By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

STEADMAN’S CIVIL UNIONS bill drew lots of remarks from Democrats but far fewer from Republicans, and the Senate, as expected, passed the measure on second-reading with a third reading vote today. The real test remains in the Republican-controlled House, where Speaker McNulty has said the bill will get a fair hearing, and the Post editorializes today that fair hearing means a vote on the House floor. House Majority Leader Stephens, meanwhile, reiterates that she doesn’t support the measure, and she thinks those who think Coloradans want civil unions should put the issue on next year’s ballot.

WEDNESDAY BRUTAL DAY FOR EDUCATION BILLS. Kill committees did their jobs, Ed News says.

SPRINGS REPUBLICANS said to dismiss health-exchange bill as “Amycare.”

PARKED FOR THIS YEAR: Lower late fees for car registrations.

ONTO THE SENATE: Marijuana-DUI bill.

$5K FINE FOR JOHNS is too high, Post editorializes.

SENATE STILL GETTING GOOD PRESS from “Girls With A Goal Day.”

THIS’LL BOOST CIRCULATION: Post pushing its Peeps contest.

KINDER, GENTLER? JBC spares mental health institute’s “Circle Program.”

ECON-CHIEF ROMERO back in Denver after statewide tour.

PITKIN COMMISSIONERS support continued Planned Parenthood funding.

REDIRECTED: DUI-bond bill.

EMPTY STATE BUILDINGS may get charter schools, if House bill passes Senate test.

TODAY’S CALENDARS. House. Senate.

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YESTERDAY’S BILL ROUNDUP, FROM STATE BILL COLORADO
* 1 introduced resolution
* 0 signed bills
* 18 bills passed out of committee
* 12 bills passed on third reading
* 4 killed bills

NO HICKENLOOPER public events today.

TODAY’S SOCIAL CALENDAR:
* Lunch, Colorado Health Institute’s The Changing Landscape of Publicly Funded Insurance Programs, 12:00 p.m. to 1:15 p.m., LSB-A, Contact : Allison Summerton 720.382.7092

HE SAID IT: “Candidly, perhaps this is the time where the typical playbook for economic development needs some work. Maybe the best we can do at the state level is cut the resistance, be a good play blocker.” — Dwayne Romero, Colorado economic-development chief.

IT SAID IT: “We are not defending the men — and they are almost exclusively men — whose cash fuels a sordid underworld in which young girls are often coerced into prostitution. But there must be some fairness and scale involved in setting fines.” — The Denver Post.

SHE SAID IT: “An exchange is nothing more than a shopping mall where you can buy insurance. The beauty of this is no Human Resources person picks out your plan. You pick out your plan.” — Amy Stephens.

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By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

COLORADO AFL-CIO pitches today’s Labor Day at the Capitol as a way for legislators to “reinvest in Colorado.” The union wonders: “Despite the great economic engines of Colorado and America, working families are struggling. Corporate profits increase yet layoffs mount. Wall Street rewards record bonuses while wages stagnate. Families can barely afford healthcare beneits yet insurance companies rake in record profits. Who is the economy working for, anyway?” Wisconsin, however, isn’t directly mentioned in the four-page union brochure. Two weeks ago, GOP grassroots organizers encouraged legislators to “spend less.”

DO YOU FEEL SAFER? House passes “Secure Communities” bill, which would punish governments that don’t participate in program.

THE DOW-PARKS MERGER means one less director’s job.

POT-DUI BILL DEBATE WAS CONTENTIOUS, with friction between sponsors Levy and Waller.

AS EXPECTED, DEMS KILL BILL making concealed-weapons permits optional.

USE EXTRA MONEY to cushion education cuts, Post editorializes.

LOTS OF INTEREST in today’s civil-unions debate, in Senate.

CNN REPORTER compares Denver, his new hometown, to Washington, D.C.

PERMANENTLY RESTRAINED FOR 2011: Bill banning prone restraint.

IT’S A BIT TOO LATE: Denver Daily News runs op-ed today from Levy and Carroll urging passage of prone-restraint ban.

NO TO DOPE: Judge won’t overturn Loveland vote banning dispensaries.

