Peter Marcus

Those who support offering reduced tuition rates to undocumented students are gearing up for the 2013 legislative session, optimistic that with Democrats controlling both chambers, so-called Colorado ASSET legislation will finally pass this year.

On six separate occasions the legislature has denied Colorado Advancing Students for a Stronger Economy Tomorrow (ASSET). The proposal has taken many different forms over the years, including offering in-state tuition rates to undocumented students, as well as simply creating a new reduced tuition rate category. The latter was the version introduced in the last legislative session.

Medical marijuana advocates are considering pushing their own bill to establish penalties for driving while under the influence of cannabis in an attempt to fight off a proposal by Sen. Steve King, R-Grand Junction, which would establish much stricter guidelines.

Michael Elliott, executive director of the Medical Marijuana Industry Group, told The Colorado Statesman that if King goes through with his driving under the influence of drugs (DUID) bill, then the trade association might find sympathetic lawmakers to introduce their own version, although they did not identify specific lawmakers to work with in the upcoming legislative session that begins Jan. 9.

Republican state and federal lawmakers are concerned that a federally backed intergovernmental program, EAGLE-Net Alliance, which is aimed at delivering broadband to rural parts of the state, is overbuilding infrastructure and taking customers away from existing smaller providers.

One week after voters in Longmont banned the controversial energy drilling process known as hydraulic fracturing, Colorado business and industry leaders gathered Tuesday on the west steps of the Capitol with hundreds of supporters to boisterously declare their support for the practice.

A set of recommendations released Wednesday by Gov. John Hickenlooper’s blue ribbon commission TBD Colorado includes reforming the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, or TABOR, and finding revenue increases through tax increases and other reforms. The presentation has set off a heated debate over how the state should finance its “wish list” of services for the future.

Gov. John Hickenlooper was blunt in addressing the Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday during a presentation of his budget for the 2013-14 fiscal year, telling state lawmakers that if Congress does not act on the looming so-called “fiscal cliff,” the result would be unpleasant for Colorado.

“Let’s hope we don’t get there, but certainly… when you look at sequestration, the choices that will be before you are not pleasant, and dwarf the kinds of decisions we’ve had to make in the last two years,” the governor, a Democrat, responded to a question by JBC member Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen.

Republican Brian Davidson, who recently lost his challenge to Democrat Stephen Ludwig for University of Colorado at large regent, agrees with his former opponent on at least one point: Democrats did a better job getting out the vote. And he believes that in the down ballot contest, motivating voters to the polls is the most important factor, which cost him the election.

Senate Democrats on Thursday shuffled the deck of its leadership following the Tuesday elections, choosing Majority Leader John Morse of Colorado Springs to lead them as Senate president in the upcoming session that begins Jan. 9. The nomination bucked speculation that Sen. Pat Steadman of Denver was the favored choice.

Morse, who was nominated by Caucus Chair Morgan Carroll of Aurora, will replace outgoing Senate President Brandon Shaffer of Longmont. Shaffer on Tuesday lost a challenge to U.S. Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, in the 4th Congressional District. His political career ostensibly came to an end, at least for now.

On a night when all eyes were on toss-up races across the state and nation, five of Colorado’s incumbent U.S. representatives quietly won reelection on Tuesday with decisive victories.

U.S. Reps. Diana DeGette, D-Denver, Jared Polis, D-Boulder, Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, and Doug Lamborn, R-Colorado Springs, all claimed victory with little drama.

Incumbent U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman, a well known Aurora Republican whose previous elections have mostly been without much uncertainty, claimed victory late Tuesday night over Democratic challenger Joe Miklosi, a state representative from Denver in a contest that lived up to its billing as the closest congressional race in the state.