State lawmakers are scheduled to introduce next year’s budget on Wednesday. It funds everything from schools, to roads, to prisons, and has been at the center of tense negotiations. As part of our capitol conversation series Bente Birkeland talks to statehouse reporters about the politics involved.

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After a heated debate over proposed cuts to state agencies, lawmakers on the joint budget reached a compromise on Thursday. The committee is evenly split between Republicans and Democrats, and is pushing up against a deadline to introduce the budget next week. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

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A Republican state lawmaker who threatened to leave the party after being pulled over for drunk driving earlier this year says she’s not seeking re-election. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

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A handful of Republicans joined Democrats at the statehouse to defeat a bill that would’ve required people applying for public welfare to take a drug test in order to receive their monthly benefits. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

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The state budget committee reached an impasse on Wednesday and tempers flared when Democrats and Republicans couldn’t agree on a proposed across the board cut to state agencies. Bente  Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

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A bill to reorganize the Governor’s Energy Office, and expand its mission to include the promotion of oil and gas development alongside clean energy, cleared its first hurdle at the capitol on Wednesday. Governor John Hickenlooper supports the change, but other Democrats are wary. Bente Birkeland has more from the state capitol.

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A new report paints a mixed view on the health of Colorado’s children. On the good side fewer kids live in poverty compared to the national average and more children have health insurance. But the data also shows many children are still struggling in school and that there are wide health disparities depending on [...]

Jobs bills from both parties are starting to be put the test during the state’s legislative session. Measures that have cleared one chamber are now heading to the other, where they may not get as warm of a reception. Bente Birkeland sat down with capitol reporters to talk about what they’re seeing as part of [...]

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers will be in the front row Monday when the U.S. Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the constitutionality of the federal healthcare law. Colorado is one of 26 state’s challenging the law. Bente  Birkeland sat down with Suthers, a Republican, and the Democratic head of the state’s senate judiciary [...]