Capitol Coverage

Republicans chose Heidi Ganahl as their candidate to challenge Jared Polis in the governor’s race. Ganahl defeated former Parker Mayor George Lopez in the primary.

Abortion rights advocates have been bracing for the ruling for months. Democrats in the state legislature passed a law this year aiming to stop cities and towns from trying to pass any restrictions themselves.

There are people running for higher office in Colorado this month that are making unfounded voter fraud allegations a central theme of their campaigns. And that has some of the state’s top election workers worried.

Service organizations in Colorado and beyond say they are ready to help residents who are grieving after a gunman killed 19 children and two teachers at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas.

Meteorologist Coleen Haskell says the grim fire forecast for this summer has been years in the making.

Senate President Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, says the new law will put the state’s voting equipment under permanent video surveillance and lock it behind doors that can only be opened with keycards.

Juneteenth will be observed as an official state holiday for the first time next month. State Rep. Leslie Herod says she wants Coloradans to celebrate the rich culture of Black people in the state.

It is still unclear whether the draft opinion, published Monday night by Politico, will be the court’s final decision. But officials in Colorado swiftly reacted to the leak and vowed to protect the state’s unrestricted access to the procedure.

The bill signing ceremony in the governor’s mansion Monday evening marked a major turning point for the state. Less than two years ago, Polis was signing what he called the most difficult budget in state history. It included more than $3 billion in cuts, with public schools losing more than $500 million.

Democrats passed the measure in response to several conservative-led states adopting abortion restrictions. Polis said Colorado also needs the new law because federal protections for the procedure may end soon.