Latest news with #ColoradoHouse
Yahoo
3 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
These Colorado areas are listed as ‘sanctuary jurisdictions' by Homeland Security
DENVER (KDVR) — The U.S. Department of Homeland Security released a sanctuary jurisdiction list of areas across the country, including 14 cities and several counties in Colorado, that are allegedly defying immigration laws. On Thursday, the department posted a list of more than 500 jurisdictions across the country on its website as part of the executive order 'Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens.' The department said the order requires a list of jurisdictions obstructing federal immigration laws, also known as sanctuary jurisdictions. Colorado House passes immigration protections after DOJ sues for 'sanctuary' policies Sanctuary jurisdictions are considered cities, counties and states that obstruct the enforcement of federal immigration laws and 'protect dangerous criminal aliens from facing consequences,' according to the department. This list comes about a month after President Donald Trump signed an executive order cracking down on immigration laws. Border Czar Tom Homan said during a press conference when the order was signed that sanctuary cities are going to be sued by the Trump administration for not following the immigration laws. The list was created to identify these jurisdictions. The department said it used factors like compliance with federal law enforcement, information restrictions and legal protections for illegal aliens to determine the list. Colorado was listed as self-identifying as a state sanctuary jurisdiction. Denver Mayor Mike Johnston has testified on Capitol Hill on sanctuary city policies, but the city has never formally taken on the title of a sanctuary city. Boebert claims Johnston proved Denver is a 'sanctuary' city; advocates voice support of such policies Meanwhile, several other Colorado cities and counties were also included on the sanctuary jurisdiction list. Here's which Colorado jurisdictions are on the list, as of May 30: Adams County Arapahoe County Baca County Bent County Boulder County Broomfield County Chafee County Cheyenne County Clear Creek County Conejos County Costilla County Custer County Denver County Eagle County El Paso County Garfield County Gilpin County Gunnison County Huerfano County Jefferson County Kiowa County Kit Carson County La Plata County Lake County Larimer County Las Animas County Lincoln County Logan County Morgan County Otero County Park County Pitkin County Prowers County Pueblo County Rio Grande County Saguache County San Miguel County Summit County Washington County Weld County Yuma County Boulder City of Durango City of Fort Collins Denver Lafeyette Lakewood Longmont Northglenn Town of Avon Town of Basalt Town of Carbondale Town of Dillon Town of Eagle Town of Vail The department said the listed jurisdictions will receive a formal notification of their non-compliance, and demands that the jurisdictions review and revise their polices to comply with the federal immigration laws. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
The truth about Colorado's new transgender rights law
State Rep. Brandi Bradley speaks on the Colorado House floor during the last day of the 2025 legislative session, May 7, at the Colorado Capitol. Bradley is a vocal opponent of House Bill 25-1312's transgender protections. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) Of all the bills introduced this year at the Colorado Capitol, one came to define the legislative session for much of the right in Colorado. Even now that the session is over and the bill has become law, it is taking on new life as opponents exercise their outrage in schoolyard-bully social media posts, depraved sermons and a legal challenge in federal court. The legislation, House Bill 25-1312, enacted several new protections for transgender people. Though the law was a reasonable response to escalating attacks against a besieged segment of the population, especially since the start of the Trump administration and its extreme anti-trans bias, the backlash it prompted is disproportionate, sinister and full of misinformation. The first thing to understand about the trans rights law is that, while it contains several technical passages and underwent extensive debate and revision, the source of opposition to it has very little to do with the bill's actual provisions. It's about hate. It's about bigotry against transgender people. That's all. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Opponents have become adept at advancing talking points that might sound superficially plausible — rhetoric about threats to women in sports, supposed adverse medical outcomes to minors who transition, parental rights infringements — but these arguments have the inconvenient quality of withering under evidence and counterpoints, and, worse, they're a cover for the ultimate justification bigots use for discrimination against trans people: Christian scripture. Many of the most virulent activists against the law have ties to or are pastors at politically right-wing churches. They justify every other point of opposition by their interpretation of the Bible, which in their reading says trans people are dangerous and beset by evil. Opposition to the law is simply a repugnant form of Christian sanctimony that serves little more than hate of a very recognizably human kind. Many of the most contested provisions of the bill were amended out of the final version, yet some anti-trans activists continue to allude to those passages as part of their denunciations. View with extreme skepticism any criticism that discusses whether anti-trans parents could be