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Colorado Lawmakers Are Back At Work And The State Is 'Strong' — Now What?

Gov. Hickenlooper gives his State of the State, Jan. 14, 2016.
courtesy Colorado Senate GOP
/
Public Domain
Gov. Hickenlooper gives his State of the State, Jan. 14, 2016.

The annual legislative session is under way and lawmakers are once again back at the state capitol. Gov. Hicknelooper laid out his priorities – like more bipartisanship and tackling the budget by addressing the hospital provider fee – in his State of the State. But how do those priorities translate for the legislators working under the gold dome for 2016?

Capitol Conversation with Bente Birkeland

Capitol Conversation Highlights

On the tone at the Beginning of the Session

Ed Sealover, Denver Business Journal:

"Hickenlooper swoops in at the State of the State address, 'can you please work together?' It was almost a pleading speech."

Joey Bunch, The Denver Post:

"Because it's an election year and a presidential election year in a swing state I think there's a lot of campaign writing going on."

On Areas of Compromise

Sealover:

"There is going go be a search for bipartisan agreement on affordable housing. Republicans and some Democrats will say the key is to make it harder to sue for construction defects in condominiums. There are still a number of Democrats including Speaker Dickey Lee Hullinghorst that don't like that idea."

Bunch:

"Both sides say they want to together on the same issues but they have just very different paths on where we go on those solutions."

Copyright 2016 KUNC

Bente Birkeland
Bente Birkeland has been reporting on state legislative issues for KUNC and Rocky Mountain Community Radio since 2006. Originally, from Minnesota, Bente likes to hike and ski in her spare time. She keeps track of state politics throughout the year but is especially busy during the annual legislative session from January through early May.
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