If you weren't fixed on your television set this morning - and sources tell Face The State tens of thousands of Coloradans have called to hook up cable service just to watch - we bring you a few highlights of today's broadcast of the House of Representatives.
Of note is the unwavering effort by Rep. Doug Bruce, R-Colo. Springs, to undo every "safety clause" he can from any legislation up for a vote before the full House. As we've previously indicated ("Don't kick the message", January 17), this is a worthy cause, even if a fruitless one. The safety clause is, in most cases, a slight on the voters, using one constitutional provision to cancel out the right granted by another, namely that of petitioning the government for the repeal of an undesired law.
Dutifully, Bruce approaches the podium after general debate on every bill and makes his plea to just give the voters a chance. He did so today on House Bill 1037, a measure that would upon passage loosen rules regarding legislative aides and up the per-diem stipend given to rural legislators for travel, lodging and the like.
Minority leader Mike May, R-Parker, made it clear his caucus wasn't interested in playing that game, and urged a no vote on Bruce's amendment. The embattled freshman legislator did find one ally in his fight on the legislative pay bill, though - Rep. Kent Lambert, R-Colo. Springs.
We'll concede there's an argument to be made in this case - the added per-diem dough could be spent by legislators this session with the addition of the safety clause as opposed to having to wait until August, but we agree with Bruce in principle. Too bad his recent antics have overshadowed what credibility he'd have on his mission.
Seen and heard...
House Bill 1026 renames the (new) Colorado Water Institute, a research group at Colorado State University. Rep. Ray Rose, R-Montrose, makes a good point when he observes the bill allows the Institute to spend money on global warming research, as if the issue has been ignored in the right-wing halls of Colorado's universities. The change is an "inappropriate direction to go...To use our monies in the State of Colorado to study global warming," he said. Maybe he can bring that up again next time CSU comes begging for a tuition increase.
And the new TV channel must be putting its own staff to sleep at the switch: Face The State's eagle-eyed observers were treated to hours of video this morning of an empty speaker's podium, with capitol staffers making cameo appearances in the background as they prepared for the day's business. We're watching - but sometimes we just don't know what.