Capitol Coverage

New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s resignation in the wake of a prostitution scandal shed light on more than just his own misdeeds. It also highlights the culture inside New York’s state house. Reports indicate that many state lawmakers including fellow Democrats were relieved to see him leave. Spitzer was often accused of using his office’s [...]

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State Lawmakers have delayed voting on a bill that would let injured and disfigured patients sue doctors for more money. Nearly 40 people signed up to testify against the bill, which narrowly passed the senate last week. The Democratic proposal faces opposition from both Republicans and Democrats. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

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Nearly a million acres of open space in Colorado has been protected through a popular program that entices landowners to permanently place their land into conservation easements. Landowners are eligible for up to a fifty percent tax break, if they enter into such a contract. But lately there have been abuses to that system, with [...]

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A bi-partisan group of lawmakers wants to make it more difficult for citizens to change the state constitution. They say the constitution is a sacred document but worry it’s becoming cluttered with minor provisions. The constitutional reform committee wants to put the question to voters on this year’s ballot. But first, the referendum has to [...]

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The race for the Democratic presidential nomination shows no signs of letting up. With such a close delegate count between Senators Barak Obama and Hillary Clinton – many are trying to figure out how to select a candidate and avoid having a brokered convention in the fall. Bente Birkeland has more from Denver.

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Some local communities say they’re not getting their fair share of the money generated from the oil and gas industry. A bill unanimously cleared a senate committee on Thursday that would more fairly distribute that money to energy impacted areas. The measure already passed the House and now heads to the full Senate for [...]

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During a hearing on Wednesday lawmakers from both parties expressed their concerns over new rules that aim to make sure Colorado’s booming energy industry doesn’t hurt wildlife. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

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Momentum is building both in and outside the Colorado Legislature to raise the state’s severance tax rates on oil and gas developers. The effort has the backing of environmentalists and local leaders who have long sought tougher regulations on one of Colorado’s most profitable industries. As Kirk Siegler of station KUNC reports, it appears a [...]

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Liquor sales on Sunday may soon be the new reality in Colorado. After years of fighting to block the measure liquor store owners are reluctantly supporting it because they say it’s what their customers want. But convenience stores say it’s not fair because only liquor stores can sell full strength beer. The bill has already [...]

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Election officials from across Colorado came to the capitol on Monday to oppose a bill that would limit the use of electronic voting machines this fall. The clerks say counties rely on those machines and it would cost millions of dollars to switch back to a paper ballot system. Bente Birkeland reports from Denver.

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