Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Special session in store for Colorado? Colorado Pols and SquareState.net are ganging up on Sen. Greg Brophy and Rep. Dave Schultheis for their letter to Governor Owens outlining some hoped-for additions to the Special Session agenda. The legislators represent Republican Study Committee of Colorado. Category: Denver November 2006 Election 7:09:36 PM

English for Colorado? Denver Post: "A group that wants students who don't speak English to be immersed in English-learning classes for at least one year began its drive Monday to put the proposal on the November ballot. English for Colorado must collect the signatures of at least 68,000 registered Colorado voters by Aug. 7 before ballot issue No. 95 can be voted on in the general election. Greeley attorney Bill Garcia, one of the leaders of English for Colorado, said volunteers are starting to gather signatures in all 64 counties. He expects support for the proposal to grow as more people learn about it... "The proposal would mandate that students not proficient in English would spend up to one year in English-instruction classes before they are returned to the regular mainstream classroom. Students would only be taught in English and would not participate in other content areas such as math, science and social science, said proponents. Garcia said ballot issue No. 95 is needed because other programs used by public schools to help students learn English - such as bilingual education - have failed... "Proponents also said the proposal is not an 'English-only' measure but one aimed at bolstering English skills. But opponents say 95 is just a variation of Amendment 31, an English-only initiative that was defeated by Coloradans in 2002." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 6:05:03 AM

Rocky Mountain News: "The Colorado Supreme Court has struck down a challenge to a ballot initiative that seeks to prohibit legal recognition of same-sex unions. If sponsors collect roughly 68,000 voter signatures by Aug. 7, the proposed constitutional amendment will make the November ballot, joining as many as three other measures related to homosexual relationships. The court ruled late Friday against a challenge to a decision by the Title Setting Review Board to approve the measure. It is sponsored by state Rep. Kevin Lundberg, R-Berthoud, and former Colorado Springs car dealer Will Perkins. Their initiative is meant to counter an opposing measure that would extend legal benefits to domestic partners. That measure is already approved for the ballot. Pro-gay leaders argued before the Title Setting Review Board and then the Supreme Court that the Lundberg-Perkins measure is vague and violates the single-subject rule." Category: Denver November 2006 Election 5:56:53 AM

© Copyright 2006 John Orr. Last update: 7/1/06; 9:37:12 AM.