Routt County Republicans Executive Committee Ballot Initiatives Recommendations

The following amendments and propositions were referred by the legislature:

• Amendment G – “Modify Property Tax Exemption for Veterans With a Disability” (HCR23-1002) proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE YES. A “yes” vote would have supported expanding the property tax exemption for veterans with a disability to include veterans with individual unemployability status as determined by the U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs.
• Amendment H – “Judicial Discipline Procedures and Confidentiality” (HCR23-1001) proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE YES. A “yes” vote supports creating an independent judicial discipline adjudicative board and create rules for the judicial discipline process.
• Amendment I – “Constitutional Bail Exemption for First Degree Murder” (HCR24-1002) proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE YES. A “yes” vote supports removing the right to bail in cases of first-degree murder when the proof is evident or the presumption is great.
• Amendment J – “Repealing the Constitutional Definition of Marriage” (SCR24-003) proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – Neutral. Colorado allows gay marriage, not necessary to change the constitution.
• Amendment K – “Modify Constitutional Election Deadlines” (SCR24-002) proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO. A “no” vote opposes changing the signature deadline for initiative and referendum signature gathering, thereby shorting the collection period by one week, as well as moving the deadline for justices and judges to file declarations of intent to run for another term by one week, in order to allow one extra week for the secretary of state to certify ballot order and content and election officials’ deadline to transmit ballots.
• Proposition JJ – “Retain Additional Sports Betting Tax Revenue” (HB24-1436) proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO. A “no” vote opposes allowing the state to retain tax revenue collected above $29 million annually from the tax on sports betting proceeds authorized by voters in 2019, thereby requiring the state to refund tax revenue above $29 million to casinos and sports betting operators.
• Proposition KK – “Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax” (HB24-1349) proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO. A “no” vote opposes levying a 6.5% excise tax on the manufacture and sale of firearms and ammunition to be imposed on firearms dealers, manufacturers, and ammunition vendors.

The following amendments and propositions were citizen-initiated:

• Amendment 79, “Right to Abortion,” proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO.  A “no” vote opposes creating a right to abortion in the state constitution and opposes repealing a constitutional provision that bans the use of public funds for abortion.
• Amendment 80, “School Choice in K-12 Education, proposes to change the Colorado Constitution. RECOMMENDATION – Neutral. Supports the Colorado constitutional right to school choice K-12. Only concern is the language focuses on the “child” has the right versus the parents.
• Proposition 127, “Prohibit Trophy Hunting,” proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO. A “no” vote opposes defining and prohibiting trophy hunting as “intentionally killing, wounding, pursuing, or entrapping a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx; or discharging or releasing any deadly weapon at a mountain lion, bobcat, or lynx.”
• Proposition 128, “Concerning Eligibility for Parole,” proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE YES. A “yes” vote supports requiring offenders convicted of certain violent crimes on or after January 1, 2025, to serve at least 85% of their sentence before parole eligibility, and offenders with two prior violent crime convictions to serve their full sentence before beginning parole.
• Proposition 129, “Establish Qualifications and Registration for Veterinary Professional Associate,” proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO. A “no” vote opposes introducing unnecessary changes to veterinary practices without clear need. Creates yet another license that is not needed.
• Proposition 130, “Funding for Law Enforcement,” proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE YES. A “yes” vote supports creating the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund to provide funding for law enforcement training, retention, and hiring; training surrounding the use of force; and death benefits for surviving spouses and children of Officers or first responders killed in the line of duty.
• Proposition 131, “Concerning the Conduct of Elections,” proposes a statutory change. RECOMMENDATION – VOTE NO. A “no” vote opposes establishing top-four primary elections and ranked-choice voting for U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, governor, attorney general, secretary of state, treasurer, Colorado University board of regents, state board of education, and state legislature.