other departments of state government. The specific constitutional authority given to and requirements imposed on each of the departments of state government often get confused and even overlooked in the rush of the legislative session. (more…)

  • What Does OLLS Do in the Interim? A Hint: School’s NOT Out For Summer!

    by Kate Meyer

    Most people associate the Office of Legislative Legal Services with its most visible, and most important, function: serving as the bill drafting office for the Colorado General Assembly. The OLLS is open year-round, though, which causes many people to wonder what staff does to keep busy when the legislature is not in session. (more…)

  • Looking for Answers? There is a Wealth of Policy Resources at Your Disposal

    by Julie Pelegrin

    If you’re starting work on legislation for next year or you just have some questions and are interested in information on specific policy areas, there are several resources available to you during the legislative interim. (more…)