Lucas Brady Woods
Reporter, State CapitolEmail: lucas.woods@kunc.org
I’m the State Capitol Reporter at KUNC, which means I help make sense of the latest developments at the Colorado State Capitol. I cover the legislature, the governor, and government agencies.
My work as a reporter has always been about practical, responsible journalism. But there’s also more to it than that, especially these days. Fact-based journalism about elected officials, elections, and government policy helps us participate in our democracy. It also holds those in power to account. I’m also a firm believer in public radio as a way get that reporting to the public. KUNC and stations like it go a long way in keeping the news independent and free for everyone.
Before joining KUNC, I was the news director at KSJD, an NPR station in Montezuma County, in Southwest Colorado. While I was there, one of my stories there covering the housing crisis won an award from the Colorado Broadcasters Association in the spring of 2022.
When I’m not reporting, I could be exploring a new neighborhood in Denver or a trail in some far-flung corner of our beautiful state. That, or hanging out on my couch with my dog.
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Gov. Jared Polis gave his annual State of the State address Thursday to a joint session of the state legislature. He urged lawmakers to prioritize affordable housing, public transportation and tax relief, along with public safety, environmental protections, health care costs and behavioral health care resources.
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Colorado’s 75th General Assembly convenes Wednesday at the State Capitol. Republican and Democratic lawmakers both are focused on the housing crisis, with conflicting strategies to address it. They’re also looking at bills around public safety, health care costs, youth mental health, climate change, public education and economic inequity.
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The Colorado Supreme Court blocked Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s ballot next year because he incited an insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6th 2021. Colorado's GOP is now threatening to skip the primary election.
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The Colorado Supreme Court disqualified Donald Trump from appearing on the state’s ballot next year because he incited an insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6th 2021. The decision will likely now go to the US Supreme Court.
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Automatic voter registration systems are in place across the country, but Native American reservations have historically been excluded—until now. State and tribal officials in Colorado are rolling out the first voter registration system of its kind for tribal members ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
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The four-day Global Conference for Israel drew hundreds of protestors to the Denver Convention Center over the weekend. The conference went ahead as planned, despite attempts to disrupt it.
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The state legislature's Democratic majority pushed through a tax relief package for next year. The package includes tax rate adjustments, flat TABOR refunds, rental assistance, food benefits and an expanded income tax credit—all as tensions over the conflict in Gaza spilled onto the House floor.
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Lawmakers convened at the State Capitol Friday for the first day of a special legislative session focused on providing property tax relief next year. Bipartisan collaboration seems unlikely as Democrat and Republican proposals remain at odds and several GOP bills have already been killed.
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After his Democrats' tax relief plan failed this week, Gov. Jared Polis wants lawmakers to come up with a plan to avert next year’s sharp property tax increases, but they only have a few weeks to figure it out.
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Statewide ballot measure Proposition HH was rejected even though it would provide the most immediate relief from rising property taxes. Voters also weighed in on mayoral races in Boulder and Fort Collins and school board races across Northern Colorado, including in Denver, the state’s largest district.