Bente Birkeland

The powerful Joint Budget Committee met in an undisclosed location yesterday to hammer out an agreement as legislative leaders have reached an impasse on budget negotiations. Now the Democratic Senate president is threatening to introduce a separate budget.

A bi-partisan compromise to create a healthcare exchange is in jeopardy. Republican house majority leader Amy Stephens says she'll introduce an amendment that will drastically change the bill. Just days earlier Stephens stressed the importance of an exchange saying it would help small businesses and individuals purchase affordable health insurance, and make the market more competitive.

A bill that would have created civil unions in Colorado failed Thursday in the House judiciary committee on a party line vote. It was widely expected to die in the Republican-controlled committee, but proponents remained optimistic right up until the last vote was cast.

Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill into law Tuesday that aims to better train coaches to recognize concussions in middle school and high school athletes.

The measure is named after 14 year old Jake Snakenberg, a football player from Grandview High School who suffered a concussion in 2004 after being hit in a football game. He eventually died.

“I’m so proud that we’re able to honor the memory of young Jake,” says bill sponsor Republican Senator Nancy Spence of Centennial.

Lawmakers on the joint budget committee have reached a gridlock and on writing the budget for next fiscal year. This has forced the Colorado senate to delay the budget debate by a week.