Ritter inks two local bills Thursday

Gov. Bill Ritter inked his signature on two measures from El Paso County lawmakers on Thursday, bringing the delegation’s tally of new laws to seven.

Ritter signed off on a pair procedural measures from Republican Colorado Springs Rep. Kent Lambert that trim the state’s budget and move money from one account to another.

For an updated list of bills from local lawmakers, click here.

Another 13 local bills have passed the state General Assembly and are waiting on Ritter’s desk. The most notable is Calhan Republican Rep. Marsha Looper’s HB1049, which grants car dealers more rights when an auto manufacturer pulls their franchise. The measure mandates payments to shuttered dealers and gives closed dealers a right of first refusal if the car dealer that dumped their franchise wants to return to the same market.

The bill gained popularity after auto giant General Motors ran an advertising campaign opposing it. Ritter is expected to sign it soon.

The region’s 11 Republican and three Democratic lawmakers have introduced 114 bills since the General Assembly session began Jan. 13.

Dozens of local measures have passed one of the General Assembly’s chambers and are on their way to becoming law.

For every local bill that has passed the General Assembly so far, though, two others from local lawmakers have been killed by committee for floor votes.

The scuttled plans include tax breaks, increased gun rights and one measure that would have required the state to buy gold with some its cash reserves.