2008 Furry Scurry - Sponsor the "Gold Dome Doggies"
Please join me in supporting the Dumb Friends League during the 2008 Furry Scurry to be held, as usual, in Washington Park. This annual event is being held on this Saturday, May 3rd.
I will be walking with “Ms. G” , one of my two sweet canine companions. Any contribution is welcome.
You can sponsor my participation by either going online at: http://ddfl.convio.net/goto/Anne.McGihon or mailing a check (made out to Dumb Friends League)
Balancing free speech and privacy rights
The 2008 legislative session is winding down with a flurry, with a full slate of activity both on the House floor and in committees. So it’s been a busy week, capped by today's passage on third reading of SB 192 after a spirited two-hour debate on the House floor.
This bill, sponsored in the House by Rep. Joe Rice and myself, sets guidelines for targeted picketing in residential neighborhoods. These guidelines include requiring protestors to keep moving, restricting the size and number of signs that picketers can carry, and specifying the distance from a residence that picketers must remain. The goal of this bill is to preserve the right of free speech of picketers while also preserving the privacy rights of individuals in their own homes.
One of my favorite local events of the year takes place in just a couple of weeks. It’s the Furry Scurry, a two-mile walk and fun run for you and your pet. The fun begins Saturday, May 3 at 9:00 a.m. in Washington Park.
Sponsored by the Denver Dumb Friends League (DDFL), this annual event benefits the more than 25,000 homeless and abandoned animals that DDFL cares for each year. The goal this year is to raise $850,000.
Now that the state budget bill has passed both the House and Senate, you may have recently heard many voices both pro and con on the merits of this legislation. I continue to believe that this is a fiscally responsible budget in line with legally mandated spending limits. I’d like to clear up some misconceptions you may have heard:
Myth: The state faces a $700 million shortfall over five years.
Here at the Capitol it’s been a very busy couple of weeks, both for the House in general and for me in particular.
Last week we debated for some very long and lively hours over the “long bill,” the state’s annual budget bill that ultimately passed in the House. Today the Senate gave final approval of this bill, which makes critical investments in education, health care and economic development.
Congrats!
HB07 1126 has come to fruition! My bill authorized the certification of animal physical therapists. I am pleased to announce that on Feb. 25 Marty Pease, of Canine Rehabilitation & Conditioning Group in Englewood, became the first person in the state to receive the Animal Physical Therapy certification. Congratulations, Marty!
County Assemblies
Reminder to all delegates and alternates elected at the recent Caucuses: The Denver County Assembly and Convention is tomorrow at the Wells Fargo Theatre in the Colorado Convention Center. Registration is at 7:30 a.m.; proceedings begin at 9.
Reducing prescription drug costs
I'm happy to share with you information from the Dept. of Health Care Policy and Financing about a new program that could lower your prescription drug costs. The Colorado Cares Rx Program allows Colorado residents a way to buy generic prescription medicines at a discounted price. The Department has teamed with Rx Outreach – a leading mail order patient assistance program – to offer this valuable program.
Welcome Representative Middleton!
Today, State Education Board Member Karen Middleton was elected to fill the vacancy in House District 42. Her swearing-in is expected to be Weds, February 13, 2008 prior to the commencement of the House proceedings.
Pandemic Flu -- Are You Prepared?
Yesterday at the Capitol, we were given a very informative presentation by authorities who track pandemic flu. Unlike seasonal flu, pandemic flu is caused by a new virus that no one has been exposed to. Flu shots may be unavailable at the beginning of such an epidemic until experts understand the virus and can develop large amounts of vaccine.
At last... the 208 Comission Report
After four years of analysis and finding a path toward health care reform, the 208 Commission today released its report to the joint House and Senate Health and Human Services Committees. The 27 members of the group, also called the Blue Ribbon Commission for Health Care Reform, diverged widely in ideological perspectives, but they were in lock step with each other in both intention and effort. For that, I join my colleagues on the joint HHS Committees in thanking them for their hard work.
