Senate Clears Romanoff's B.E.S.T. Bill

A bill that would allocate nearly $1 billion toward the repair of decaying and dangerous public school facilities around the state got the final approval of the Senate Thursday.

HB 1335 would tap the state's school trust lands to raise about $500 million. Romanoff proposes that about $30-$40 million of revenues from natural resource exploitation conducted on those lands be used to make payments on necessary capital obtained via debt instruments.

The other portion of the total amount to be dedicated to school renovation and repairs would come from local contributions.

Colorado's school trust lands were granted to the state upon admission to the union and on condition that they be used to benefit school children. However, the state has never before had a structured mechanism for tapping into revenues generated on those lands for the benefit of public schools.

Public school buildings across the state are aging. According to a news release issued by the House majority communications office, hazards include failing roofs, structural problems, inadequate fire safety, faulty and dangerous boilers, absestos and carbon monoxide contamination.

The bill must return to the House for consideration of Senate amendments before heading to Gov. Bill Ritter's desk.

Democrats Peter Groff of Denver and Gail Schwartz of Snowmass Village sponsored HB 1335 in the Senate.

Five Republicans opposed the measure in today's vote, including Sens. Bill Cadman and Dave Schultheis of Colorado Springs, Ted Harvey of Highlands Ranch, Steve Johnson of Fort Collins, and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock.

Sen. Wiens Won't Seek Re-Election

Sen. Tom Wiens, R-Castle Rock, announced this week that he won't seek re-election to the District 4 seat he's held since 2004.

Wiens, who previously considered a run for the open Congressional district 6 seat now held by U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo, R-Littleton, said he wants to return to the private sector.

"Over the last six years I have gained a great deal of experience and understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing Colorado," Wiens wrote in a letter to GOP colleagues Thursday. "I remain committed to working with you to help make Colorado the best possible place to live, work and raise a family. I also know that there are many ways to contribute to the future of Colorado as a private citizen."

Wiens, who served in the House between 2002-2004, would have faced Democrat Joseph Alsup, a Larkspur architect, this autumn.

According to a report posted at PolitickerCO, possible GOP candidates include Castle Rock mayor Randy Reed, senate district 4 GOP chair John Peterson, Colorado State Shooting Association vice-president Dave Gill, and Douglas County Planning Commission member Roger Partridge.

Wiens follows minority leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, Sen. Steve Ward, R-Littleton, and Sen. Jack Taylor, R-Steamboat Springs, out of the Senate GOP caucus at the end of this legislative session. McElhany and Taylor are term-limited and Ward is a candidate to replace Tancredo in the U.S. House of Representatives.

In addition, Sen. Ted Harvey, R-Highlands Ranch, and Sen. Steve Johnson, R-Fort Collins, may not return. Harvey is also running for Congress and Johnson is seeking a seat on the Larimer County commission.

DNA Bill Gets Initial Senate Approval

Although several members listed as co-sponsors decided not to vote for their bill, a measure that would grant convicted felons a new trial when law enforcement authorities lose or fail to keep DNA evidence passed the Senate on its first test this morning.

SB 205, which is sponsored by 26 senators, was approved on a voice vote.

However, some of those who had signed on to sponsor it ended up opposing it.

Sen. Tom Wiens, R-Castle Rock, was among them. He said that he believes there are "plenty of other opportunities" to remedy loss of evidence. Sen. Josh Penry, R-Fruita, argued that the bill will benefit only one man.

Sen. Ken Gordon, D-Denver, has said he was inspired to draft and introduce the bill because of the situation surrounding Clarence Moses-El, who was convicted of a 1987 rape on the basis of a the victim's testimony that she had seen his face in a dream. The Denver Police Department discarded the DNA evidence gathered during the investigation of the crime in 1995 despite a court order requiring its preservation. Moses-El has always maintained his innocence.

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, disagreed with GOP colleagues Wiens and Penry. "As awful as it may be for a victim or a victim’s family to contemplate a retrial, our first responsibility here ought to be for justice," Mitchell said.

The bill faces a final vote in the Senate before moving on to the House.

NY Times Covers Leadville Mine Tunnel Situation

The accumulation of toxic wastewater in a mine tunnel near Leadville, attention to which has been drawn by Sen. Tom Wiens, R-Castle Rock, is getting covered in Thursday's New York Times.

The article largely reinforces perceptions that a potentially dangerous situation exists in Leadville.

No mention is made of recent claims that Wiens and Lake County commissioners have exaggerated their descriptions of the dangers from the accumulated water in the mine tunnel.

Senate Passes "Textbook Affordability Act"

The Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would require the state's colleges to provide students information about the price of required textbooks and the amount of time expected to go by before the publisher revises the textbook.

SB 73 was approved on a 31-4 vote, with Republicans Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Nancy Spence of Centennial, and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock and Democrat Suzanne Williams of Aurora opposing it.

The measure now moves over to the House, where it is sponsored by Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins.

The Senate sponsor is Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder.