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Lawsuit Challenges Colorado Graduated Income Tax Measure Over Petition Signatures
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The Denver Gazette, Approved, State

Lawsuit Challenges Colorado Graduated Income Tax Measure Over Petition Signatures

By Marianne Goodland | The Denver Gazette A lawsuit filed Wednesday in Denver District Court seeks to strike the proposed graduated income tax measure from the November ballot. One of Denver’s major law firms filed the lawsuit on behalf of Michael Andre Hancock of Arapahoe County, who challenged the ballot measure during the title board process earlier this year. The defendants are Secretary of State Jena Griswold and Amendment 87 proponents Chris deGruy Kennedy of the Bell Policy Center and Kiyana Newell of New Era Colorado. The lawsuit challenges how Protect Colorado’s Future — the coalition behind the measure — gathered its signatures. It claims the group failed to file training certificates for some of its pa...
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A three-vote district, a 30-year teacher, and the case Jill Haffley is making to HD16
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

A three-vote district, a 30-year teacher, and the case Jill Haffley is making to HD16

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice Jill Haffley knocks on thousands of doors, and she has noticed that almost nobody wants to argue about politics on their own porch. "Most people aren't interested in having a partisan argument on their front porch," she said. "They want to know whether they can afford groceries, utilities, insurance, and housing. They want safe neighborhoods and good schools. They want government to make sense with minimal interference in their daily lives." That is the pitch Haffley, a Republican and a retired 30-year classroom teacher, is carrying into one of the most closely divided legislative districts in Colorado. House District 16, which includes part of Colorado Springs, was decided by three votes in 2024, when Republican Rebec...
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Colorado doctors shouldn’t be conscripted into gender transition surgery
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Wayne's Word, Approved, Commentary, State

Colorado doctors shouldn’t be conscripted into gender transition surgery

By Wayne Laugesen | Commentary, Wayne's Word Colorado will not let a counselor talk. It will force a surgeon to cut. A group of doctors and dentists just filed suit against Colorado in federal court because the state is trying to conscript them. That we need this lawsuit explains how far Colorado has transitioned from obeying federal civil rights protections to thumbing its nose at them. Wayne's Word is a reader-supported publication. To support this work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. The Christian Medical & Dental Associations and Button Family Practice in Cañon City say the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act requires medical offices that perform certain surgeries — mastectomies, hysterectomies, and other works of real medicine — to perform those same sur...
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Colorado Voters to Decide Tougher Fentanyl Penalties in November
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Axios, Approved, State

Colorado Voters to Decide Tougher Fentanyl Penalties in November

By Esteban L. Hernandez | Axios Voters will decide this November whether to make possession of any fentanyl amount a felony. Why it matters: Advocates say doing so will help reduce fatal overdoses, but critics warn it'll only worsen the crisis. State of play: Proposition 132 functions as a public referendum that could shape how the criminal justice system deals with a drug killing hundreds statewide. What they're saying: The measure balances accountability with compassion, says Kristi Brown, vice president at Advance Colorado, the conservative-leaning policy organization that sponsored the proposal. Zoom in: Prop 132 aims to combat current state laws that Brown says don't go far enough in penalizing fentanyl possession. ...
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Prop NN asks homeschool families to keep footing the bill for schools they don’t use
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Colorado Home Educators of Colorado, Approved, Commentary, State

Prop NN asks homeschool families to keep footing the bill for schools they don’t use

By Colleen Enos | Commentary, Christian Home Educators of Colorado As Colorado home-educating families tighten their belts, the state relentlessly demands more of their money to fund a public school system that they are not a part of. The kicker is that Colorado also wants to keep their Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR) refunds forever. Frequently, when we are trying to solve a problem, the easiest “solution” is to throw more money at it. Then, we all feel good that we have done something and supposedly solved the problem. The issue, however, is that increased funding does not equal excellent or improved student outcomes. The Independence Institute reports that Colorado’s per-pupil funding has risen 27% since 2021, even while student enrollment has declined. But gettin...
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Prop NN supporters say the money is guaranteed and K-12 only. The law says otherwise.
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Rocky Mountain Voice, State, Top Stories

Prop NN supporters say the money is guaranteed and K-12 only. The law says otherwise.

