May 04, 2015 01:55 PM UTC

Get More Smarter on Monday (May 4)

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• by: Colorado Pols

The Colorado Legislature closes up shop on Wednesday; May the 4th be with us all. It’s time to Get More Smarter with Colorado Pols. If you think we missed something important, please include the link in the comments below (here’s a good example).

TOP OF MIND TODAY…

► With just three days to go in the 2015 legislative session,  it’s safe to say that there are a lot of bills that are going to be left hanging. Capping off what has been a pretty embarrassing session for Senate President Bill Cadman is this odd detail: Senate Bill 1, Cadman’s first piece of legislation and his big plan to start fixing Colorado’s budget, was not on the schedule this morning to receive its first hearing, but may finally be discussed in the Senate Finance Committee later today.

 ► Ivan Moreno of the Associated Press breaks down what we are likely to see in the final three days of the 2015 session. For another rundown, check out Peter Marcus at the Durango Herald.

Get even more smarter after the jump…

SHOULD YOU FIND YOURSELF STANDING NEAR A WATER COOLER…

► Legislation dealing with PERA reform and Denver Public Schools will be decided in Colorado…but how much influence is coming from Washington D.C.?

► The legislature is discussing pay raises for state elected officials. We’ve said it again and again in this spot: Colorado elected officials are woefully underpaid, and we’d end up with a much stronger crop of candidates if they could actually earn a decent wage.

► Denver voters have until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 5 to return their ballots for the Denver municipal election. If you still have a ballot on your kitchen table, DO NOT PUT IT IN THE MAIL. Ballots must be received by the Clerk & Recorder before 7:00 p.m. Tuesday night. Visit the website of the Denver Clerk and Recorder for drop-off information.

► The Jefferson County School District continues to try to ram through a teacher pay scale that was not negotiated with the teacher’s union. Great collaboration there. Again.

► The issue of school testing reform — one of the hot topics of this legislative session — is coming to a conclusion, as Eric Gorski of the Denver Post explains:

Cloudy prospects for reform of standardized testing in Colorado cleared up Friday, with progress toward scaling back assessments and the death of a bill that sought to alter consequences triggered when large numbers of students skip the tests.

The most intensely lobbied education issue of the legislative term, overhauling testing has proven difficult for lawmakers trying to balance a desire to rein in assessments while still holding schools and educators accountable for student performance.

The House Education Committee voted 6-5 to defeat Senate Bill 223, which would have prevented penalties for teachers, principals, districts and schools because of students opting out of tests.

Federal law requires that 95 percent of students take certain required assessments, lest states face possible sanctions.

 ► Congressman Mike Coffman (R-Aurora) apparently believes that veterans deserve the very highest…interest rates possible.