1. The first big bill to pass the Senate last week was SB-252, raising the renewable energy requirements for rural electric associations (REAs) from the current 10% standard to 25%. REAs say this will take billions of dollars to accomplish and will increase electric rates significantly. After filibustering the issue all day and all evening on Friday of the previous week, the Republicans spent most of Monday giving our final comments. The bill passed third and final reading with no Republican support (two Democrats also voted no, but that was not enough to stop the bill).

Greg Brophy's video:


2. Other bills that also passed the Senate last week:

SB-001 - creates a permanent program for a refundable child tax-credit.
SB-111 - creates a mandatory reporting system for elder abuse.
SB-191 - gives pipeline companies the power of eminent domain over private property owners.
SB-200 - expands Medicaid in Colorado, spending over a billion dollars more per year.
SB-242 - $53,000,000 Medicaid expansion for dental benefits,
SB-260 - $5,500,000,000 school finance act, including expansion of preschool programs,
SB-222 - sets in place the mechanism for a statewide vaccine purchasing program,
HB-1006 - creates a new school breakfast program "after the bell" (during the academic school hours),
HB-1152 - creates a new tax on natural gas and electric vehicles, without a vote of the people, and
HB-1222 - expanding the Family Medical Leave Act to include civil unions in Colorado.