By Shaina Cole | Contributing Writer, Rocky Mountain Voice The official campaign for Proposition NN tells Colorado voters the measure "requires a minimum 2% annual funding increase" for local school districts. The Yes on NN campaign tells voters the measure "requires a minimum 2% annual funding increase directly to local school districts." Source: Yes for Colorado Kids The state's largest teachers union goes further. On its campaign page, the Colorado Education Association says the money "is limited to K-12 only and cannot be used for anything else." The Colorado Education Association's Prop NN campaign page, captured Sept. 20, 2026. Source: Colorado Education Association Neither statement matches the law voters will be asked to approve. Prop...
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Colorado Redistricting Measure Attracts $250K From National GOP PAC
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The Colorado Sun, Approved, State

Colorado Redistricting Measure Attracts $250K From National GOP PAC

By Jesse Paul | The Colorado Sun Dark money groups are financially backing Amendment 86, which aims to make it harder to redraw congressional districts outside of the normal census-driven process. A federal political action committee created by U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson is bankrolling a Colorado ballot measure this year that would make it more difficult to redraw the boundaries of the state’s congressional districts outside of the process already laid out in the state constitution. The American Revival PAC gave $250,000 in August to the Fair Redistricting Colorado issue committee, which is working to pass Amendment 86 in November. The leadership PAC was created by Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, in 2017. It’s funded by other political action commi...
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Colorado Lawmaker Alleges Secret Proceedings Denied Her Due Process Rights
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Colorado Politics, Approved, State

Colorado Lawmaker Alleges Secret Proceedings Denied Her Due Process Rights

By Deborah Grigsby | Colorado Politics State Rep. Brandi Bradley has sued a workplace harassment panel, alleging its proceedings against her were retaliatory and that the panel exceeded its authority in finding violations and recommending sanctions against her. The lawsuit, filed Sept. 17 in Denver District Court, names the House Workplace Harassment Committee as a governmental body as the sole defendant. The panel is comprised of Reps. Jennifer Bacon, Matt Soper, Mary Bradfield, Matthew Martinez, Chris Richardson and Rebekah Stewart. Bradley is seeking an injunction and judicial review of the committee’s actions, alleging she may have been punished for protected legislative speech and that the committee violated the Open Meetings Law because its deliberation...
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Foreign Hackers Breach Colorado Water Systems and Manipulate Critical Controls
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Fox News, Approved, State

Foreign Hackers Breach Colorado Water Systems and Manipulate Critical Controls

By Morgan Phillips | Fox News Foreign actors hacked two Colorado water utilities' computer systems last month, changing pumping cycles, disabling alarms and altering equipment settings before operators regained control, state officials said Thursday. The intrusions did not affect drinking water quality or treatment processes, according to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' office. But the incidents add Colorado to a widening series of breaches in U.S. water and wastewater infrastructure. High-profile cyberattacks have targeted more than 100 drinking water and wastewater systems across 12 states this year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency, expanding the footprint of a threat that federal authorities warned this summer was disrupting water operations ac...
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Prop 137 funds the right forest work and the wrong grant programs
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Colorado Accountability Project, Approved, Commentary, State

Prop 137 funds the right forest work and the wrong grant programs

By Cory Gaines | Commentary, Colorado Accountability Project A look at Prop 137, and why I'm opposed.  Prop 137, at least to me, has flown under the radar. I've not heard of it (perhaps I'm not looking in the right spots, but I don't think I've seen much in the mainstream media), and haven't thought to go and look through all the ballot initiatives either. A reader recently sent me a message and it had the opposition website which I link to first below. You are welcome to go and paw through it. It's clear that both the reader and whoever is running that site are firmly against Prop 137. I don't think that I entirely agree in that opposition, more on that soon.The second link below is to the Legislative page for the ballot measure. If you scroll down all the way to...
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