House Bill 1123, which extend hours when alcoholic beverages could be imbibed at bars and restaurants, and Senate Bill 62, which would protect free speech on public higher education campuses.
H.B. 1123 would allow local governments to ignore the current statute, which prohibits sale of alcohol from 2 a.m. to 7 a.m., and push back the last call in Colorado bars if they felt it appropriate. The measure passed second reading on Monday in the House of Representatives.
It must clear a third reading and a final vote before going to the Senate for consideration.
S.B. 62, which was debated Friday, after a three-page amendment that defined what forms of expression were protected was proposed and adopted, passed third and final reading on a 32-2 vote in the Senate and will go to the House.
During the debate last week, Senate Democrats voiced concern about a failure to mention voter-registration activities.
Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton, said Friday this amendment could be added in the House if needed, but changed his tune Monday after consulting with university representatives.
In addition to H.B. 1123 and S.B. 62 nine bills passed third reading, 19 passed second reading and 24 were scheduled for committee hearings.
S.B. 113, which would cap the maximum employer contribution to the Public Employees’ Retirement Association passed on a 18-16 party-line vote. With the GOP controlling
S.B. 55, which would make Colorado a “Right to Work” state by not allowing employers to require workers to participate in unions, also passed on a party line 18-16 vote. Again, Republicans used their majority to move the legislation to the House, where Democrats have the advantage.
In the House Democrats also used their majority to push through H.B. 1038, which prohibits corporal punishment by employees and volunteers at state funded child care facilities and schools.
H.B. 1038 was passed 37-27 with one Republican crossing the aisle to support the measure and one Democrat excused from Monday’s session.
Arguments against this bill largely were concerned with it being a duplication of efforts as most school districts already ban corporal punishment and that it could lead to government oversight over how parents discipline their children.
“This was never the intent of House Bill 1038, and we had thought we were careful in making sure that was clear, but I guess we weren’t as careful as we should have been,” Rep. Susan Lontine, D-Denver.
The bill will head to the Senate in the coming weeks where Lontine said it will receive an amendment to ease any concerns over the potential intrusion into the parent-child relationship.
Among the bills heard in committees was H.B. 1127, which would eliminate the tax on “necessary feminine hygiene products.” It passed the House Finance Committee on a 7-6 vote.
Lontine said current statute penalizes women unfairly for purchasing tampons, which are categorized as “medical devices” by the Federal Food and Drug Administration.
“Having a period is not a choice, and these products are a necessity,” Lontine said. “We shouldn’t tax a woman for being a woman.”
This bill will head to the House Appropriation Committee where its budget impact of $1.2 million will be evaluated.
lperkins@durangoherald.com