Listen:
-
play_arrow
Trans Rights Lawsuit; Cities Sue Polis Over Housing Bills Jackie Sedley
Trans Rights Lawsuit
A bill enhancing the rights of transgender people in Colorado, approved by lawmakers and signed by Governor Jared Polis last week, is already facing a legal challenge.
The new law addresses bullying policies and name changes, among other issues. A federal lawsuit filed Monday argues that requiring people to use a trans person’s chosen name and pronouns is a violation of the plaintiff’s constitutional rights.
The plaintiffs, according to Chalkbeat, include the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network; Protect Kids Colorado; a group called Do No Harm; and Travis Morrell, a Colorado dermatologist. A conservative out-of-state group called Defending Education is also a plaintiff. They say they’d effectively be punished by the new law, by being required to speak chosen names and pronouns, under penalty of law.
The suit names Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and members of the Colorado Civil Rights Commission as defendants.
Supporters of the new law say it is meant to ensure that trans people can make their own decisions about their identities, and also protect them from discrimination.
Cities Sue Polis Over Housing Bills
Other bills are also being challenged in court.
The cities of Arvada, Aurora, Glendale, Greenwood Village, Lafayette and Westminster are suing the state and Gov. Polis in an attempt to block two land-use bills.
The bills, which were passed last year, aim to increase density by requiring local officials to plan more compact housing arrangements near transit stops. They also eliminate requirements for allocating a certain number of parking spots for some developments, according to The Denver Post.
The lawsuit argues that the bills ignore the traditional city development processes that include citizen perspectives. It also argues that Polis’ executive order giving state grants to cities who comply with the reforms is unconstitutional.
The cities encourage the state to instead provide money to supply subsidized housing for lower-income residents.
Arvada City Councilman Brad Rupert said in a statement that “this is not about dismissing the need for affordable housing. It is about ensuring that municipalities can continue to address this critical need in a way that is appropriate to their local communities, according to the right to Home Rule enshrined by the Constitution.”
Colorado officials have argued that this legislation will help address housing shortages, citing an Arvada housing assessment in 2023 that found that workers cannot afford to live in the city. These reforms could allow the state to have more housing supply, supporters say, which could lower the cost of rental and for-sale properties.
Gun Bill Signed
The governor, meanwhile, signed House Bill 1171 into law.
The bill, signed yesterday, prohibits anyone convicted of first-degree auto theft from owning a gun.
At the signing in Pueblo, Governor Polis said the new law will help make Colorado a safer place.
The new law contains a provision that those who have been convicted can ask for a court order allowing them to own a gun, so long as they’ve had a clean criminal record for ten years since their case was resolved.
Colorado has one of the highest auto theft rates in the nation, although the rate has declined in recent years, according to Colorado Politics.
Chautauqua Shuttle
Boulder’s Park-to-Park free shuttle service to Chautauqua Park will resume this Saturday. It will run in 15 minute increments from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
The stops include Gate H at the Downtown Boulder bus station, points along Broadway and Canyon, University Boulevard, the Chautauqua Dining Hall and the Chautauqua Trailhead.
The shuttle services will run on holiday weekends through September 1. In addition to this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, buses will run for the weekends of Juneteenth, Independence Day and Labor Day.
For more information, the city urges the public to download a mobile app called Transit.
