Colorado is under the grip of two concurrent epidemics; COVID-19, and crime. Both are taking their toll in terms of irrevocable financial loss and lives severely disrupted or even cut short; but only one – the crime epidemic – is largely self-inflicted.

Elections are fast approaching, and this governor is making political appointments that appear to be furthering his “War on Rural Colorado.” Polis’ latest appointment, to the State Board of Veterinary Medicine, is a self-proclaimed “vegan activist” whose response to the outcry against this absurd move was to attack one of Colorado’s premier youth organizations on social media. Ellen Kessler claimed that 4-H clubs – known as one of the first kids’ clubs in America, with a focus on leadership, citizenship, and life skills – “teach children that animal lives don’t matter.”

With the session over, the decision-making shifts to the voters who will decide at the ballot box. The legislature referred three measures to ballot, two constitutional changes and one tax increase. None of which does the legislature have the authority to implement on its own. Charitable Bingo and Raffles Amendment is the working title to an amendment that allows charitable organizations to obtain a charitable gaming license after three years as opposed to the current five-year rule and to hire a manager so long as they are paid no more than minimum wage. Yes, bingo is regulated in the Colorado Constitution.

First – good news for parental rights and homeschoolers, as well as a mea culpa from me. I wrote earlier that there was a homeschool exemption in SB20-163 as it left the Senate for the House. Turns out I was incorrect and several people let me know. Thank you, I do read the comments you send back. Given our interrupted session and as the bill was still working its way through the House, it seemed prudent to wait for the final vote to report back.