disadvantaged in child custody cases or a shield provision against anti-trans laws in other states. Language around those issues were in the bill at one time but later stripped. If they see me get frustrated and angry, they'll just use it against me. I can't let them ... I can't show any kinks in the armor, so to speak, because otherwise they'll try to slay me, and I can't let that happen. – State Rep. Brianna Titone The provision of the governor-signed HB-1312 that has drawn the most negative attention boosts anti-discrimination protections for transgender people in the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act. Republican state Rep. Brandi Bradley in a social media post and video after passage of the bill told her audience that anti-trans parents could lose custody of their trans children if they discriminate against them, that private schools, churches and other places of public accommodation could be sued for anti-trans discrimination, and that there's no telling when someone deadnames or misgenders a trans person at what threshold discrimination liability kicks in. This is all misleading. CADA has always prohibited discrimination and harassment against certain protected classes, and the protected classes have always included 'gender identity' and 'gender expression.' All HB-1312 does is clarify that gender expression could involve a 'chosen name' and pronouns. 'Their claim that it's now illegal is false,' state Rep. Lorena García, an Adams County Democrat who sponsored the bill, told Newsline this week. 'It's always been illegal.' And it's fearmongering to suggest that someone is liable to a discrimination allegation the moment they misgender or deadname someone. CADA covers particular settings, including employment, housing, and places of public accommodation. Churches and other places used for religious purposes are excluded. Incidental or accidental acts do not qualify as discrimination. 'Within CADA already, it's already like discrimination has to be intentional,' García said. 'So the fact that this is just being wrapped into gender identity, we're not changing the threshold of when something is actually considered discrimination.' But discrimination, it turns out, is exactly what some of the most outspoken 1312 critics intend. Many are Christian leaders and pastors, including Jeff Hunt, conservative radio host and former director of the Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University; Chris Goble of Ridgeline Community Church in Castle Rock; J. Chase Davis of The Well Church in Boulder; and Aaron Carlson of New City Church in Highlands Ranch. Each one of these bullies has singled out state Rep. Brianna Titone, an Arvada Democrat who is the first transgender woman to serve in the Colorado Legislature, to intentionally deadname and misgender her. The only plaintiff named as an individual in the lawsuit against HB-1312 is Travis Morrell, a Grand Junction dermatologist who online broadcasts faith-based motivations. A social media account called Fight1312 has become a primary source of anti-trans sentiment. Its posts make it clear that behind every variety of opposition to transgender rights is essentially one complaint, that God, as conceived by 1312's opponents, commands them to hate transgender people. 'Our good God does not make mistakes,' Goble said in a video of a recent sermon, facing the camera and addressing Titone directly. He aggressively misgendered her and called on her to 'repent.' Titone herself detects an additional motivation among anti-trans activists, noting there have been other episodes throughout history when transgender people faced persecution. 'The big difference now, because of all the social media and everything else, they're making money off of it,' she said. 'So it's not just finding an enemy and a scapegoat you can pick on, to gang up on and get people to come along with you for the kicking fest, but they're actually making money off of it.' But hate does real harm. 'Kids are scared,' Titone said. 'I've heard from kids. They're like, 'I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm afraid my grandfather's not going to like who I am and they're going to not want to talk to me anymore.'' Her own response to bigots is public poise, legislative fortitude and personal resilience. 'If they see me get frustrated and angry, they'll just use it against me. I can't let them,' she said. 'I can't show any kinks in the armor, so to speak, because otherwise they'll try to slay me, and I can't let that happen.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Parent groups sue Colorado officials over transgender rights expansion of anti-discrimination law
Rep. Lorena Garcia speaks on the Colorado House floor during the last day of the 2025 legislative session, May 7, 2025 at the Colorado Capitol. (Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) A coalition of groups that reject transgender rights sued Colorado officials Monday over a newly signed law that put protections for transgender people, and how they are addressed, into Colorado's anti-discrimination law. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court of Colorado, alleges that House Bill 25-1312 violates the First and 14th Amendments . 