Capitol Coverage Archives - KGNU Community Radio: Recent Episodes
Capitol Coverage Archives - KGNU Community Radio
An independent, noncommercial community radio station licensed in Boulder and Denver and dedicated to serving its listeners.
You are listening to the Morning Magazine on KGNU. I’m your host, Jack Armstrong. Coloradans will vote on the decriminalization of the use, possession, and growth of natural medicines commonly known as magic mushrooms in the upcoming November ballot. KGNU’s […]
State Ballot Proposition 121 asks Colorado voters if they would like to decrease the state income tax rate. Supporters say the cut will put money into people’s pockets. Opponents say the tax decrease is actually a tax increase for most […]
If you haven’t attended a Boulder City Council meeting, you might not know that Tuesday night regular sessions begin with public comment. Most of the speakers cover a broad range of topics and attend a few meetings or perhaps only […]
The City of Boulder regularly struggles to find enough money to adequately fund its public library system. That’s why there’s been a movement in recent years to create a library district that would be funded through a dedicated property tax. […]
Lawmakers will convene a community meeting Wednesday afternoon at the state capitol ahead of a hearing on a piece of legislation that sponsors say will end discrimination based on hairstyles. Representative Leslie Herod, a Democrat from Denver, one of the […]
This year’s governor’s race is like no other in Colorado history — at least in terms of money. The $29 million contributed so far to candidates shatters prior records. A large chunk of that money comes from millionaires, spending big […]
Governor John Hickenlooper wants the federal government to withdraw a new rule that restricts conversations health care professionals can have with their patients. KUNC’s Stephanie Daniel has more. On July 30 Hickenlooper sent a letter to the U.S. […]
Governor John Hickenlooper signed an executive order this week, requiring that abandoned oil and gas equipment be plugged up or removed. Rae Ellen Bichell from KUNC has more. The move comes a little more than a year after an old, […]
Now that the primary is over Colorado voters can expect a heated election season heading into November. Bente Birkeland talked to fellow statehouse reporters Joey Bunch of Colorado Politics and Jesse Aaron Paul with The Denver Post about this fall’s […]
Both political parties are trying to unify behind their gubernatorial nominees. Republicans recently held a unity tour and Democrats rallied at the state capitol Friday. Our statehouse reporter Bente Birkeland has more. Democratic congressman Jared Polis was joined by […]
More voters participated in Colorado’s June 26 primary election than ever before. Unaffiliated voters were mailed ballots for the first time and both political parties had contested races. As for the top of the ticket, the governor’s race has been […]
This Tuesday’s primary election will narrow down Colorado’s gubernatorial race from eight to two major party candidates – who will go on to compete in the general election. Our statehouse reporter Bente Birkeland has more. This is the first primary […]
Governor John Hickenlooper is being criticized for nine bills he vetoed this year. As Bente Birkeland reports, that’s the most vetoes he’s issued since taking office. https://objects-us-east-1.dream.io/kgnu-news/2018/06/060618HickMarijuanaVetoes.mp3 Marijuana advocates are upset that he vetoed a bill to allow some […]
Governor John Hickenlooper signed his final bills as Governor on Tuesday at the state capitol. And as Bente Birkeland reports, he discussed this week’s Supreme Court’s decision on the Masterpiece Cakeshop case. “Nobody wants to – in any way […]
Governor John Hickenlooper has vetoed five bills in the last two business days, on everything from marijuana consumption to tobacco prices to open records for autopsies. Our statehouse reporter Bente Birkeland has more. The Governor called a proposal to […]
The U.S. Supreme Court says Colorado’s Civil Rights Commission was hostile and biased against a man’s religious beliefs when he refused to make a wedding cake for a gay couple in Lakewood. Birkeland has more. https://objects-us-east-1.dream.io/kgnu-news/2018/06/060418MasterPiece.mp3 In its 7 […]
The four Democratic candidates hoping for the party’s nomination in the gubernatorial race are Cary Kennedy, Donna Lynne, Mike Johnston and Jared Polis. Lynne, Johnston and Polis took part in a debate on climate issues at DU on June 2nd. […]
The commission handles civil rights cases. It was up for a review and initially both Republicans and Democrats disagreed on how it should look. Democrats didn’t want to make any changes, while Republicans had a number of requests – including […]
Colorado lawmakers wrapped up their annual legislative session Wednesday. Even though the time was marked by sexual harassment allegations, lawmakers and the governor said it was one of the most successful sessions in history. Bente Birkeland spoke with fellow statehouse […]
In a last-minute compromise, state lawmakers re-authorized the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. As Bente Birkeland reports, the deal came together just hours before the legislature adjourned. The seven-member commission hears civil rights cases in the state. Lawmakers agreed to […]
The Republicans top priority bill of the session is now headed to the Governor. As Bente Birkeland reports, the measure involved intense negotiations between both parties. Senate Bill 1 adds nearly 500 million dollars for transportation in the next […]
As anticipated the state senate has defeated a measure that would have allowed law enforcement to get a court order to temporarily remove guns from a mentally ill person who poses a danger. Bente Birkeland has more… Supporters of the so-called ‘red […]
After a dramatic and tearful day in early March, lawmakers voted out one of their own. Democratic Rep. Steve Lebsock was the first lawmaker expelled in 103 years after allegations of sexual harassment, intimidation and retaliation from five women, were […]
In recent four top people at the Denver Post have resigned over censorship concerns and deep budget and staff cuts by the New York based hedge fund owner Alden Global Capital. Bente Birkeland has more. The news staff now […]
The state senate will now take up a bill that lets law enforcement get a court order to temporarily remove guns from mentally ill people who pose a danger. As Bente Birkeland reports, it already passed the House. The […]
A punishment for Sen. Randy Baumgardner, amid allegations of sexual harassment that investigators found credible, has spurred a series of reactions at Colorado’s Capitol, and some critics described the discipline as a slap on the wrist. Senate Democrats have renewed their calls for Baumgardner’s resignation or expulsion and Gov. John Hickenlooper declined to say whether he thinks Baumgardner should step down.
