In Colorado Matters' regular discussion with Governor John Hickenlooper, he addressed several hot topics in Colorado, many related to the final week of the legislative session. The General Assembly wraps up on May 7.
- The Assembly is pushing through a bill to establish an aerial firefighting fleet that's a combination of leasing and owning aircraft. About $20 million has been set aside to fund it. The bill is expected to reach the governor's desk this week. While he was originally cool to the idea of paying for aerial resources to help fight wildfires, the governor says he now supports the proposal.
- There are several initiatives proposed for the 2014 ballot in Colorado that would allow local communities to restrict oil and gas drilling. Gov. Hickenlooper has been very vocal that he doesn't support putting control of oil and gas regulation in the hands of local communities. But, he says, the legislature can take specific actions to give local communities more of a voice in the discussion over drilling – and there are several angles he hopes the Assembly will take up in the remaining days of the session.
It looks like the state will spend about $20 million less of the new tax revenue from recreational marijuana than the governor had requested in his earlier budget proposals. Gov. Hickenlooper talks about what that means for public health and safety initiatives related to marijuana that he's advocated for in the past.
State lawmakers are drafting a bill that deals with past convictions for marijuana possession or use. The proposal is to seal any past conviction that would now be legal under Amendment 64. While he hasn't seen the details of the proposal, he has reservations about what it could mean.
Gov. Hickenlooper has talked with officials at the U.S. Department of Agriculture about loosening restrictions on hemp cultivation, since while it's legal in Colorado, it's still illegal federally under most circumstances. But he's skeptical about just how deep the market is for hemp.
Gov. Hickenlooper says one issue that's been dogging him is the number of people who are still long-term unemployed in Colorado. He says he'd like to do more to help people get back to work.
Full transcript:
Ryan Warner: Lawmakers are pushing through a bill to establish an aerial firefighting fleet a combination of leasing and owning aircraft. About $20 million has been set aside to fund it. It’s expected the bill will land on your desk this week. When the idea was proposed last year, you were a bit cool to it. I wonder what changed to make you think this is worth $20 million of state money.
