Politics
Opioid-related deaths fell 6.5% after recreational marijuana legalized in Colorado, research finds
DENVER – Opioid-related deaths fell by more than 6 percent in Colorado in the two years after the state started selling recreational marijuana, according to new research published in November’s edition of the American Journal of Public Health.
The researchers who conducted the study found the 6.5-percent reduction represented “a reversal of” a 14-year increasing trend in opioid-related deaths in Colorado since 2000. Continue reading
Colorado premiums will rise by 6% on top of existing hikes after Trump ends CSR subsidy payments
DENVER – Health insurance premiums being offered by insurers in Colorado in 2018 will go up by an additional average of 6 percent – beyond the increases already in place – because of President Trump’s decision to stop making cost-sharing reduction subsidy payments.
The state’s insurance commissioner, Marguerite Salazar, made the announcement Friday afternoon, and like Gov. John Hickenlooper, called Trump’s decision “cruel and irresponsible.” Continue reading
Colorado insurance commissioner warns Trump health care order could spell end of employer coverage
DENVER – Colorado’s insurance commissioner said Thursday afternoon that President Trump’s executive order aimed at solving his promise to repeal and replace the federal health care law will “cause problems” for the state’s health insurance market and warned it could end employer-provided coverage in the state.
“Expanding association health plans and short-term health insurance without [Affordable Care Act] protections will fracture the individual and small group markets,” Insurance Commissioner Marguerite Salazar said. Continue reading
Lamborn and Buck vote against disaster relief package, citing concerns over debt write-off
DENVER – Two of Colorado’s Republican congressmen voted Thursday against a disaster relief bill that will send $36 billion in aid to Puerto Rico and other places ravaged by recent hurricanes, as well as to programs aiding the firefighting efforts in the U.S. West.
The House of Representatives approved the aid package Thursday in a 353-69 vote. Reps. Ken Buck and Doug Lamborn both voted against the package, as did 67 of their Republican colleagues. Continue reading
Mike Coffman, bipartisan House panel introduce new authorization of military force measure
DENVER – U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, R-Colo., and a bipartisan panel of congressmen on Thursday introduced a new resolution to replace the war resolutions that preceded the U.S. invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq.
Congress has long fought over making a new authorization for the use of military force that would replace the two used to go to Afghanistan in 2001 and Iraq two years later—both of which were seen on both sides of the aisle as being overly-broad.
The new resolution introduced by Coffman and the bipartisan panel of House members from Arizona, Nebraska and California would repeal the old authorizations outright.
Should the resolution pass, the new authorization would allow U.S. military action against al-Qaeda, ISIS and the Taliban for another five years.
The U.S. would also be permitted to attack “any person, other than a sovereign nation, that is a part of, or substantially supports” one of those groups “and has engaged in hostilities” against the U.S., its armed forces, or civilian support of the armed services.
Under the resolution, the president would have to submit a report to Congress describing any actions taken against those groups within 60 days of the resolution becoming law. After the first report, the president would have to submit another similar report to Congress every 90 days.
“The threats we face today are far different than those we faced over a decade ago, and this legislation reflects Congress’s Constitutional role in authorizing the use of military force against terrorist organizations,” said Coffman.
“With this bipartisan legislation, we can meet our obligation to provide our service members with clear guidance as they fight to keep us safe. We can also provide our constituents the assurance that, no matter who our commander-in-chief is, Congress will assert its constitutional authority to define the use of our military force around the world,” said Rep. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., who introduced the legislation with Coffman.
Defense Secretary James Mattis earlier this month told the House Armed Services Committee that he’d support a new war resolution.
Last month, the Senate voted down another bipartisan effort to repeal the 2001 and 2002 AUMFs.
Sen. Michael Bennet, D-Colo., who has supported repeal efforts, voted against a motion to table the measures, while Sen. Cory Gardner, a Colorado Republican, voted in favor of the bill.
It’s currently unclear which committee Coffman’s House bill will be assigned to first.
Denver mayor opposes green roof ballot initiative, says it ‘goes too far too fast’
DENVER – Mayor Michael Hancock is opposed to an initiative Denver voters will decide on in November that would require many newly-built large buildings in the city to have a “green roof” of sorts installed.
Last month, the Denver Elections Division approved the Denver Green Roof Initiative ballot petition after verifying the group had gotten the correct number of signatures to put the measure on November’s ballot. Continue reading
Denver council committee moves 16th St. Mall smoking ban proposal ahead to full council
DENVER – The city council will likely hear a proposal to ban smoking along a stretch of the 16th Street Mall later this month after a council committee voted unanimously Wednesday to pass the long-discussed, and somewhat controversial, measure onto the full council.
The ban, called the “Breathe Easy” campaign, would implement a ban on smoking cigarettes, cigars and electronic smoking devices within 50 feet of 16th Street between Broadway and Chestnut Street.
At Wednesday’s committee meeting, Councilman Albus Brooks continued his push for the proposal’s approval, saying that Denver lags behind other big cities in its rules for public smoking. He said that Golden and Boulder also have rules that Denver could model theirs after.
Several representatives from medical fields and transportation zones expressed support for the measure, saying it would cut down on second-hand smoke for those who don’t smoke.
But some councilors expressed concern that the measure was unfairly targeting low-income and homeless people who are the most-likely to smoke.
Denver Police Deputy Chief David Quinones said the main goal of the ban would be to change behavior—not necessarily flat-out cite everyone for a first offense—and added that the program would have a soft rollout aimed at changing people’s behaviors.
He also suggested that police or the council compile data in quarterly reports as to how the program is working.
Violating the proposed ordinance would result in a fine of up to $100, but some officials stressed that there would be an education program, and that officers would be directed to use their discretion when handing out warnings or tickets should the measure get the mayor’s signature.
Smoking is already banned within 25 feet of an entryway in Denver, and within 15 feet of entryways across the state.
Despite the reservations from some on the committee, it voted unanimously, 7-0, to pass the measure straight on to the full council, which is expected to take it up for discussion at the Oct. 23 meeting.
A final vote on the proposal could come as soon as Oct. 30.
Cuban immigrant who won pardon from Colorado governor might be released from ICE custody
DENVER – The Cuban immigrant who won a pardon from Gov. John Hickenlooper for an armed robbery conviction that was aimed at helping his deportation case could soon be out of federal immigration custody and free to remain in the U.S.
A Department of Justice immigration judge terminated removal proceedings against Rene Lima-Marin late last week, according to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Continue reading
“Las Vegas Part 2”: Man accused of threatening 7 employees of popular Denver startup Ibotta
DENVER – A Brooklyn man is accused of threatening at least seven employees at a Denver-based company with “a Las Vegas repeat” after the company suspended his account over fraudulent use.
FBI agents arrested Victor Casillas Tuesday night in Manhattan, according to John Marzulli, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of New York. Casillas is set to make his first federal court appearance Wednesday afternoon in Brooklyn Federal Court, Marzulli said. Continue reading
Bennet, Gardner cosponsoring legislation to restore CHIP funding through 2022
DENVER – Both of Colorado’s U.S. senators are cosponsoring a bill that would extend federal funding for the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) through 2022 and make some changes that give states more flexibility in working with the program.
The Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing said Monday it anticipates Colorado will run out of its federal funding left over from the past fiscal year for CHP+, the state CHIP program, by January if Congress doesn’t move to extend the funding. Continue reading