DENVER – When the Legislature convenes Wednesday, House Republicans will be hoping for a middle-of-the-road session after taking back several seats.
The GOP has lamented about an “over-reach” by majority Democrats in the last two sessions, during which controversial bills concerning gun control, elections reform and renewable energy, among other issues, enraged the right-leaning base.
Republicans picked up three seats this past November, slashing the Democrats’ majority to 34-31. Republicans also took control of the Senate.
“The reality is that stuff that is highly controversial, common sense tells us that that’s probably not going to pass,” said House Minority Leader Brian DelGrosso of Loveland. “What it is going to bring is middle-of-the-road legislation that is basically supported by both sides of the aisle.”
House Republicans are aiming for an agenda that sticks to the basics: education, the economy, transportation and public safety.
Protecting law enforcement
Public safety could be one of the most contentious issues to face the Legislature this year. In the wake of controversial grand jury decisions in Ferguson, Missouri, and Staten Island, New York – where grand juries did not indict white police officers in the deaths of unarmed, African-American men – Democrats are already planning a slew of bills aimed at law enforcement.
But DelGrosso cautioned against knee-jerk reactions.
“It sounds like they’re starting with the premise that law enforcement is guilty,” DelGrosso said.
“I just want to be cautious,” he said. “Something might have happened on the other side of the country, and now all of a sudden because something happens over there, do we want to have some kind of knee-jerk reaction?”
Rolling back gun control
Republicans also will take another stab at walking back gun-control measures passed by Democrats in 2013, including a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines of more than 15 rounds.
Not all Democrats supported the measure, and with Republicans gaining seats this year, the GOP is optimistic that they can overturn the law in the Legislature. A veto, however, would rest with Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who signed the measure in 2013.
“If it gets to the floor, then that will pass,” DelGrosso said.
Alcohol and marijuana
Rep. Lori Saine, R-Firestone, said she will revisit a contentious issue by introducing a measure that would create a felony penalty for multiple DUIs.
Powdered alcohol may also be addressed in the upcoming session, with a measure expected by Rep.-elect JoAnn Windholz, R-Commerce City, that would ban the pouches that hold the equivalent of one shot of alcohol and is added to water or mixers.
Marijuana is also likely to come up again in the upcoming session, with a focus on cracking down on the medical marijuana caregiver system.
“It’s basically kind of the Wild West,” DelGrosso said. “When it comes to the caregiver model, that is something where it seems there is not a lot of oversight; not a lot of regulation. It’s kind of a free-for-all.”
Money for schools
In the education department, lawmakers are facing a rosier budget picture than previous years, so they can spend to buy-down the so-called “negative factor,” continuing to restore an estimated $1 billion in cuts from the economic downturn.
Lawmakers set aside $110 million last year to buy-down the negative factor, but DelGrosso said his caucus will be looking to continue whittling it away.
Building the economy
On the economy, Republicans will continue to push for breaks for the business world, once again looking at the business personal-property tax. Last year, Republicans and Democrats came together by allowing small-business owners to claim a tax break up to the first $15,000 on equipment purchased. DelGrosso said Republicans will look to build on that.
Some GOP members are also looking at additional reforms to enterprise zone tax credits. They were outraged last year when Democrats limited the credits for business investment in rural counties, suggesting that the move would inhibit economic development.
“The prosperity on the Front Range has not reached rural Colorado, and by providing additional incentives in these depressed rural areas, we can give businesses more resources to create jobs, increase wages and bring more prosperity to these parts of our state,” said Rep.-elect Yeulin Willett of Grand Junction, who will carry the measure.
Also in the economic-development category, Republicans and Democrats are expected to again try a bipartisan effort to curb construction-defects lawsuits.
Funding transportation
Republicans are especially concerned about transportation, pointing out that general fund spending has not gone toward Colorado’s crumbling roads and highways.
DelGrosso said his caucus will push measures to guarantee multi-year funding for projects by the Department of Transportation. He also will introduce a bill to transfer $100 million in one-time funding from the general fund to rebuild roads and bridges across Colorado.
“The safety of our roads and bridges affects all Coloradans,” DelGrosso said.
Democrats proud of agenda
Democrats agree that they are looking to continue building relationships with Republicans after the election. But they don’t look at the last two years as an overreach, and they don’t anticipate scaling back their agenda.
“Ultimately, we’re always looking to put the best policies forward in Colorado, and we’re obviously wanting to keep the middle class growing and put people who aren’t back to work back to work. I don’t think there’s anything aggressive about that policy agenda,” said Rep. Dan Pabon of Denver, who will take over as House Speaker pro tempore.
“We’ve worked with House Republicans the last two years when they were in the minority, and while there were many issues with which we disagreed, 96 percent of the bills passed with bipartisan support, and we’re proud of that record,” Pabon added. “We’ll continue to reach across the aisle and welcome the same from the House Republicans, to ultimately get things done for the people of Colorado.”