Peter Marcus

Denver District Court Judge Edward D. Bronfin on Monday struck a blow to Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler by ruling against the secretary and in favor of county clerks who want to mail ballots to so-called “inactive” voters.

Gessler’s office in 2011 filed a lawsuit against Denver Clerk and Recorder Debra Johnson for mailing ballots to inactive-failed to vote (IFTV) voters. Shortly after, Pueblo Clerk and Recorder Gilbert “Bo” Ortiz joined the lawsuit in support of Johnson.

Judiciary issues could become the most difficult and contentious topics facing the legislature this year. Lawmakers will tackle the uncharted world of recreational marijuana regulation, a troubled child protection system and polarizing discussions on gun control.

But it is also the bigger judiciary picture that lawmakers will need to focus on. Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Michael Bender — in his last annual State of the Judiciary address to a joint session of the legislature on Jan. 11 — described the judiciary in Colorado to be “alive and well.” That’s not to say, however, that there isn’t still work to be done, Bender implored legislators.

Another legislative brouhaha is brewing this year over whether to allow more supermarkets and convenience stores in Colorado to sell full-strength beer, wine and liquor.

The battle is nothing new to the legislature. This year would mark the fifth most recent attempt at allowing grocery and convenience stores to sell full-strength beer. The last effort was in 2011 when two bills that would have allowed the sale died.

Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler on Monday defended using office resources to clear non-citizens from state voter rolls. His remarks came as Democratic lawmakers grilled the secretary over glitches with online voter registration, prohibiting mailing of ballots to inactive voters, and controversial relationships with county clerks.

Newly designated Senate President John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, opened the legislative session with an unscripted “top secret” speech in which he shared an underlying message of working together for the greater good. But getting to that point took a winding 18-minute journey into Morse’s past days as a paramedic, during which he described a horrific traffic accident that left a father holding the IV bags as he watched his son perish.

The governor and legislative leaders unveiled their business agendas for the session that began on Wednesday. Legislation addressing research, economic development and job creation remains the focus for Democrats, while Republicans continue to look towards easing regulatory burdens and doing “no harm.”

Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, kicked off the flurry of business activity during a news conference Monday in which he announced a bipartisan bill that seeks to accelerate research and development activities through $15 million in state funding.

The debate over hydraulic fracturing this week appeared to run deeper than the controversial wells themselves. And if a good compromise is truly an agreement that no party is happy with, then the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission should be quite pleased with its progress.

The state’s independent ethics commission on Monday rejected requests by attorneys for Republican Secretary of State Scott Gessler to drop an investigation into his alleged inappropriate use of public dollars.

Liberal-leaning Colorado Ethics Watch, which filed a complaint against Gessler with the four-member bipartisan Independent Ethics Commission, has produced records showing that taxpayers funded the secretary’s trip to attend a Republican National Lawyers Association event in Sarasota, Fla. at the time the Republican National Convention was taking place in Tampa, Fla.

Life will become a maze of deadlines, attention and stress for 31 brand-new lawmakers who entered the Capitol on Jan. 9. But it will perhaps be their spouses and companions who face the most dramatic change over the 120 days of the next legislative session.

Several of these new lawmakers’ partners heard from experienced family members who have navigated the roller coaster that is public service. The orientation program on Dec. 13 sought to answer difficult questions about how to juggle both personal and work-related issues that can be overwhelming for those who are new to the Gold Dome.

Gov. John Hickenlooper and legislative leaders from both parties on Dec. 14 unveiled their agenda for the upcoming session that begins on Jan. 9. It includes efforts at raising funds for transportation, making improvements to health care and education, while sorting out regulations surrounding marijuana and the oil and gas industry. Measures from last session, including same-sex civil unions and reduced tuition rates for undocumented students, will also surface again in the upcoming Democratic-controlled session.