Colorado state Sen. Dennis Hisey heads to his desk in the Senate chamber in the Colorado State Capitol on Friday, March 13, 2020.Gov. Jared Polis signed Monday making Colorado the 22nd state to abolish the death penalty, and he also commuted the sentences of the .They will instead serve life prison sentences without the possibility of parole, Polis said.“The commutations of these despicable and guilty individuals are consistent with the abolition of the death penalty in the State of Colorado, and consistent with the recognition that the death penalty cannot be, and never has been,...…Colorado state Sen. Dennis Hisey heads to his desk in the Senate chamber in the Colorado State Capitol on Friday, March 13, 2020.Gov. Jared Polis signed Monday making Colorado the 22nd state to abolish the death penalty, and he also commuted the sentences of the .They will instead serve life prison sentences without the possibility of parole, Polis said.“The commutations of these despicable and guilty individuals are consistent with the abolition of the death penalty in the State of Colorado, and consistent with the recognition that the death penalty cannot be, and never has been,...WW…

By | | The Denver PostColorado is a couple of votes and one signature away from joining only Washington state in offering people the option to turn their human bodies into pounds of soil after death. It uses little energy and would cost about as much a cremation, but it would take some time for funeral homes to implement before Coloradans could use it.If seems familiar, that’s because it because of COVID, so sponsors decided to bring it back. They have company in other states, with California, Oregon and New York also considering human composting this year.“It’s an innovative idea in a...…By | | The Denver PostColorado is a couple of votes and one signature away from joining only Washington state in offering people the option to turn their human bodies into pounds of soil after death. It uses little energy and would cost about as much a cremation, but it would take some time for funeral homes to implement before Coloradans could use it.If seems familiar, that’s because it because of COVID, so sponsors decided to bring it back. They have company in other states, with California, Oregon and New York also considering human composting this year.“It’s an innovative idea in a...WW…

By | | The Denver PostFor decades, survivors of childhood sexual abuse and their advocates have urged states to let them hold abusers accountable in civil court, no matter how long it’s been since the abuse. A in the Colorado Legislature to do just that so far appears to have widespread approval, but it’s not without opposition from the Colorado Catholic Conference — a church embroiled in a sex abuse scandal in Colorado, the U.S. and around the world.There is no expiration date in Colorado to bring criminal charges against a person accused of child sex abuse, but the statute of limitations...…By | | The Denver PostFor decades, survivors of childhood sexual abuse and their advocates have urged states to let them hold abusers accountable in civil court, no matter how long it’s been since the abuse. A in the Colorado Legislature to do just that so far appears to have widespread approval, but it’s not without opposition from the Colorado Catholic Conference — a church embroiled in a sex abuse scandal in Colorado, the U.S. and around the world.There is no expiration date in Colorado to bring criminal charges against a person accused of child sex abuse, but the statute of limitations...WW…

By | | The Denver PostAt just 16 years old, Fuad Hassan escaped war and persecution in Somalia and fled to Hong Kong with one goal in mind: get to the United States safely.Then, he waited. He met the woman who became his wife and they had a son, and he applied for entry to the U.S. He waited some more — for so long that he began to think “maybe I don’t have a chance to go there. Maybe I can’t go to America anymore.”Eleven years after leaving Somalia, he made it to Colorado in September. And he suspects politics played a role in the delay.President Joe Biden has already taken action to...…By | | The Denver PostAt just 16 years old, Fuad Hassan escaped war and persecution in Somalia and fled to Hong Kong with one goal in mind: get to the United States safely.Then, he waited. He met the woman who became his wife and they had a son, and he applied for entry to the U.S. He waited some more — for so long that he began to think “maybe I don’t have a chance to go there. Maybe I can’t go to America anymore.”Eleven years after leaving Somalia, he made it to Colorado in September. And he suspects politics played a role in the delay.President Joe Biden has already taken action to...WW…

By | | The Denver PostA newly elected Colorado Republican lawmaker who attended the president’s Jan. 6 rally has been absent for the majority of the three-day legislative session that .Rep. Ron Hanks, who is from Penrose, arrived at the state Capitol on Wednesday morning and was sworn in. He left after the vote for the new House speaker and did not participate in the remainder of that day’s session in person or remotely. He also was not in attendance Thursday or Friday.Hanks has not returned multiple requests for comment by phone, email and text message. Although his campaign website is...…By | | The Denver PostA newly elected Colorado Republican lawmaker who attended the president’s Jan. 6 rally has been absent for the majority of the three-day legislative session that .Rep. Ron Hanks, who is from Penrose, arrived at the state Capitol on Wednesday morning and was sworn in. He left after the vote for the new House speaker and did not participate in the remainder of that day’s session in person or remotely. He also was not in attendance Thursday or Friday.Hanks has not returned multiple requests for comment by phone, email and text message. Although his campaign website is...WW…

