Colorado Voter Rights Act and Modify Statewide Ballot Measures Processes Pass House Committee

Two bills SB25-001 and HB25-1327 affecting elections and their processes passed the House State, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee Monday.

The Colorado Voter Rights Act cinches down voter rights principles by expanding and securing voting access for specified communities: Indian tribes, individuals with disabilities, and non-native English speakers. The bill will also improve voter data collection and reporting through a new office requiring local governments to share data after each election. Citizens who believe they have experienced voter discrimination will be able to file lawsuits as will the State Attorney General.

The ballot measure bill aims to bring transparency and efficiency to signature gathering and ballot measure descriptions. The bill particularly focuses on fiscal transparency. Entities collecting signatures must report their progress at the 25%, 50%, and 75% level to the Sec. of State. If an initiative will have fiscal impacts on the state budget, those details must be included in the blue book and on the ballot. As testimony and legislator comment signified, the bill "does not go far enough" in fixing the problems affecting ballot measures including who supports the measures (big money) and how much time organizations have to collect signatures.

SB25-063 on School Library Selections Passes House 3rd, on the Way to Governor

This bill on how library books and other resources are selected for schools addresses the problem of what and how library resources reach shelves. School librarians have the particular difficulty of negotiating books that are politically and/or socially sensitive. Recently books have been targeted for removal based on a list from Moms for Liberty that targets racial, gender, and LGTBQ issues.

Basically, resource selection must be documented with a clear review and resource removal policy. A Supreme Court case Board of Education v Pico sets out a basis for deciding issues around sensitive topics. School libraries, like public libraries, are there to expand knowledge and understanding as well as entertain. Pico limits school boards from removing books because they don't like the content as it affirms the free speech rights of authors to create and students to access content. A case in Elizabeth, Colorado is currently testing these issues. It will be decided in the next few weeks.