'The purpose of H.B. 25-1312 is clear. The law punishes those who refuse to speak using chosen names and pronouns, and it does so in order to suppress traditional beliefs about sex and gender. In other words, the law openly discriminates based on viewpoint,' lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The lawsuit was brought by the Virginia-based conservative group Defending Education, the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, Protect Kids Colorado, a health group called Do No Harm, and Grand Junction dermatologist Dr. Travis Morrell. CPAN and PKC are both parental-rights groups that advocate against 'gender ideology' topics in schools, often from a far-right perspective. It names Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser, a Democrat, and the members of Colorado's Civil Rights Division as defendants. HB-1312, also known as the Kelly Loving Act after a transgender woman who died in the 2022 Club Q shooting, expands Colorado's anti-discrimination laws to include a person's chosen name and pronouns. Those laws apply to workplaces, schools and other places of public accommodation. The law also includes provisions to make it easier for transgender people to change their name and gender markers on birth certificates, drivers licenses and marriage documents. It was sponsored by Rep. Lorena Garcia of Adams County, Rep. Rebekah Stewart of Lakewood, Sen. Faith Winter of Broomfield and Sen. Chris Kolker of Centennial. It passed with entirely Democratic support, and Gov. Jared Polis signed it on May 16. The bill was amended to remove several controversial provisions during the legislative process and faced stiff opposition from Republicans and conservative groups, including the parties in the new lawsuit. They allege in the filing that the law could impact their ability to hold public advocacy events, publish materials and do other work. CPAN and PKC use 'biologically accurate pronouns and birth names' for transgender people, a practice also known as misgendering and deadnaming. The groups worry that continuing to use those names and pronouns will result in an investigation from the state's civil rights commission and individual lawsuits. They argue that recent legal decisions — including 303 Creative v. Elenis, where a Colorado website designer did not want to create a hypothetical website for a gay couple — support the claim that HB-1312 unconstitutionally compels speech, in this case forcing them to refer to a transgender person by their name. The lawsuit repeatedly misgenders and deadnames state Rep. Brianna Titone, former state legislative candidate Vivian Smotherman and transgender social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney. 'When CPAN and (Executive Director) Ms. Gimelshteyn use birth names and biologically accurate pronouns, they are not doing so to be malicious or hurtful. They do so because this expression reflects their deeply held beliefs that sex is fixed in each person from the moment of conception and cannot be changed,' the lawsuit says. If they cannot use that language, their impact will be 'greatly diminished.' Morrell, the dermatologist, contended in the lawsuit that using someone's 'biological pronouns' is necessary for clear communication, as a person's sex assigned at birth could be important when determining proper treatment. Representatives from the Colorado Civil Rights Division and the attorney general's office were unable to comment on the litigation. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New law creates working group to advise on Colorado public land policy
DENVER (KDVR) — Gov. Jared Polis signed a bill into law on Tuesday that Colorado House Democrats say will help protect public lands in Colorado. The new law establishes a formal working group process to identify opportunities to improve and enhance conservation, agricultural operations and outdoor recreation on state trust lands, according to the House Democrats. Colorado Voting Rights Act signed into law 'This new law will help Colorado protect its iconic landscapes, encourage outdoor recreation, and ensure that farming and ranching continue to thrive on state trust lands,' said Sen. Katie Wallace, D-Longmont, in a statement. 'Balancing these priorities is essential for the future health of our communities and our environment.' House Democrats noted the Colorado State Land Board currently oversees the majority of Colorado trust lands, including state parks and, in total, more than 2.8 million surface acres and 4 million subsurface acres — such as lakes, caves and rivers. The new law will require the established working group to include participation from Colorado's Ute Mountain Ute and Southern Ute tribes, rural schools and renewable energy organizations, among others, the House Democrats said. New study places Denver second on list of dog friendly U.S. cities 'This work group will make recommendations to ensure that the State Land Board modernizes its priorities to promote conservation but also other benefits our state trust lands can provide, including agriculture, outdoor recreation, affordable housing, and more – all while maintaining the mission of generating funds for our public schools,' said Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, in a statement. The law was sponsored by Roberts, Wallace and Sen. Karen McCormick, D-Longmont. It was first introduced April 17 and passed the House and Senate on April 30 and May 6, respectively. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Colorado female staffers fear retaliation after filing bathroom complaint against transgender aide
