Roads, Schools, Pensions Top Colorado Legislative Issues

DENVER (AP) — Colorado House Speaker Crisanta Duran and Senate President Kevin Grantham have gaveled in the 2018 legislative session.

Lawmakers pledged on Wednesday's opening day to tackle the perennial issues of roads and schools funding.

They also hope to shore up the state public employees' pension fund, which has more than $30 billion in unfunded liabilities.

Democrats hold the state House, and Republicans control the Senate. So both Duran and Grantham urged lawmakers to try to set aside partisanship and 2018 election politics to find common ground.

They noted legislators agreed on most of the hundreds of bills introduced last year.
Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper, who is term-limited, delivers his final state of the state address on Thursday.

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