Colorado Republicans hoping to delay the passage of bills to repeal the death penalty and overhaul oil and gas regulations have demanded that an unrelated 2,000-page bill be read aloud in the Senate.
The Denver Post reports that GOP state Sen. John Cooke invoked a rule Monday allowing lawmakers to demand a bill be read, delaying other action. Cooke says it was the only option minority Republicans had.
Democrats accused Cooke of pulling a stunt. They brought in five computers to vocalize the bill simultaneously at a speed faster than humans can understand.
Cooke said that violated the spirit of the rules. He said it was a precedent Democrats might regret.
The oil and gas bill would refocus state regulations on protecting health and the environment instead of encouraging production.
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