July 09, 2010 09:48 PM UTC

It's About Time for Senate Uniforms

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• by: Colorado Pols

According to a press release from the Colorado Senate Democrats, there could be some new laws created this weekend:

This weekend, President Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) attends the annual meeting of the Uniform Law Commission, of which he is a member…

…Saturday, President Shaffer will present a proposal to the commission for a potential “uniform law.”

We think it’s about time that the Senate created some new “uniform law,” and we’ve got some suggestions. First, this is our proposal at right for Senate uniforms beginning next January, as sported by Shaffer and Republican Senate Leader Mike Kopp (left to right).

Our second suggestion has as much to do with fashion as it does security. The Sergeant At Arms should now be wearing the uniform modeled by Sir Sean Connery — an outfit that would be both dashing, distracting, and really, really fierce-looking.

Full press release from the Senate Democrats after the jump.

This weekend, President Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) attends the annual meeting of the Uniform Law Commission, of which he is a member.  The Uniform Law Commission provides states with non-partisan, well-conceived and well-drafted legislation that brings clarity and stability to critical areas of the law. This week-long meeting will consider potential uniform law proposals which could be implemented nationwide to help states run more efficiently and effectively.  Click here for the complete agenda of the annual meeting.

Saturday, President Shaffer will present a proposal to the commission for a potential “uniform law.” If the commission accepts the proposal, it will start drafting uniform language which could be implemented nationwide.  President Shaffer’s proposal will draft unifying language to better site transmission lines across municipal, county, and state lines so we can better transmit energy to places that need it most. This proposal could also apply to natural gas pipelines.

“We need to do what we can to harness this homegrown energy, such as natural gas, and cut through the bureaucratic red tape,” said President Shaffer. “This is not just about making common sense uniform laws, it’s about job creation in our booming energy sector, and making sure we keeping America safe by restricting our reliance on foreign energy.”

According to a Colorado Energy News report published on March 2, “We continue to rely on foreign oil for approximately 60 percent of our energy needs. Switching to natural gas would provide greater energy security, as 98 percent of the natural gas used in the United States comes from North America, and 32 out of 50 states produce natural gas.  The natural gas industry also supports more than 2.8 million jobs in the United States.  Using natural gas for electrical generation in moving towards a low-carbon energy industry will not only increase emissions reductions, but also support local economies and reduce reliance on foreign fuel sources.”

Denver Post reports that, “Rockies energy producers have long faced a shortage of pipelines to transport gas to other parts of the country, which creates a local surplus and depresses prices in the region.” That is why President Shaffer is proposing a uniform law to make transmission and transportation of energy easier.

This map shows that natural gas resources aren’t distributed evenly across the states, and if states that lack reserves want access to his homegrown energy source, then the U.S. needs a robust network of pipelines to facilitate efficient and cost-effective transmission.

President Shaffer continued:  “This proposal is about taking the best practices for moving energy and standardizing them across state lines.  This is a great opportunity to partner with traditional energy and new energy producers to discuss best practices that can be codified nationwide.”

According to President Shaffer’s proposal, the demand for electricity in the U.S. is projected to increase 18-39% by 2030.  Currently, 1/3 of our country’s wind power is sitting on the grid without any way to be transmitted.  By unifying these laws, President Shaffer hopes to change that.

In his proposal, Shaffer highlights the problems with the existing, conflicting laws.  He states, “Developers often encounter obstacles to approval in multiple counties and states for a single project. Projects have been delayed, cancelled, and even avoided due to the costly and convoluted process.”

“Consistency across state boundaries for energy transmission will lower general implementation costs, and streamlined regulatory environment will allow for more rapid response to fluctuations in both supply and demand.  Lower barriers to entry will permit energy options to meet our rising need for energy more efficiently and effectively. Consumers will probably see lower rates as unnecessary hurdles are eliminated in favor of an inclusive process that promotes responsible, consistent development.”