5 Things To Know in the Colorado Legislature

TAX DAY IRONY

Democrats steering through a monster revision of the state’s school funding formula probably weren’t looking at the calendar when they scheduled an April 15 House hearing. The school bill’s changes won’t take effect unless voters this fall approve something on the order of $1 billion in new income taxes.

VOTING FIREWORKS BEGIN

Another major piece of Democratic legislation up for consideration Monday is a series of changes to how elections are run. Democratic sponsors call the changes a modernization to make voting easier. Republicans fear the changes are aimed at boosting Democratic numbers at the ballot box.

MARIJUANA LIGHTS UP

Marijuana regulation has been debated by a few lawmakers for weeks. But the bills to make those suggestions happen are just now coming to the full Legislature. Expect three bills to begin moving this week, two to regulate the drug and one to tax it up to 30 percent.

MENTAL HEALTH FOCUS

Lawmakers who pushed gun control measures this year vowed to review state mental health services, too. Some of that work gets going Tuesday, when a House committee considers a bill to review “civil commitments,” or how people can be detained for mental health problems.

GOVERNOR’S BACK

Gov. John Hickenlooper is scheduled to return Wednesday from a weeklong personal visit to Israel. The governor’s return could bring a flurry of new bill signings, including an anticipated measure to make residents eligible for in-state tuition even if they’re not in the country legally.