By | | The Denver PostU.S. Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert announced Thursday that she plans to object to certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win in Congress next month.Boebert, R-Rifle, released a statement with her objections, saying election integrity is essential to the republic. President Donald Trump and other Republicans, including Boebert, have questioned the election results, citing unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud and the increased use of mail ballots due to COVID-19.State and federal election officials have reported and one court after another has and the...…By | | The Denver PostU.S. Rep.-elect Lauren Boebert announced Thursday that she plans to object to certifying President-elect Joe Biden’s Electoral College win in Congress next month.Boebert, R-Rifle, released a statement with her objections, saying election integrity is essential to the republic. President Donald Trump and other Republicans, including Boebert, have questioned the election results, citing unsubstantiated allegations of voter fraud and the increased use of mail ballots due to COVID-19.State and federal election officials have reported and one court after another has and the...WW…

By | and | | The Denver PostGov. Jared Polis on Wednesday pardoned the parents behind the 2009 , saying Richard and Mayumi Heene have suffered enough since claiming their 6-year-old son was trapped inside a silver saucer-shaped helium balloon that had flown away from their Fort Collins home.Speaking from his Gainesville, Florida, home, Richard Heene told The Denver Post that until Wednesday afternoon, he and his wife hadn’t heard anything about their year-old pardon application. But then he received a call from an unknown number Wednesday, let it go to voicemail and heard the message from...…By | and | | The Denver PostGov. Jared Polis on Wednesday pardoned the parents behind the 2009 , saying Richard and Mayumi Heene have suffered enough since claiming their 6-year-old son was trapped inside a silver saucer-shaped helium balloon that had flown away from their Fort Collins home.Speaking from his Gainesville, Florida, home, Richard Heene told The Denver Post that until Wednesday afternoon, he and his wife hadn’t heard anything about their year-old pardon application. But then he received a call from an unknown number Wednesday, let it go to voicemail and heard the message from...WW…

By | | The Denver PostFor the in a row, an did not turn in the required signatures by the deadline, and organizers say they are requesting an extension.Petitioners had to collect 631,266 valid signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office by 5 p.m. Friday to be verified before they could initiate a recall election. Organizers have said they started the effort because they believe the governor abused his powers in his response to the pandemic.“After much consideration an extension for time to collect signatures has been requested due to Polis’ unconstitutional Covid Restrictions limiting...…By | | The Denver PostFor the in a row, an did not turn in the required signatures by the deadline, and organizers say they are requesting an extension.Petitioners had to collect 631,266 valid signatures to the Secretary of State’s Office by 5 p.m. Friday to be verified before they could initiate a recall election. Organizers have said they started the effort because they believe the governor abused his powers in his response to the pandemic.“After much consideration an extension for time to collect signatures has been requested due to Polis’ unconstitutional Covid Restrictions limiting...WW…

By | | The Denver PostColorado Gov. Jared Polis plans to mass-pardon 2,732 convictions of low-level marijuana possession through an executive order Thursday after earlier this year that gave him that authority.“This really catches Coloradans up with where the law is today,” he told The Denver Post., passed by the General Assembly earlier this year, included a provision that allows the  those who have convictions on their criminal records for possessing up to 2 ounces of marijuana — the current legal limit for medical marijuana users.Polis’ pardon, however, will only apply to...…By | | The Denver PostColorado Gov. Jared Polis plans to mass-pardon 2,732 convictions of low-level marijuana possession through an executive order Thursday after earlier this year that gave him that authority.“This really catches Coloradans up with where the law is today,” he told The Denver Post., passed by the General Assembly earlier this year, included a provision that allows the  those who have convictions on their criminal records for possessing up to 2 ounces of marijuana — the current legal limit for medical marijuana users.Polis’ pardon, however, will only apply to...WW…

GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS.XBy | | The Denver PostColoradans likely will be required to for at least another 30 days, Gov. Jared Polis said Friday.The mask mandate is set to expire this weekend, but Polis said successful mask-wearing is the reason the state is able to talk about reopening schools and the possibility of high school football this fall.“The masks are working,” he said. “We all are frustrated with masks.I can’t wait, can’t wait, until two things: the fire ban is over and the mask requirement is over.”The governor joked at a news...…GET BREAKING NEWS IN YOUR BROWSER. CLICK HERE TO TURN ON NOTIFICATIONS.XBy | | The Denver PostColoradans likely will be required to for at least another 30 days, Gov. Jared Polis said Friday.The mask mandate is set to expire this weekend, but Polis said successful mask-wearing is the reason the state is able to talk about reopening schools and the possibility of high school football this fall.“The masks are working,” he said. “We all are frustrated with masks.I can’t wait, can’t wait, until two things: the fire ban is over and the mask requirement is over.”The governor joked at a news...WW…