Colorado Governor Ritter Signs 26 Bills Into Law Today

May 14, 2007 -- Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed 26 bills into law today, including the second-parent adoption and human-sexuality education bills. More than 200 additional bills are pending before the governor, with a deadline of June 4.

The bills signed today and their sponsors:

HB 1019, Carriers Exempt Public Utilities (Rep. Mike Cerbo and Sen. Joan Fitz-Gerald)
HB 1141, Purchase of Metals Record Keeping (Rep. Nancy Todd, Sen. Suzanne Williams)
HB 1156, Disclose Source Residential Water Supply (Rep. Marsha Looper, Sen. Ken Gordon)
HB 1174, Repeal Sunset Concealed Carry Database (Rep. Al White, Sen. Bob Bacon)
HB 1176, Injured Worker Change Select Physician (Rep. Morgan Carroll, Sen. Lois Tochtrop)
HB 1255, Uniform child Abduction Prevention Act (Rep. Anne McGihon, Sen. Gordon)
HB 1266, Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (Rep. McGihon, Sen. Brandon Shaffer)
HB 1285, Timeliness Unemployment Claims Appeals Receipt (Rep. Joe Rice, Sen. Jennifer Veiga) HB 1289, Compounding Drug Pharmacy (Rep. Buffie McFadyen, Sen. Peter Groff)
HB 1292, Content Standards Human Sexuality (Rep. Nancy Todd, Sen. Sue Windels)
HB 1295, RTD Area (Rep. Paul Weissman, Sen. Stephanie Takis)
HB 1327, Creditor Notice Delinquency Charge (Rep. Amy Stephens, Sen. John Morse)
HB 1330, Second-Parent Adoption (Rep. Alice Madden, Sen. Veiga)
HB 1333, Conservation Dist. Political Subdivisions (Rep. Kathleen Curry, Sen. Gail Schwartz)
HB 1336, Reporting Requirements Repeal (Rep. McGihon, Sen. Bacon)
HB 1337, Farm Products Commodity Handlers (Rep. Jerry Sonnenberg, Sen. Jack Taylor)
HB 1340, Clarifying Changes to Victims’ Rights (Rep. Bob Gardner, Sen. Veiga)
HB 1348, Extend Initial Accreditation Contracts (Rep. Tom Massey, Sen. Windels)
SB 42, M.O.S.T. Program for Military (Sen. Mike Kopp, Rep. Mary Hodge)
SB 62, Motor Carriers Registration Penalty (Sen. Windels, Rep. Ray Rose)
SB 117, Unfair Employment Practices Prevailing Party (Sen. Bacon, Rep. Terrance Carroll)
SB 158, Exempt Assets Debt Collection Bankruptcy (Sen. Betty Boyd, Rep. Cerbo)
SB 208, Audiologists & Hearing Aid Providers (Sen. Schwartz, Rep. Gwyn Green)
SB 209, Council for Excellence in Health Education (Sen. Schwartz, Rep. Rafael Gallegos
SB 212, Regulation of Drop-in Child Care Facilities (Sen. P. Sandoval, Rep. R. Marshall)
SB 214, CDC Increase Exemption Amounts (Sen. Josh Penry, Rep. Rob Witwer)

With the signing of HB 1330, Colorado becomes the 10th state to allow second-parent adoption either through statute or case law. In 18 other states, second-parent adoption is allowed in certain counties and municipalities.

“From my experience in law enforcement, I know how important it is for children to grow up in a stable environment,” said Gov. Ritter, who served as Denver’s District Attorney for 12 years. “This law gives children in a one-parent family a chance to grow up in a two-parent home. We must do all we can to strengthen families and provide children with as stable an environment as possible. This law will give children a better chance to succeed.”

HB 1292 establishes content standards for human-sexuality courses taught in public schools and as part of teen-pregnancy-prevention and drop-out-prevention programs.

“Preventing unintended pregnancies, especially among teenagers, is important,” Gov. Ritter said. “If a school district and a student so choose, this legislation allows educators to help students develop skills that will enable them to make responsible and healthy decisions, including the teaching of abstinence. This legislation also ensures local school districts have control over what programs they choose to offer to their students.”

Among the groups that support the content standards in HB 1292 are the American Medical Association, the American Public Health Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Colorado Children’s Campaign.

Source: Colorado Governor