With the end of the legislative session, Republicans in Colorado are giving an accounting of their performance to constituents at town hall events across the state. In the House, Republicans only hold 19 seats, compared to the 46 held by Democrats. In town halls in Douglas and El Paso Counties, Republican representatives expressed frustration at their inability to override Democratic priorities like abortion and gun control.
Republican legislators addressed attendees of the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network’s (CPAN) “Rally for Parent Rights” yesterday. The rally, which featured approximately 100 attendees, was in response to House Bill 23-1003, which would create a sixth through twelfth grade mental health assessment screening program administered by the state Department of Public Health & Environment. Republican legislators addressed vaccines, charter schools, LGBTQ issues, and what they saw as government overreach in regard to policies aimed at Colorado students.
Less than a month into 2023, Republican politicians are kicking the new legislative session off with overwhelming bigotry. According to the ACLU, over 150 bills targeting the LGBTQ community, and transgender people in particular, have already been introduced in legislatures across the country. In Colorado, three GOP legislators added a new bill to the pile this week, this one meant to attack trans athletes in Colorado’s public schools.
