Colorado Democrats Announce Biggest Jobs Bill Yet

DENVER (CBS4) - Democrats at the state Capitol unveiled their biggest jobs bill yet on Monday.

The bill would give preference in awarding state contracts to companies based in Colorado and employing people who live in the state. It also increases penalties on companies that violate a state law requiring 80 percent of workers on state contracts be from Colorado.

The bill would also restrict outsourcing state contracts to companies based out-of-state.

"The ultimate goal of this bill, the ultimate goal of all of us is to ensure we have jobs and businesses in Colorado that fit the needs of our state contracts and prevent our taxpayer dollars from being sent overseas and out of state," said Rep. Dan Pabon, D-Denver.

"A lot of this stuff is already in law. There's already 80 percent in current law as it is. So, when looking through a lot of this other stuff, a lot of it is just administrative burdens on those already doing business here in Colorado," said Rep. Brian Delgrosso, R-Loveland.

Every Democrat in both the House and Senate has signed on to the bill, but it's a tougher sell with Republicans.