Get the popcorn popping and the beer cooling and gather round to watch the Colorado legislature as Democrats try to fix the car theft problem they and Gov. Polis created.
PeakNation™ will remember the excitement last year as Democrat lawmakers worked tirelessly to shake off their shame by passing legislation to fix the fentanyl crisis they also created.
But the legislature punted at the last minute with a weakened bill authored by then-state Sen. Brittany Pettersen who was running for Congress.
And for Democrats, even more important than saving Coloradans from fentanyl overdose deaths, was keeping control of the U.S. House.
And that didn’t work out so well for them.
This year, Democrat state Sen. Rachel Zenzinger of Arvada has teamed up with Republican state Sen. Bob Gardner of Colorado Springs to sponsor Senate Bill 97, while Democrat state Rep. Shannon Bird of Westminster Democrat and Delta Republican Matt Soper are sponsoring the House version.
Supporters of the bill say it’s not a fix-all for rampant motor vehicle theft, but the conservative Gazette editorial board is giving the effort an early thumbs up:
Praise is in order for all four of the bill’s prime sponsors and particularly for Zenzinger and Bird, who to some extent are bucking their own party on this issue. They essentially are calling back one of the more reckless provisions of their fellow ruling Democrats’ justice reform agenda — and considering instead what’s best for the general public. That is the kind of responsive lawmaking our state urgently needs in the crime fight.
Encouraging first step for #coleg – both Party’s working together to undo the misguided weakening of criminal penalties. We passed tougher penalties for car theft in Aurora last fall, and have suggested since we need a statewide solution. #copolitics https://t.co/dbkarEeNmV
— Dustin Zvonek (@DustinZvonek) January 31, 2023
This is indeed an encouraging first step, and good for Republicans in helping the Democrats to correct their foolish mistakes.
This time, let’s hope the Dems can hang tough with their bill through the session and not start weakening the language when progressives accuse them of being mean to criminals.