In Colorado Today
News and action for 4.22.25
Good morning friends,
It’s Earth Day! Here’s what’s happening in Colorado today.
In the News:
Pope Francis converted to the environmental cause and denounced those he blamed for climate change.
The first ecological encyclical…The document, written to inspire global negotiators at the 2015 Paris climate talks, accused the “structurally perverse,” profit-driven economy of the global north of ravaging Earth and turning it into a “pile of filth.” The poor, Indigenous peoples and islanders like those in Tacloban suffered the most, he argued, bearing the brunt of increasing droughts, extreme storms, deforestation and pollution.
“I think it’s pretty clear under Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution that Congress has authority with respect to tariffs,” Hurd, a Grand Junction attorney, told The Denver Post in an interview. “I thought it was an important thing for me to be part of the legislation that would reassert Congress’ authority.”
“I’ve done over 40 in-person meetings, roundtables, town halls — things of that nature,” he said. “My staff has done over 300 other meetings, and so we’re 100% committed to being out, active and engaged in the district.”
Colorado General Assembly sends $44 billion budget to the governor’s desk for approval.
An amendment from Sens. Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton and Cleave Simpson, R-Alamosa, would have added $5.6 million in general funds and $5.5 million in matching federal funds to the primary care fund in the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing. That fund supports community health centers and other safety net clinics. Funds are awarded based on the number of indigent patients the agency serves. The general fund portion is paid for with $2.5 million from the excess General Fund reserve and $3.1 million from the controlled maintenance trust fund.
Colorado immigration protection bill clears Senate vote
“The question of who actually gets to be an American, or who actually gets to be protected by the Constitution, is a matter of debate right now in this country and in this state. We’ve had conversations with teachers and with school districts that are concerned about students being too afraid to come to class and about parents being afraid to go to parent teacher conferences. We can do better than that,” said bill sponsor Sen. Julie Gonzales, a Denver Democrat.
Trump’s use of Alien Enemies Act deportations face legal test in Colorado federal court.
A high-stakes hearing concluded Monday morning in a case filed by immigrants' rights groups against the Trump administration. Attorneys for the administration argued that people facing deportation should only be allotted 24 hours' notice to be able to fight their deportation order in court, but attorneys for the ACLU and Rocky Mountain Immigrant Advocacy Network argued that 24 hours isn't "reasonable," as ordered by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Act - Here’s what you can do today
Recently, a blow out at an oil and gas well in Eaton (Weld County) cause mass evacuation and a two-week shut down of a local school. Weld County is among the most fracked in the country. It is also home to longstanding grasslands that are habitat to antelope and many other species.
Currently, Suncor, a Canadian oil company is proposing to expand their crude oil pipeline in Colorado. Please check out this action alert from Green Latinos, and let the Weld County Commissioners know that our water, public safety, public health, and our lands are too important to gamble with.