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GOP Drilling Proposal Faces Colorado Senate Test

DENVER (AP) -- A Republican bill to boost the Colorado oil and gas industry faces its first test Thursday in the Democratic state Senate.

The bill would ban local governments from regulating oil and gas drilling. The proposal comes after some Front Range cities and counties have proposed local limits on where drilling could occur, instead of deferring to state regulations.

Some Democrats including Gov. John Hickenlooper have said the state needs to take precedence when it comes to oil and gas drilling. But other Democrats in the Legislature have suggested additional limits on drilling. Those limits have already been rejected by the Republican House.

Thursday's hearing is the year's first test for a Republican drilling bill.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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