April 16, 2015 04:44 PM UTC

Senate Republicans Just Get Weirder and Weirder

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• by: Colorado Pols

The first Colorado legislative session in a decade with Republicans leading the State Senate has been a strange trip. From a forehead-slapping focus on immunizations to the unpredictable antics of Sen. Vicki “Lost” Marble, we’ve witnessed more odd behavior than a full summer sitting in the Coors Field Rockpile…and there’s still a month left to go.

Today, 6 Senate Republicans cast very odd votes on an otherwise innocuous piece of legislation. According to a press release from the Senate Democrats (full release after the jump), SB15-011 doesn’t appear to be all that controversial:

The bill (SB 15-011) would allow a pilot program providing complementary and alternative medicine for spinal injuries to continue until 2020.

Sen. [Nancy] Todd started the program back in 2009, but it is currently scheduled to sunset in September 2015. The intent of the pilot program included expanding the choice of therapies available to people with disabilities. The bill today ensures that “complementary or alternative medicine” is available for Coloradans with spinal injuries to receive chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture by licensed or certified providers. It would also expand access to the program from its current 67 people to 100 people. [Pols emphasis]

The bill ultimately passed the Senate 29-6 vote. The opposition: Sen. Tim Neville, Sen. Laura Woods, Sen. Randy Baumgardner, Sen. Chris Holbert, Sen. Vicki Marble, and Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg. 

Why? Why would you vote against this bill? It’s not a huge expense, it’s a big help to a number of families in Colorado, and it clearly had the votes to pass out of the Senate.

This isn’t as big of a deal to somebody like Sen. Marble, who is fairly safe in her Senate district; but why would Sen. Laura Waters Woods vote NO here? Woods will almost certainly be the top pickup target for Democrats in 2016, and it’s unexplainable votes like this that make for compelling advertising.

Senate approves bill to help Coloradans with spinal injuries

DENVER — Today the Senate approved legislation to provide expanded access to wellness for Coloradans with spinal injuries.

The bill (SB 15-011) would allow a pilot program providing complementary and alternative medicine for spinal injuries to continue until 2020.

Sen. Todd started the program back in 2009, but it is currently scheduled to sunset in September 2015. The intent of the pilot program included expanding the choice of therapies available to people with disabilities. The bill today ensures that “complementary or alternative medicine” is available for Coloradans with spinal injuries to receive chiropractic care, massage therapy, and acupuncture by licensed or certified providers. It would also expand access to the program from its current 67 people to 100 people.

During the hearing today, Sen. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, dedicated the program to Chanda Hinton, a beneficiary of complementary and alternative practices.

Hinton was shot at age 9, and the shooting severed her spinal cord and left her paralyzed from the chest down. She survived, but at age 21 she was experiencing severe pain and her weight dropped to 59 pounds, according to an account from the Denver Westword newspaper. Her sister suggested she try complementary and integrative therapies, and an ensuing regimen of acupuncture, massage therapy, and chiropractic treatment helped her manage the chronic pain.

The pain is now manageable, and she is able to avoid hospitalization and narcotics associated with pain. “Chanda’s story is simply amazing. Alternative medicine has enabled her to do amazing things,” said Sen. Todd. “My goal is to help other Coloradans in situations like hers to live their fullest lives. I was pleased to see the Senate pass the bill today, and I’m looking forward to having the program help even more Coloradans in the coming years.”

Hinton now runs the Chanda Plan Foundation which provides people with disabilities access to wellness.

“Today was a good day for the State of Colorado. We are now closer to ensuring individuals can continue accessing wellness through the spinal cord injury waiver. I hope to see the same results in the House of Representatives,” said Hinton.

The bill passed the Senate today on a 29-6 third reading vote. All six opposition votes to this bill came from Republican Senators: Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton; Sen. Laura Woods, R-Arvada; Sen. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs; Sen. Chris Holbert, R-Parker; Sen. Vicki Marble, R-Fort Collins; and Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling.

The bill will now move over to the House of Representatives.