Get More Smarter on Tuesday (Feb. 10)

Still nursing that hangover from celebrating "Family Day" in Canada yesterday? It's time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below.

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► The Senate State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee will hear testimony today on SB15-091, also known as the "Construction Defects" bill. The legislation sponsored by Sen. Ray Scott (R-Grand Junction) would reduce the statute of limitations for homeowners on construction defects from 8 years to 4 years, because, screw consumers. This bill will not be heard today after all — there was a late calendar change.

► Anti-fracking groups are holding a news conference today outside City Hall in Denver. The groups are pushing Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and the Denver City Council to support a pre-emptive ban on leasing federal land for fracking in the South Platte River watershed in South Park.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

 

SHOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► The annual  "Conservation in the West" poll was released today by the Colorado College State of the Rockies Project.

► Senator Laura Waters Woods (R-Arvada) saw her "Right to Discriminate" legislation (SB15-069) pass out of a Senate committee on Monday with help from Democratic Sen. Cheri Jahn, who said she supported anti-discrimination legislation while campaigning for re-election in 2014. Sen. Woods wants to repeal the "Job Protection and Civil Rights Enforcement Act of 2013," which makes it harder for a business with less than 15 employees to discriminate based on factors such as sex, race, religion, and national origin. Critics worry about the threat of lawsuits for small businesses, but as Ed Sealover of the Denver Business Journal explains:

The law went into effect at the beginning of this year, leaving even Woods to acknowledge the state has yet to see the flood of potentially baseless lawsuits that business groups warned could be coming when Gov. John Hickenlooper signed the measure two years ago.

► A bill to extend the bear hunting season in Colorado ground to a halt yesterday, despite the support of infamous bear boxer Rep. J. Paul Brown (R-Ignacio). For years, Brown has told a story of punching a bear in the face in order to protect his flock of sheep.

► Apparently you can use public welfare benefit cards at ATMs in strip clubs or marijuana shops…but probably not for much longer. Legislation to close this odd loophole was approved by the State Senate and now moves to the House for consideration.

► Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nevada) told his staff today that he intends to run for re-election in 2016. By then he should be able to see out of both eyes.

 

OTHER LINKS YOU SHOULD CLICK

► New poll results from the Pew Research Center show that 83% of Americans believe that the measles vaccination is safe for children.

► Illinois Republican Rep. Aaron Schock, who wanted his Washington D.C. office to be redecorated to resemble "Downton Abbey," apparently treats his campaign coffers like a personal credit card. Schock spends ridiculous sums of money on private jets and posh hotels, including stays in Aspen and Vail, and has even billed taxpayers for travel on private jets. Things are not going well for Rep. Schock these days; last week a senior aide was forced to resign after making comments comparing black people to animals.

► Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush is actively campaigning for the Republican nomination for President in 2016, but he has a long way to go to convince voters to support his candidacy. Polling shows that Republican voters tend to view Bush negatively, and as you might expect, his last name isn't making things any easier.

 

ICYMI

► State Senator Owen Hill (R-Colorado Springs) is the chair of the Senate Education Committee, though by his own writing seems to have trouble understanding basic education policy.

► Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore continues his crusade against same-sex marriage, nevermind Monday's ruling by the Supreme Court that clears the way for marriage licenses to be issued in the state. Moore says that the United States is a "Christian nation" and the Supreme Court cannot supersede God, so he is refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses. So, uh, why is he still a judge?