How did Polis and Democrats reach their glorious compromise to strangle the state’s energy industry through regulations based on the “social cost of climate change?”
Through deception and misdirection, writes Rep. Hugh McKean, minority leader of the Colorado House of Representatives, in a Colorado Sun opinion piece.
The Loveland Republican describes the bait and switch Democrats used in attaching an unpopular bill Gov. Polis threatened to veto, onto another bill as an amendment.
The controversial Senate Bill 200 was disguised as a 25-page amendment to a separate 14-page bill and sent to the House on the last day of the session when it was too late for Republicans to counter or amend the magical measure that promised environmental justice from racist climate change.
The bill directs the state’s Air Quality Control Commission to adopt additional rules in relation to near-term emissions cuts and reducing pollution in “disproportionately impacted communities” that are home to higher percentages of low-income people and people of color.
McKean explains what happened.
SB 200 was a rare example of legislative Democrats going too far left for even Gov. Jared Polis, who had said he intended to veto it had it gone through. He described it as giving “dictatorial” power to the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission.
By forcing through this massive legislation at the last minute, Democrats prevented the serious opposition it would have rightly received and gave Governor Polis political cover to approve in amendment form a bill he had promised to veto.
Polis signed the controversial measure into law on Friday afternoon before the 4th of July holiday weekend, when voters weren’t paying attention.