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Politics & Policy

The Minnesota Star Tribune •

New Minnesota law regulates minors’ roles in social media content

Heidi Keller doesn’t think she’ll ever be rich — and she doesn’t want to be. “I’m a single mom. It’s never going to happen. But we are so blessed in our experiences, and that is true wealth,” Keller often tells her two daughters.Since 2020, she’s taken them on the road to countless public lands including two dozen American and Canadian national parks where they’ve explored some of the continent’s most awe-inspiring landscapes. All were made possible by Keller’s work travel writing and running an...
Estes Valley Voice •

Two bills in state Senate address wildfire risks 

Following a summer that saw destructive wildfires sweep through Larimer and Boulder Counties, Sen. Janice Marchman, D-Loveland, who represents the Estes Valley, is sponsoring a pair of bills that would address fire mitigation and emergency information.Listen to story on the EVV Podcast here:One would make it easier to carry out prescribed burns on private land. The other would consolidate emergency information and county wildfire updates into an existing state website.Both bills result from Marc...
The Colorado Sun •

The unconventional race that could decide the direction of Colorado’s legislature

About six years ago, an idea popped into Jillaire McMillan’s head: maybe someday she’d run for office. 

The idea wasn’t a big leap. In high school, she was voted most likely to be the first female president. McMillan, a mom of four who lives outside Longmont, had also served as the parent-teacher association president at her kids’ elementary, middle and high schools. And in the first weeks of the Trump administration, she joined a Facebook group founded by a lifelong Republican upset by Donald...
Estes Valley Voice •

Fire departments may lose millions on compromise property tax cuts

DENVER — In a special session of the State Legislature lawmakers passed a bipartisan package of bills that will cut property taxes for all Colorado homeowners for the 2025 tax year. The bills result from negotiations between Gov. Jared Polis, bipartisan state leaders, and conservative backers of Ballot Initiatives 50 and 108. The measures would have significantly reduced tax revenues for state and local government budgets.House Bill 24B-1001 lowers the property tax limit for local governments ex...
Estes Valley Voice •

New tax credit expected to stimulate state and local film festival industry

Less than two weeks after the Sundance Film Festival announced its 2027 move from Utah to Colorado, Gov. Jared Polis signed HB25-1005, a new refundable tax incentive bill that will support the film industry in Colorado.The bill creates two refundable tax credits. One will provide the Sundance Film Festival with $34 million in incentives doled out over the next decade. The other will provide $500,000 annually to support small film festivals in the Centennial State.In 2024, nearly 73,000 people at...
The Times-Delphic •

Proposed bill would strengthen restrictions on books in Iowa

Mom Teri Patrick didn’t expect her child’s school librarians to read every book in the library. She just assumed they were unaware that a book in their collection contained a visual depiction of oral sex. 
So, she filled out a reconsideration form to remove the book “Gender Queer” from the library at Valley Southwoods Freshman High School in West Des Moines, IA. To her surprise, the district did not remove the book. 
That’s because two review committees and the West Des Moines Community School D...
Estes Valley Voice •

State of the State address looks at affordable housing options and homeowner insurance reforms

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis delivered his seventh State of the State speech Thursday, featuring the second-term governor’s usual wonky policy focus and nerdy science fiction and popular culture references. The near hour-long speech included a focus on housing affordability that offered two unique proposals to address the state’s housing shortage. Polis, who has made the issue of Colorado’s skyrocketing home prices a priority since being reelected in 2022, urged lawmakers to consider changing regul...
The Times-Delphic •

Bill requiring parental consent for transgender accommodations at school advances in Iowa House

Republicans on the House education committee advanced a bill to the House floor on Feb. 1 that would regulate how schools treat transgender students. 
House File 180 would prohibit public and charter schools from taking several actions regarding transgender students. Schools couldn’t accommodate a student’s gender transition, including referring to the student by their chosen name, without written consent from a parent or legal guardian. Schools also wouldn’t be allowed to pressure a trans stude...
Estes Valley Voice •

Three of five special districts to hold elections in May

It’s official. Estes Valley voters will be headed to the polls on May 6. Three of the five special districts serving the Estes Valley will hold elections to fill seats on their boards. The two other districts did not receive enough candidates to trigger balloting.Contested races will occur in the Estes Valley Fire Protection District, the Estes Valley Recreation and Park District, and the Park Hospital District, which currently does business as Estes Park Health.The two other districts – the Est...
The Times-Delphic •

Axne and Nunn clash on abortion in 3rd Congressional District debate

Democratic U.S. Rep. Cindy Axne (D) and state Sen. Zach Nunn (R) faced off Thursday night in an hour-long debate hosted by local CBS affiliate KCCI. Throughout the debate, both candidates attacked their opponent in nearly every answer to moderators’ questions.
The issue of abortion access took up the biggest chunk of the debate, with candidates calling their opponents’ stances extreme. Axne made her pro-choice stance very clear while attacking Nunn for answers he made during a primary debate ear...