SALAZAR’S INTERIOR DEPARTMENT lease lands in Wyoming containing an estimated 758 million tons of low-sulfur coal in four sales over coming months expected to generate up to $21.3B.

GOVERNMENT-TECH MAG INTERVIEWS OIT DIRECTOR about her new job …

… but doesn’t ask her about “time-critical” sole-source communications contract involving CBMS.

TODAY’S CALENDARS. House. Senate.

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YESTERDAY’S BILL ROUNDUP, FROM STATE BILL COLORADO
* 2 introduced bills
* 6 signed bills
* 10 bills passed out of committee
* 16 bills passed on third reading
* 5 killed bills

TODAY’S HICKENLOOPER SCHEDULE:
* 12:30 p.m. – remarks to members attending the Colorado AFL-CIO Labor Day at the Capitol. Location: Knights of Columbus Hall, 1555 Grant St., Denver.

TODAY’S SOCIAL CALENDAR:
* Colorado Dietetic Association Kids Eat Right Legislative Luncheon, 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., First Baptist Church, Contact : Erica Gladwell (303) 550-8885
* Colorado Consumer Health Initiative’s Fifth Annual Health Care Day of Action, Breakfast and Lunch are provided, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., here at the State Capitol, Contact : Christina Yong 303-839-1261

HE SAID IT: “All we’re saying is if you’re going to carry a weapon, you should get a permit.” — Sen. Rollie Heath, D-Boulder.

HE SAID IT: “I intend to apply for this position whether it is my old job or much more likely the new merged job. And I very much look forward to that challenge.” — DOW director Tom Remington.

HE SAID IT: “It takes the sheriffs of Colorado out of the racial-profiling business.” — Rep. David Balmer, on Secure Communities.

IT SAID IT: “So much for the “Pack Heat Anywhere Act.” — Colorado Pols headline.

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By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

A CAUSE EVERYONE SUPPORTS? The Senate Judiciary Committee votes 9-0 to raise minimum fines for sex customers to $5,000. Money would go to a statewide, scared-straight-type program for first offenders who solicit adult prostitutes. Shaffer initially sought $10K from the first-time johns, but it was halved after some on the committee feared the fine would be so steep that it would simply inspire more suspected johns to fight the charges in court.

JBC MAY DECIDE TODAY how much it thinks K-12 and higher education need to be cut to balance the 2011-12 state budget.

WATCH GOVERNOR’S PITCH YESTERDAY to Boulder Daily Camera editorial board.

NO LONGER PLAYING: Film-incentive bill. Aurora Sentinel calls it a “sad ending.”

DIED A BIPARTISAN DEATH: Immigrant bail-bond bill.

NOT A SINGLE VOTE IN OPPOSITION for Swerdfeger’s hydro-electric bill.

PRICE FOR NOT PARTICIPATING IN ‘SECURE COMMUNITIES?’ Measure approved in House would withhold cigarette-tax revenue.

TRUCKERS SEE LOTS OF PROBLEMS with Gibbs’ I-70 idea.

FEWER WATER COURT BATTLES with Sonnenberg’s HB11-1286?

FISCAL POLICY INSTITUTE shelves its six tax-raising ballot initiatives, citing lack of support.

LEVY STILL PUSHING for earlier parole for juveniles.

COLORADO POISED to join other states on health exchanges.

NO PAYING POLITICAL ADS, APPARENTLY: 9News donating $500K in ads to flagging dome-restoration campaign.

SEN. CARROLL’S ANTI-DISCRIMINATION BILL passes Senate on party-line vote.

HE’S OBVIOUS NOT A BIKE FAN: National Park Service director won’t let Quiznos race roll through Colorado National Monument.

SENATE TODAY MEMORIALIZING JAMES BEATTY, who served 1980-1988.

TODAY’S CALENDARS. House. Senate.

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YESTERDAY’S BILL ROUNDUP, FROM STATE BILL COLORADO
* 2 introduced bills
* 9 signed bills
* 5 bills passed out of committee
* 10 kills passed on third reading
* 1 killed bill

TODAY’S HICKENLOOPER SCHEDULE:
* 12:15 p.m. – remarks at the Rocky Mountain Entrepreneurial Summit. Location: Metropolitan State College of Denver, Turnhalle Room, 900 Auraria Parkway, Denver.

