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LOCAL NEWS
Death Penalty Repeal Lands on Governor’s Desk
The state legislature gave final approval to a bill that would repeal the death penalty in Colorado, and the governor is expected to sign it. It’s less clear what will happen to the three men on death row. (The Colorado Sun)
Target Sued for Robocalls
A Castle Rock woman has sued Target for alleged violations of federal robocalling guidelines. The woman claims she received 129 debt collection calls after she requested the calls stop in April 2019. She’s asking for damages from the retailer of $2,000 per call. (Colorado Politics)
Renters’ Rights Bill Hit with Bipartisan Blow
Advocates of a renters’ rights bill were dealt a blow Wednesday when several Democratic lawmakers defected to join Republicans in rejecting the proposed legislation, which would have limited late fees and extended grace periods for rent. (Colorado Public Radio)
Colorado Counties Past Due on Jail Data
Nine sheriff’s offices across the state have failed to report jail data as required by a law passed by the Colorado legislature last year. Pueblo County and Denver are among those that missed the Jan. 17 deadline. (Pueblo Chieftain)
Polis Signs Bill Adding Tribal Youth to Advisory Council
The first bill Gov. Jared Polis signed into law this session will add tribal representatives to the state’s youth advisory council. Members of the teen lawmaking council meet with and make policy recommendations to state legislators. (The Colorado Sun)
NATIONAL NEWS
Anti-Lynching Legislation Lurches Forward in Congress
The House passed a bill Wednesday to make lynching a federal hate crime. The Senate passed a similar bill in late 2018. Lawmakers have been trying to pass anti-lynching legislation for more than a century.
Trump Campaign Sues The New York Times over Op-Ed
President Trump’s tussles with the media took a rare litigious turn Wednesday when his re-election campaign sued The New York Times for libel in a Manhattan court. The lawsuit was sparked by a 2019 op-ed that suggested a “quid pro quo” between Trump’s 2016 campaign and Russian officials.
SCOTUS Keeps Intel Retirement Plan Lawsuit Alive
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday a class-action lawsuit against Intel can move forward. A former employee first filed the suit in 2015, alleging the tech giant had mismanaged retirement plans. The company argued the lawsuit had been filed too late, but the court disagreed.
Law Students Demand Protections for Federal Clerks
Students at several elite law schools, including Harvard, Yale and Stanford, signed a letter demanding reforms to address sexual harassment suffered by federal clerks. Their demands come in the wake of several high-profile scandals and revelations involving the federal judiciary.
All Eyes on Pueblo
NPR calls Pueblo one of eight “key places that will explain the 2020 election,” citing the city’s “unique brand of politics,” union ties and efforts to diversify the economy as manufacturing declines.
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