Colorado legislature: Same-sex marriage amendment to go to voters; Senate passes oil and gas measures
The Colorado legislature convened Saturday for a ultimate weekend of labor in its 2024 session, which is about to finish Wednesday. Main items of laws are nonetheless pending, with lawmakers anticipated to debate gun rules, housing, land-use coverage, transportation, property tax reform and different priorities within the ultimate days.
This story will likely be up to date all through the day.
Up to date at 1:30 p.m.: A proposed Constitutional modification to take away defunct language banning same-sex marriage will go to voters this November after a referred measure handed the Colorado Home on Saturday.
The proposed modification would take away a ban accredited by voters in 2006. It has been unenforceable since 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Courtroom legalized same-sex marriage nationwide with its ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. A majority of voters might want to approve the proposal this November for it to take impact.
Senate Concurrent Decision 3 wanted not less than two-thirds help in every chamber to cross. It handed with bipartisan help within the Senate however close to occasion strains within the Home, the place Democrats maintain a supermajority.
The Senate formally handed Saturday a invoice to restrict minimal parking necessities close to transit areas. Home Invoice 1304 was considerably amended from its extra expansive launched model to beat filibuster threats from Democrats and Republicans. The Home and Senate might want to agree on adjustments earlier than it goes to the governor’s desk. It is among the suite of payments geared toward growing density and public transit working its method by means of the legislature. Advocates argue this invoice will take away pricey parking spots and enhance reasonably priced housing building.
The Senate additionally formally handed a pair of payments to scale back emissions from oil and fuel manufacturing and levy a per-barrel payment to pay for transit and wildlife habitat. The payments have been launched this week, with the purpose of easing simmering tensions between environmental teams, legislators and the business and dueling laws and poll initiatives affecting the business. They may now go to the Home for consideration. The proposals might want to cross by Wednesday, when the legislature will adjourn.
Keep up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly e-newsletter, The Spot.