TODAY’S SOCIAL CALENDAR:
* Colorado Legislative Women’s Caucus Happy Hour, 5 to 7 p.m., Racine’s, 650 Sherman Street, Denver, Contact : Laura Hoeppner, 303-564-6367

MOST PEOPLE prefer ranked voting, Kefalas writes ahead of Fort Collins vote.

SHE SAID IT: “Rep. Waller’s attempt to censor me and my Jayhawk fandom during March Madness will ultimately be in vain, because I really can’t help myself.” Rep. Nancy Todd.

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By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

THE DENVER POST HELPFULLY BREAKS DOWN those John Salazar end-of-Congressional-career bonuses. Richard Baca and Loretta Kennedy received $8,000 more in the fourth quarter than they did in the previous quarters. Executive assistant Anne Fetcher’s pay jumped from $12,500 in the third quarter to $20,500 in the fourth. Staff assistant Heather Estler didn’t work in Salazar’s office in the second quarter and collected a House salary in the third quarter, making $4,333. In the fourth quarter, she made $11,500. Best line: “After losing my re-election, I don’t think I’d give them (campaign staff) bonuses,” Salazar says.

TOMORROW’S THE DAY: 1:30-2:30, Room LSB-A Joint Budget Committee, Presentation of March Revenue Forecast by Legislative Council & Office of State Planning and Budgeting.

WELD OFFICIALS’ QUESTIONNAIRES DEVIATE from Hickenlooper’s official “Bottom-Up” survey.

FEDS HAVE NO SOLUTION for Fort Lyon closure.

DELGROSSO FAILS in bid to double employee PERA contributions.

IT STILL HAS NO CHANCE, IN THIS TIME ZONE OR ANY OTHER: Four days after most Americans lost an hour of sleep by moving their clocks forward one hour, a Colorado Senate committee voted to put the state on daylight saving time year-round.

CAN’T MAKE ME: Saguache clerk refuses to obey Gessler, prompting suit.

THAT’S GOING TO LEAVE A MARK: Adams 12 Five Star will cut 180 jobs, including 94 classroom teachers, and ask remaining employees to pay more in medical and pension costs.

SOMETHING CALLED THE DRUG WAR CHRONICLE offers skeptical coverage of pot-DUI bill.

ABORTION ‘EXTREMISTS’ WIN as Waller pulls unborn-child legislation, Steadman says.

FOR $160, HE’LL TALK LESS: Weld Dems charging people $80 to hear Shaffer speak.

CONSTITUTIONAL READING: Of 65 members, 42 signed up.

THAT RITTER PRAYER SUIT? It’s still alive.

COMMON CAUSE is big on “ranked voting” in Fort Collins.

NOW IN THE QUEUE: Hick has 15 days to pick his first judge, in Boulder County District Court.

TODAY’S CALENDARS. House. Senate.

SUBSCRIBERS: Your Virtual Bill Box is here. Your Personal Calendar is here.

YESTERDAY’S BILL ROUNDUP, FROM STATE BILL COLORADO
* 3 introduced bills
* 0 signed bills
* 16 bills passed out of committee
* 3 bills passed on third reading
* 0 killed bills

TODAY’S HICKENLOOPER SCHEDULE:
* 11:30 a.m. – with Reggie Bicha, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Human Services, delivering remarks at the Casey Family Programs Luncheon “Child Welfare in Colorado: A State-Local Partnership.” Location: Brown Palace, 321 17th St., Denver.

TODAY’S SOCIAL CALENDAR:
* Reception, Colorado Health Care Association Legislative Reception, 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., Randolph’s Restaurant at the Warrick Hotel, Denver, Contact : Jerry Braden 303-880-6749
* Colorado Association of Local Public Health Officials Day at the Capitol, 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lunch Provided for legislators and staff in Senate Committee Room 356, Contact : Eliza Schultz 720-732-0217

CONGRATS TO BLACKTIE-COLORADO: The nonprofit network turns 10 today.

HOUSE REPUBLICANS have their website back.

