Capitol Coverage

Abortion rights advocates have been bracing for the ruling for months. Democrats in the state legislature passed a law this year aiming to stop cities and towns from trying to pass any restrictions themselves.

There are people running for higher office in Colorado this month that are making unfounded voter fraud allegations a central theme of their campaigns. And that has some of the state’s top election workers worried.

Service organizations in Colorado and beyond say they are ready to help residents who are grieving after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, says the new law will put the state’s voting equipment under permanent video surveillance and lock it behind doors that can only be opened with keycards.

State Rep. Dylan Roberts, D-Avon, said Tuesday he was not able to find the $2 million to pay for the new camera program this year. He also blamed Republican filibuster attempts that started Monday on other bills as a reason the camera program cannot advance before the legislative session ends Wednesday.

Juneteenth will be observed as an official state holiday for the first time next month. State Rep. Leslie Herod says she wants Coloradans to celebrate the rich culture of Black people in the state.

It is still unclear whether the draft opinion, published Monday night by Politico, will be the court’s final decision. But officials in Colorado swiftly reacted to the leak and vowed to protect the state’s unrestricted access to the procedure.

It’s crunch time at the state Capitol, where lawmakers are nearing the end of their legislative session. With less than two weeks left, several major bills are passing and the stakes are high.KUNC’s state Capitol reporter Scott Franz joined host Desmond O’Boyle this week to talk about the highlights.

One measure invests in companies making modular and tiny homes. Another gives cities tens of millions to build more developments.

Democrats passed the measure in response to several conservative-led states adopting abortion restrictions. Polis said Colorado also needs the new law because federal protections for the procedure may end soon.