A bi-partisan measure that would have updated and clarified how public and private colleges and universities address campus sexual assault failed in the Senate Appropriations Committee along party lines on Tuesday. It had already passed in the Democratic-controlled House and […]
A Republican House leader is facing a backlash from his own caucus for sponsoring a bill that would allow law enforcement and family members to get a court order to temporarily remove a person’s guns if that person poses a […]
Thousands of Colorado teachers spent two days rallying at the state Capitol for higher salaries and more money for schools. They highlighted long-standing funding problems and potential changes to the state’s public employee pension program currently being debated by the […]
Thousands of teachers gathered at the Colorado state capitol on Thursday for the first of two rallies, asking for more school funding. The second happens today. It comes at the same time teachers in Arizona are walking out of the […]
A bi-partisan bill that would clarify and update how public and private colleges and universities in Colorado address sexual assault on campus will be heard in the state Senate today. The measure passed in the House with no Republican support. […]
Two accusers who filed workplace harassment complaints at Colorado’s Capitol against Sen. Randy Baumgardner are now releasing the full investigative findings to the public. The investigations from Alternative Dispute Resolution Inc. found allegations that Baumgardner, a Republican from Hot Sulphur […]
An investigation determined that eight people’s allegations of sexual harassment and inappropriate behavior from Sen. Randy Baumgardner were credible. The findings, by Littleton-based Alternative Dispute Resolution Inc., an independent firm, are in addition to earlier allegations a separate company found […]
A major piece of legislation to reform the state’s pension plan is making its way through the state legislature during the final days of the session. One in 10 Coloradans receives a public pension through the Public Employees Retirement Association […]
A measure to reauthorize the Colorado Civil Rights Commission cleared its first hurdle in the Senate Wednesday, but as Bente Birkeland reports, there are still disagreements over how it will ultimately look… https://objects-us-east-1.dream.io/kgnu-news/2018/04/041818CivilRightsCommission.mp3 Right now the Governor appoints all […]
An outside consultant, who studied workplace culture at the state Capitol, found nearly half of the roughly 500 people surveyed had witnessed sexist and/or seriously disrespectful behavior. A third said they had experienced sexual harassment first-hand. And nearly 90 percent […]
Teachers rallied at the state capitol on Monday asking for more money for K-12 schools and opposing to some changes being proposed to public employee pensions. Bente Birkeland has more… Michelle Pearson works at Century Middle School in Thornton. […]
There was plenty of political drama at this weekend’s state nominating assemblies. It’s where party delegates from around the state make their choices for who they’d like to see running for state treasurer or governor. While candidate pool in the […]
The Colorado State Patrol has confirmed that a recording with the Senate Secretary about a Democrat senator using the women’s restroom is real. As Bente Birkeland reports, it casts doubt about Daniel Kagan’s story. Republican Senator Beth Martinez Humenik […]
Lawmakers introduced a bill that would ban employers from asking a job candidate for their salary history yesterday, on what’s known as “Equal Pay Day.” Bente Birkeland has more. Equal Pay Day is a concept meant to illustrate the […]
Governor Hickenlooper has signed a bill that will provide funding to expand high-speed internet in rural areas of the state. Supporters say fast internet service is critical for telemedicine, public schools and farmers. Democratic Senator Kerry Donovan is also working […]