Good morning. Here's a look at news reports from around the state on issues of interest to the Colorado Center on Law and Policy for Thursday, April 29, 2010.
HEALTH POLICY
The Denver Post: New Colorado law to help insure 67,500 more
Colorado can afford to add about 67,500 people to Medicaid and other government insurance next week, thanks to a new state law that requires hospitals to chip in toward the landmark initiative.
Colorado Springs Gazette: Health on wheels: New van providing free medical care to rural poor
Many (patients) don’t have medical insurance or a way to get into town to see a doctor. Or if they do have a vehicle, they can’t afford the gas to make the trip into town.
Colorado Springs Gazette: State law could complicate possible Memorial sale, use of proceeds
“I think the issue is: Is the city-owned hospital considered a nonprofit for purposes of the act?” said Ed Kahn, special counsel with the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, a nonpartisan policy research organization. “The answer to that is not 100 percent clear.”
Also: Colorado Springs Independent: Because of state law, selling Memorial Hospital likely wouldn't solve city's financial problems
Colorado Springs Business Journal: COBRA eligibility extended to May 31
Workers who are involuntarily terminated from their jobs between Sept. 1, 2008 and May 31 may be eligible for a 65-percent subsidy of their COBRA premiums for a period of up to 15 months. In some cases, workers who had their hours reduced and later lost their jobs may also be eligible for the subsidy.
FISCAL POLICY
Associated Press via Greeley Tribune: Ritter will sign $18.2 billion budget
Gov. Bill Ritter planned to sign the budget bill Thursday. It will take effect in July, when the fiscal year begins.
Denver Post editorial: Flexibility for raising tuition
Reluctantly, we support a measure in the legislature that opens the door to hefty tuition hikes by the state's colleges.
Boulder Daily Camera: Boulder Valley School District to cut $4.2M in teacher jobs, salaries or benefits
Teacher compensation makes up the largest chunk of the Boulder Valley School District's operating budget, which is why district officials say they're now forced to either eliminate teaching positions, cut salaries or reduce health and dental benefits to make a workable 2010-11 school year budget.
Also: Summit Daily News: Summit Schools cut $867,000 from next school year's budget
Denver Daily News: Lawmaker: Define fees
Angry over fee increases backed by lawmakers in recent legislative sessions, Republican Sen. Greg Brophy is attempting to send to voters a constitutional amendment that would only allow fees to be levied to defray costs for specific government services related to that fee.
Denver Business Journal: Eco-devo wins one, loses one at Colorado statehouse
Colorado economic-development officials won one and lost one Wednesday as the House passed a bill to train a microscope on job-creation tax incentives but a House committee killed a measure that would have eliminated all enterprise zones.
Also: Grand Junction Sentinel: Tax credits to stay in place for state’s enterprise zones
Fort Collins Coloradoan editorial: Scorecard isn't appropriate place for tax campaign
Students receive report cards and nearly every worker gets some sort of a review, so it stands to reason that the city of Fort Collins should detail its performance to the public.
CONSUMER PROTECTION
Pueblo Chieftain editorial: Get it right
The U.S. Senate has been wrestling with a much-needed overhaul of the nation’s financial oversight, but it needs to get it right.
GENERAL
Colorado News Agency: Will voters make it tougher on themselves to amend the constitution?
Lawmakers today debated and approved in committee a measure that would make it more difficult for citizens to amend the state constitution— but only if those same voters approve the measure in November.
Also: Durango Herald: Tapia: Make amending constitution harder
Also: Grand Junction Sentinel: Voters might get second chance to toughen ballot measure rules
ECONOMIC SELF SUFFICIENCY
Aurora Sentinel commentary: Food stamps for college kids
Whereas government-funded grub has long been available to the working poor, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), through its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is eagerly expanding such benefits to college kids, too.
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