EX-GOP CANDIDATE TOM LUCERO seeking Larimer GOP post.

EX-REP. JERRY KOPEL likes our Gold Book better than the pink book, especially this year.

PENA backs Mejia.

HE SAID IT: “I think today we saw a pretty blatant attempt to Wisconsinize the Colorado budget process.” — Scott Wasserman, political director, Colorado WINS.

SHE SAID IT: “This is a good solution for all of us because the Wynkoop, I know, is a great operator, and I know they also care about vintage buildings like this. So, at the end of the day, I’m really pleased.” — Frances Koncilja, Denver attorney and former president of the Colorado Bar Association.

SHE SAID IT: “It saddens me to know that those who commit crimes against unborn children may continue to go unpunished because those in the abortion debate cannot come together to find common ground on this criminal justice issue.” — GOP Rep. Laura Bradford.

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By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

HOUSE MAJORITY LEADER AMY STEPHENS stepped out to put her name to two pieces of legislation that will draw headlines, but only one stands a chance of passing both houses. No fan of Obamacare, Stephens nevertheless has agreed to be the House sponsor for a Senate bill with Sen. Betty Boyd, D-Lakewood, that would set up the insurance exchanges in Colorado. She also will carry a bill that would reinstate a longtime tax exemption for the software industry. But here’s what Sen. Heath, who wants to keep the added tax revenue to ease education cuts, said about that: “The bill will come before my committee. You can draw your own conclusions about what will happen to it.”

WHO KNEW? Marijuana safer to eat than smoke.

FORT LYON GETS six-month reprieve.

DEMOCRATS ON SENATE APPROPS COMMITTEE should feel like chumps in wake of taxi decision, Vincent Carroll writes.

SOLAR DEAL REACHED. Everything’s cool again.

CITING POSSIBLE CONFLICT, Kopp sits out vote on hydroelectric bill, which passes 33-0.

TODAY, HOUSE READS U.S. CONSTITUTION ALOUD. But only portions of it, the Post reports.

TOO OPTIMISTIC? Liston puts full-strength beer bill chances at better than 50 percent.

TODAY IS National Ag Day.

TODAY’S CALENDARS. House. Senate.

SUBSCRIBERS: Your Virtual Bill Box is here. Your Personal Calendar is here. Audio of committee and floor sessions is here.

TESTING, TESTING: Legislative Information Services on Tuesday added a rogue bill, HB11-8003, to the state’s website. House sponsor may or may not be Charlie Sheen.

YESTERDAY’S BILL ROUNDUP, FROM STATE BILL COLORADO
* 4 introduced bills
* 0 signed bills
* 11 bills passed out of committee
* 8 bills passed on third reading
* 0 killed bills

TODAY’S HICKENLOOPER SCHEDULE: No public events.

TODAY’S SOCIAL CALENDAR:
* Dinner, Colorado Public Health Association Mid-Session Member Briefing, 5:30-7:30 p.m.., The University Club, 1673 Sherman Street, Denver, Contact : Eliza Schultz 720-732-0217
* Lunch, Colorado Ag Council — a coalition of Colorado’s agricultural organizations, National Agricultural Day, Noon, West Steps of the Capitol, lunch and press conference, Contact : Crystal Korrey of the Farm Bureau 970-520-4106
* Dinner, Colorado Farm Bureau Districts 1, 2 & 6, Colorado Farm Bureau Steak Fry, 6:00 p.m.= steaks come off the grill, Central Presbyterian Church at 1660 Sherman St., Contact : Crystal Korrey 970-5204106

BUT MY ANSWERS WERE SO GOOD! Denver council candidate plagiarized on questionnaire.

TIPTON’S FIRST BILL would lower corporate taxes.

HILLMAN WRITES UNIONS WOULD BE DINOSAURS without government employees.

HE SAID IT: “You’ve got to love the audacity of a company — Yellow Cab is owned, incidentally, by the French giant Veolia — that can raise the specter of oversupply on the one hand while angling to boost its own cab count on the other.” — Vince Carroll.

SHE SAID IT: “Most people viewed exchanges as the most free-market part of Obamacare.” — House Majority Leader Amy Stephens.

