🎨 Why Vail rejected a Denver artist

🎨 Indigenous Artist Rebuked for ‘Polarizing’ Piece

Denver-based Lakota artist Danielle SeeWalker was slated to be Vail’s second-ever artist-in-residence this summer. But after she unveiled a new painting titled “G is for Genocide” depicting Palestine solidarity elements, the town is revoking the opportunity. Officials stated they don't want “public funds connected to a project about a polarizing geopolitical issue.” [CO Sun]

🏗️ Is Denver Construction Slowing Down?

In the last two years, the City of Denver has seen a noticeable slowdown in development proposals for towering multi-family residential buildings. Most of the construction currently underway is projected to wrap up by 2027. Although that means less cranes on the skyline in the next three years, it could also mean less housing stock, which could ultimately lead to major rent surges. [Denverite]

🍎 Jeffco School Employees Demand Change

Higher wages, better staffing ratios, and an end to the outsourcing of jobs are just a few of the things that a union of Jeffco school employees — bus drivers, cafeteria workers, classroom aides, and custodians — are demanding from the district. The group rallied outside district headquarters last week. But leaders say the union’s requests aren’t that simple. [CPR]

📜 This Year's Legislative Wins and Fails

This year’s legislative session began with verbal tussles over decorum — but lawmakers showed a surprising amount of collaboration, respect, and bipartisanship to get some big bills over the finish line and onto the governor’s desk. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

The 2024 Colorado legislative session officially wrapped up last week, during which state legislators weighed more than 700 bills related to hot-button issues like housing, transit, health care, and environmental advocacy. The Colorado Sun summarized 101 of the most noteworthy bills that passed this session, many of which have already received the governor’s seal of approval. Here are six new state laws you should know about.

🏠 Safe Housing for Tenants (SB 94)

Landlords must remedy tenants’ complaints and concerns within seven to 14 days.

• Speaking of: Should you consider forming a tenants union? [Hey Denver]

🫂 Occupancy Limits (HB 1007)

Local governments cannot limit the number of people living in a house together.

• Why it matters: Dictating how many people can live together can hamper housing affordability. Denver voted to allow expanded occupancy limits way back in 2021. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🚘 Parking Minimums (HB 1304)

Local governments cannot require developers to include a parking capacity minimum in the construction of multi-family residential properties.

• Dive deeper: Less parking can actually mean more affordable housing. One expert explains the case for radical parking reform. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

✍️ Name Changes for Felons (HB 1071)

People with felony convictions on their record are now permitted to legally change their names to conform with their gender identity.

• More context: Why conservatives can’t stop talking about trans people. [City Cast Denver 🎧]

🚔 Prohibiting ‘Excited Delirium’ (HB 1103)

First responders and law enforcement officers can no longer use the term “excited delirium” in any capacity.

• Why it matters: The term played a key role in the 2019 murder of Elijah McClain by Aurora first responders. [CPR]

⚰️ Coroner Qualifications (HB 1100)

Coroners of a county with more than 150,000 residents must be certified by and in good standing with the American board of medicolegal death investigators.

• Important note: This is not the same bill proposing to better regulate Colorado’s abysmal funeral industry — that would be SB 173.

What Denverites Need To Know About CO's New Laws

With hundreds of bills whizzing through the Statehouse during the last week of the legislative session, a lot of bills were passed — and many died on the house floor. Colorado Politics Statehouse reporter Marianne Goodland explains the wins, the losses, and the surprising collaborations that shaped Colorado’s newest laws.