Some female staffers in the Colorado Capitol reportedly disturbed by having to share the women's restroom with a biological male aide are allegedly being bullied into submission. A press conference held on the steps outside the Colorado Capitol on April 30 saw men and women alike coalescing against transgender ideology – both the argument at stake in a controversial bill touted as a threat to parental rights and in the case involving the staffers. "They are being squished, being told to be quiet, sit down, shut up and know your place. When did we go back to that? Women no longer have rights to this [privacy]?" State Rep. Scott Bottoms, a Republican representing the 15th district, said from the steps. "I'm telling you – from me personally – enough is enough," he said. Bottoms, now a state gubernatorial candidate with a history of opposing progressive transgender ideology, has been trusted to lead the effort on the staffers' behalf. He finished his speech with a rallying cry to "reclaim Colorado." Colorado Dems Ram Abortion, Transgender Bills Through On Limited Sunday Session Debate: 'Unprecedented' Read On The Fox News App The women involved in the case have chosen to remain anonymous out of fear of retaliation but filed a complaint after having to share a restroom with the aide they accuse of making them feel uncomfortable. A copy of a formal three-page complaint letter addressed to Democratic Colorado House Speaker Julie McCluskie was provided to Fox News Digital. The document reads in part, "[This transgender aide] has created an environment that feels increasingly hostile and unsafe… this situation has escalated beyond a manageable level for us." The letter explains that witnessing the transgender aide entering the restroom left one of the females "deeply worried for her safety and that of others." "The layout of this restroom – where stall doors obscure who is present and anyone could enter after you – heightens this concern, as there's no way to know who is sharing the space. "This lack of privacy and predictability has made a routine part of our workday feel distressing," the document continued. Bottoms told Fox News Digital that state officials – particularly the Democratic-led state legislature – have failed to act on the staffers' behalf. "It's been something that's been building for a while," he said. "Our leadership in the house [holds] a very pro-transgender ideology, extremely. So now we've got some legislative aides that have stepped up and said, 'This is not okay… since then, that story has started evolving…" Concerned Parents Of Trans Kids Compared To 'Hate Groups' By Colorado Dem: Wouldn't 'Ask The Kkk' For Opinion Bottoms claimed the transgender aide involved in the complaint followed the other aides around, "stalking" and "threatening" them through body language, something both the complaint and one of the female aides involved in the incident reaffirmed when speaking to Fox News Digital. "It's an intimidation tactic… it's being done to make us feel uncomfortable," the aide said. She explained that the legislative offices in a building located across from the Capitol are essentially divided – one side for Republicans and another side for Democrats. "But the only bathroom on our floor is on the Democrat side, so every time we have to go to the restroom, we have to walk over there," she added. Text messages provided to Fox News Digital show a conversation between an aide and the Office of Legislative Workplace Relations, who said the issue could be mitigated by entering the restroom in pairs, asking who is inside the bathroom before entering, walking across the street to the Capitol, or asking their bosses if they can work remotely. Fox News Digital reached out to the office for comment and to request further information surrounding any investigation but did not receive a response in time for publication. 'Misgendering' Trans People On Their Death Certificates Could Be Jailable Offense Under Blue-state Bill Rep. Bottoms also said the women at the center of the complaint risk losing their jobs should they decide to speak out without anonymity. "They are harassing them, they're bullying them," he said of what he branded as the "leftist Marxist" Democrats from the state. Right-wing social media account Libs of TikTok also posted about the incident in March, claiming multiple female staffers had reached out, complaining about having to share a bathroom with the aide. "They have tried asking legislators to do something but the Democrat-controlled legislature has failed to act," the post read in part. "This is a disgusting violation of female-only private spaces." The aide who spoke to Fox News Digital claims the retaliation worsened after the Libs of TikTok post went public, a point reiterated in the official complaint letter. The letter states that "none of the female staffers/aides have any knowledge of who" shared the information with Libs of TikTok, but the transgender aide approached one of the females and pressured her to reveal who had leaked the information, leaving her distraught. As the situation escalated, the female staffers met with the Office of Legislative Workplace Relations, where, according to the complaint, they were soon offered some avenues to address their complaints, including that they find a different restroom to use. "These solutions place the burden on us to adapt, rather than addressing the root issue," the letter states. Those with contrary opinions point to state law to support their claims, arguing that transgender individuals have an enshrined right to use whichever sex-segregated space corresponds with their gender identity. The ACLU Colorado, for instance, writes that the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act (CADA) – which prohibits discrimination in public spaces based on sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression – legally enables transgender individuals to use public restrooms and other sex-segregated spaces that align with their gender identity. Fox News Digital reached out to the Colorado House Speaker's office and the office of the Democratic official whose aide is involved in this matter for comment, but did not receive a reply in time for article source: Colorado female staffers fear retaliation after filing bathroom complaint against transgender aide
