Things To Know At The Colorado Capitol This Week
DENVER (AP) - Here's what will be keeping Colorado lawmakers busy this week:
FAMILY LEAVE FOR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES
Democrats want to expand the types of school activities for which parents are able to leave work. Currently, employers with more than 50 workers have to allow up to 18 hours of leave annually for employees to attend school activities from kindergarten to 12th grade. A proposal up for a House committee vote Monday adds more activities that qualify for leave, including meeting with counselors, achievement ceremonies, and other education nights. The bill also adds preschool activities, and requires school districts and charter schools to inform parents about the leave benefit.
DRONE PENALTIES
A Republican bill seeks to criminalize the use of drones to invade someone's privacy. The proposal up for its first vote Tuesday in a House committee would make it first-degree criminal trespass to use a drone to record someone when they have a reasonable expectation of privacy. With the bill, using a drone to track someone's movements would also constitute harassment. Senators last week rejected a bill to limit government use of drone surveillance.
REPORTING MISSING CHILDREN
A bipartisan bill would expedite the reporting of missing youth who are under the custody of the Colorado Department of Human Services or county social services. The bill has cleared the House and faces its first vote Wednesday in a Senate committee. The proposal would require missing youth to be reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and to law enforcement immediately and within 24 hours after a disappearance.
STUDENT DATA
Student data is becoming a hot topic for debate in education circles A bill with sponsors from both parties restricts third-party vendors from using personally identifiable student data collected by schools and school districts. The measure is up for a vote Thursday in the Senate Education Committee.
PENDING FLOOR ACTION
The upcoming week also includes possible votes by the full House and Senate on some hefty bills. They include a final vote in the House on a requirement that all noncommercial vehicles have snow tires or chains during the winter and spring months while traveling on a nearly 130-mile stretch of Interstate 70 between Morrison and Dotsero. Meanwhile, the Senate is considering a vote on how to regulate powdered alcohol if it is approved for sale by federal regulators. And the Senate is also deciding whether to let the state Department of Revenue access $166,000 in user fees to support a program that allows immigrant drivers get a license regardless of their legal status.
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