Big bills that died will be back

Any time one party controls the legislature, as Colorado Democrats have since 2019, inevitably some people will think it overstepped its boundaries and others will be frustrated the party didn’t do more.

But Democratic leaders say those wanting more may still get their way. They’ll just need to be patient. It’s a reminder that Democrats aren’t always in step — and that sometimes lawmakers have to wait for the votes, the money and the political will to align.

Before the 2021 session ended Tuesday, the party coalesced on policies that will be felt for years to come in the state’s tax code and transportation system, at marijuana dispensaries and gun shops, in courtrooms and classrooms. Lost in the mix were several big-ticket proposals on things like policing, school discipline and workplace harassment.

“In the grand scheme of things, obviously these are very important issues and they’re very personal to a lot of people and it feels very…

Read more…