An Interview with Catherine Strode
State Representative Pete Lee has sponsored a series of bills to bring about change in Colorado’s juvenile justice and youth corrections systems. State Representative Lois Landgraf has established a legislative reputation for being an advocate for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This Session, the two legislators from El Paso County have paired up to sponsor House Bill 17- 1329, a bill that supports a cultural shift in the Division of Youth Corrections including a name change. A recently released report, entitled Bound and Broken, details incidences of increased violence and injuries within the Division.
In an interview with Catherine Strode, Representative Pete Lee explains the bill’s attempt, through a proposed pilot program, to combat violence and to change the culture within the state’s youth corrections system. Representative Landgraf explains how this juvenile justice bill relates to her ongoing efforts to back legislation that offers protection to individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities.
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Check For Employees Serving At-Risk Adults
An Interview with Catherine Strode
State legislators have the opportunity to offer protection from abuse to individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The House has passed a bill (HB17-1284) to create a state data system of past offenders. The bill now moves on to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
State Senator Irene Aguilar, the parent of an adult child with disabilities, is one of the bill’s sponsors. In an interview with Catherine Strode, she explains why this bill is one of the most important of the legislative Session for individuals with disabilities and why it is so long overdue.
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Local Control Argument Rejected by Restraints Bill Sponsor
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Three education bills have been strongly backed this session by disability advocacy groups. Two of them, a bill restricting corporal punishment in state schools and a bill restricting suspensions of young children, were Postponed Indefinitely. A central argument in each debate over the bills was ‘local control.’ House Bill 17-1276 prohibits prone restraints on students in Colorado public schools. It has passed out of the House Education Committee.
In an interview with Catherine Strode, the bill’s Republican sponsor, State Senator Bob Gardner, says he believes in ‘local control.’ However, he says it is not an argument that applies to the student restraints issue.
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State Taps Marijuana Dollars to Attack Opioid Epidemic
An Interview with Catherine Strode
State Senator Cheri Jahn and the other sponsors of Senate Bill 17-193 have accomplished getting money from the state during an extremely tight budget year. In a unanimous vote, the senate has appropriated $1 million in marijuana taxes to establish a research center with the University of Colorado Anschutz Center for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders.
Colorado’s mortality rate in drug overdoses has increased by 500 per cent over the past three years. In an interview with Catherine Strode, State Senator Cheri Jahn says the state’s drug epidemic is ‘out of control’ and credits her Republican colleagues for the bill’s passage.
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Juvenile Justice Reform On Legislative Agenda
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Colorado could lead the nation in Juvenile Justice Reform if a bill to eliminate detention for youth ages 10 to 12 passes this session.
The bill, which passed out of the House Judiciary Committee unanimously, would eliminate the requirement for the Department of Human Services to place a youth in detention unless charged with a serious offense.
In an interview with Catherine Strode, the Republican and Democratic co-sponsors discuss why this bill is necessary and its potential of a positive impact on Colorado youth.
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Bill Develops Discipline Strategies to Decrease Suspensions
An Interview with Catherine Strode
State Representative James Coleman (House District 7) is very proud that the education bill he is sponsoring has support across both aisles in the Colorado legislature. House Bill 17-1211 calls for a pilot program to provide educators with professional development in culturally responsive methods of discipline. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Representative Coleman says he was ‘appalled’ to learn over 7000 young children in preschool through third grade were suspended from Colorado schools last year. He adds most of those suspensions were disproportionately experienced by children of color.
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Colorado’s Communities Support Bill To Decrease School Suspensions
An Interview with Catherine Strode
The House Education Committee will hear testimony today on a bill to reduce the number of school suspensions and expulsions of young children in Colorado’s public schools. Data presented by the Colorado Children’s Campaign has shown children in minority populations and children with disabilities face disproportionate disciplinary actions, specifically suspensions and expulsions.
The sponsor of House Bill 17-1210, State Representative Susan Lontine, says the ultimate goal of the bill is to close the achievement gap of children in minority populations and explains the bill’s broad community support.
In interviews with Catherine Strode State Representative Lontine explains how the bill can impact educational disparities in Colorado; and the Vice President of Early Childhood Initiatives for the Colorado Children’s Campaign, Bill Jaeger, explains the suspension data.
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Republicans’ Bill Would Put TABOR Change On Ballot
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Two Republican legislators are proposing a change in the TABOR formula that would allow the state to retain more taxpayer dollars. State Representative Dan Thurlow (R-55) and State Senator Larry Crowder (R-35) are co-sponsoring House Bill 17-1187, which defines a change in how the excess state revenues cap is factored. If the bill passes, it will go before the voters for approval in November. In an interview with Catherine Strode, State Representative Dan Thurlow says if the bill passes, and voters approve the measure, it would alleviate state budget crises.
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Bill Reaffirms Colorado As Trailblazer In Restorative Justice
An Interview with Catherine Strode
State Representative Pete Lee cites Colorado as the nation’s leader in restorative justice. During his tenure in the legislature, Representative Lee has introduced four bills championing the practice in Colorado’s criminal justice system. His most recent bill (HB17-1039) passed through the House this week. The bill expands communication issues in the practice of restorative justice. It was originally designed to provide more confidentiality to the process. However, that portion of the bill was struck. In an interview with Catherine Strode, Representative Lee says although the bill does expand restorative justice in two areas, it doesn’t go far enough.
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Transportation Demo Bill Promotes Future Accessibility
An Interview with Catherine Strode
Cars that drive themselves. Autonomous cars that appear on your front doorstep when ordered on a cell phone. Autonomous vehicles equipped for all kinds of riders, including those with companion dogs or those in wheelchairs. That is the vision for transportation in the state being promoted by State Senator Kent Lambert. A bill he is sponsoring (SB17-011) will bring together technical experts and transportation providers to discuss ways to create an accessible and economically feasible statewide transportation system.
In an interview with Catherine Strode, Senator Lambert says such means of transportation can change the economy and can give people with disabilities more employment opportunities.
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