I hate you, Colorado Peak Politics
Chalk this one up to Governor Hickenlooper’s lack of leadership once again. He has two bills on his desk – SB17-19 and SB17-12, which both improve the treatment of mental health in the criminal justice system – and he is refusing to sign them because he does not like the last minute changes. Why didn’t he take that to the media back when this happened? Was it because it was shoved through at the last minute because Democrats were playing games?
Here is what Hick told the Denver Post about signing the two bills:
“Even as he emphasized that he supports the substance of the legislation, Hickenlooper said he could not put his name on Senate Bill 12 and Senate Bill 19.”
So, this is just a legislative temper tantrum, then. If Hick wanted changes to the bills, he should have worked with his Democratic caucus (or they should have worked with him). As it stands, he refuses to put his name on two bills that he actually supports. That’s dumb.
Sen. Beth Martinez Humenik, who sponsored the bill, pushed back on the Governor’s shenanigans, saying:
“Accountability and restraint with taxpayer dollars is a top priority for me. [Senate Bill 19 showed] ‘taxpayers that this divided Legislature is securing lasting results for Colorado.'”
Maybe show some leadership within your party and within the state when the bills are going through the legislature next time, Gov.