Mandatory Carbon Monoxide Monitor Bill Clears Committee

A bill that would require builders to install carbon monoxide alarms in every new home, and place the same obligation on sellers of existing homes and landlords, cleared a House committee Tuesday.

HB 1091, which sponsors say was inspired by the November 2008 deaths of a prominent Denver family due to carbon monoxide poisoning, was approved by the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee on a 9-2 vote.

The bill had been heard at an emotional hearing two weeks ago, during which the father of a Denver college student killed in yet another recent carbon monoxide poisoning incident tearfully pleaded for the measure's passage.

Republicans unsuccessfully sought to amend the bill to force state universities and colleges to install carbon monoxide alarms in all dormitory rooms, though sponsoring Rep. John Soper, D-Thornton, said he would seek input on that proposal from college administrators and consider whether to add it when the bill is considered on the floor of the House of Representatives.

As it stands, HB 1091 would leave enforcement to local government and would not impose liability for malfunctioning alarms on builders or landlords.

Two Republican representatives, Amy Stephens of Monument and Larry Liston of Colorado Springs, joined with the Democrats on the committee in support of the bill. The GOP's David Balmer, of Centennial, and freshman Rep. Laura Bradford of Collbran voted "no."

House Makes Threats to Judges a Crime

The House gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would make it a crime to threaten a judge.

HB 1115 provides that a person who threatens bodily harm or death to a judge, or to a member of a judge's family or a person who lives in the same house as a judge, can be guilty of a class 4 felony if the threat is made knowingly or intentionally.

Criminal liability would attach even if the threat is not communicated directly to the judge. A violation would occur if "the individual intended that the communication would be relayed to the judge [or] if the other person is required by statute or ethical rule to report the communication to the judge."

The bill passed 59-6 after Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh, warned that it might, in some circumstances, result in infringement of a person's constitutional right of free speech.

Sponsored by legislators of both parties, the bill now heads to the Senate.

House GOP Women Criticize Liston Comment

Female members of the House GOP caucus issued a statement Thursday that criticized Rep. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, for labeling pregnant teenage girls and the boys who have intercourse with them as "sluts."

The statement said:

"Words have a meaning, and we all have an obligation as public officials to be respectful of others.

"We appreciate the fact that Rep. Liston has accepted responsibility for his inappropriate and unacceptable comments.

"His unfortunate use of language distracted from an important caucus discussion of meaningful health care reform.

"Just as we each hold ourselves to a high standard, we also hold our colleagues to a high standard. This incident was unacceptable, and it is our hope that we can focus on the work that we have been sent here to do and to avoid such occurrences in the future."

Members of the House who signed the statement are Reps. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, Amy Stephens, R-Monument, Marsha Looper, R-Calhan, and Stella Garza-Hicks, R-Colorado Springs.

Liston Publicly Labels Pregnant Teens "Sluts"

Rep. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, said that young, unmarried women who become pregnant and the men or boys who have intercourse with them are "sluts" during a lunch caucus meeting with health care professionals Wednesday.

According to a report in The Gazette (Colorado Springs), Liston said that "In my parents’ day and age, they were sent away, they were shunned, they were called what they are. There was at least a sense of shame. There’s no sense of shame today. Society condones it. . . . I think it’s wrong. They’re sluts. And I don’t mean just the women. I mean the men, too."

The report goes on to quote Liston's El Paso County colleague, Rep. Stella Garza-Hicks, R-Colorado Springs, as being "disturbed" and "offended" by Liston's remarks.

According to The Gazette report, Liston later explained that he was trying to say that teens who can't afford the children to whom they become parents are able to turn to the government for financial help, which in his view contributes to the prevalence of teen pregnancy.

The Denver Post reported this morning that Liston apologized to Garza-Hicks after his wife expressed concern about his choice of words.

Bill to Loosen Police Duty to Write Accident Reports Introduced

Reps. Larry Liston, R-Colorado Springs, and Mike Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, have introduced a bill that would ease the obligation of law enforcement agencies to write reports of traffic accidents.

HB 1198 would raise the threshold required for a report prepared by a police officer from $1,000 to $3,500 in property damage. It makes clear that law enforcement officer-generated reports would be required if an accident causes injury or death, a police officer has reasonable cause to believe one or more of the involved drivers is under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or if one or more of the drivers has a suspended or revoked driver license or lacks insurance or proof of insurance.

If the bill passes the law will require motorists involved in accidents with less than $3,500 in property damage, and which don't involve the other conditions specified above, to self-report to the state's database.

Todd's Dissection Alternative Bill to Get Hearing

The House Education Committee will soon hear a bill by Rep. Nancy Todd, D-Aurora, that would require public schools to give students who object to harming an animal the opportunity to do projects, other than dissection or similar procedures, that would achieve the classroom educational goals.

HB 1149, the Student Dissection Choice Act, is co-sponsored by several other former or present teachers serving in the House, including Reps. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, Cherilyn Peniston, D-Westminster and Judy Solano, D-Thornton. Republican Rep. Larry Liston of Colorado Springs is also a co-sponsor.

The bill would apply to a living or dead animal and require schools to notify students and parents three weeks in advance of any planned dissection, vivisection, incubation, capture or any other action that would result in harm or death to an animal.

The House Education Committee is scheduled to conduct a hearing on HB 1149 Monday, Jan. 28 at 1:30 pm.