SHE SAID IT: “I’ve definitely learned something about research and the scrutiny of political races and will work even harder.” — Michelle Fry, Denver council candidate.

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By Don Knox, STATE BILL COLORADO

REP. RAMIREZ PROVIDED A BIT of suspense during the roll call vote on the so-called schools “parent-trigger” bill, according to Education News Colorado, first passing and then pausing for a long time – scratching his brow and looking anxious – before asking Massey, “Mr. Chair, may we take a recess?” Massey explained that the vote had to continue, and Ramirez voted no, ensuring the bill’s defeat.

THAT CONSERVATION EASEMENT BILL? It’s retooled.

FROM THE DEAD-BILL BIN: Parent triggers. Transportation tax.

EDUCATION SUPPORTERS rallied Monday against cuts.

BLACK HILLS ENERGY WILL SPEND $102M on new Pueblo natural-gas plant.

FINALLY INTRODUCED: Grocery-store beer bill.

BUT THERE’S A TWIST: Sen. Boyd plans to file a bill this week that would allow convenience stores — but not groceries — to sell full-strength beer.

CALDARA FILES tax-decrease ballot measure.

GOOD LUCK WITH THAT: Brophy’s permanent daylight-savings time bill is up today.

SOLITARY CONFINEMENT VOTE put off.

AN ONSLAUGHT OF BUDGET CUTS has hit mental health services in states, including Colorado, struggling to weather economic woes.

NOW THAT’S A FIRST: An official from the Park County GOP asks redistricting committee to keep his county divided.

NOT THE ECONOMIC NEWS WE WERE HOPING FOR: Colorado exports are up but lag growth nationally.

TODAY’S CALENDARS. House. Senate.

SUBSCRIBERS: Your Virtual Bill Box is here. Your Personal Calendar is here.

YESTERDAY’S BILL ROUNDUP, FROM STATE BILL COLORADO
* 1 introduced resolution
* 0 signed bills
* 4 bills passed out of committee
* 19 bills passed on third reading
* 2 killed bills

TODAY’S HICKENLOOPER SCHEDULE:
* 12:20 p.m. –- Lt. Gov. Joe Garcia and U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano will host media availability. Location: Hyatt Regency Denver, 650 15th St.
* 2 p.m. –- joining U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan to hold conference call on education reform.

TODAY’S SOCIAL CALENDAR:
* Colorado Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Day, 2nd Floor, Contact : George Dibble 303-601-1619

BOIGON MIMICS HICKENLOOPER but doesn’t jump.

SHE SAID IT: “You’ve got out-of-state chain stores pitching bills that will put Coloradans out of business and sell full-strength alcohol in the same places our minors buy gasoline and slushies.” — Jeanne McEvoy, director of the Colorado Licensed Beverage Association.

SHE SAID IT: “When in doubt, keep ’em out.” — Rep. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, of student-athletes who suffer concussions.

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From The Denver Business Journal: Two bills designed in different ways to reduce Colorado’s business personal property tax won the approval of their initial legislative committees Thursday. House Bill 1141, sponsored by Rep. Chris Holbert, R-Parker, would exempt all business personal property that is purchased in 2012 and 2013 from the tax.

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From The Denver Business Journal: The Colorado legislative session that was supposed to be all about jobs and the economy reaches its halfway point today with few bills dealing with jobs and the economy having made much progress. A raft of Republican bills to reduce the business personal property tax or reverse sales tax exemptions have died in the Democratic-controlled Senate. And a number of Democratic bills to require procurement from local companies or enhance the state’s aid to small, developing companies have died in the Republican-controlled House.

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From Law Week Colorado: Montrose’s 7th Judicial District will get a new judgeship as a result of legislation signed today by Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper. Hickenlooper signed SB11-028, a measure that transfers a pending judgeship from the 1st Judicial District, covering Jefferson and Gilpin counties, to the county on Colorado’s Western Slope. The legislation was sponsored by West Slope legislators Sen. Gail Schwartz and Rep. Don Coram.

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From The Associated Press: An age limit for electronic cigarettes has won initial approval in the Colorado Senate. The bill makes it illegal to sell the battery-powered nicotine delivery devices to minors.

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