Colorado's annual legislative session begins Jan. 13, 2016. What are the goals of legislative leaders and the big issues they must confront?
For state Senate President Bill Cadman (R-Loveland), who is term limited at the conclusion of the session, it means negotiating an election year, the state budget and his own future in politics.
Bente Birkeland speaks with state Senate President Bill Cadman
Interview HighlightsWithBill Cadman
On Gov. Hickenlooper's Proposal Making The Hospital Provider Fee An Enterprise Fund, Exempt From TABOR Revenue Limits
"The governor, to his credit on this issue, has done a very thorough job on lobbying his department heads to lobby the legislature. And he spent all summer frankly, running around the state, traveling the state, talking about what the hospital provider fee issue is."
Editor's Note: The state's Office of Legislative Legal Services has said that the fee can't be converted into an enterprise fund.
"There is no 'maybe' in this opinion. Our attorneys say it shall not stand," Cadman said at an earlier January news conference, as reported by the Denver Business Journal.
On State Senators Running For Congress
"That's nothing new here, and if you look at the folks in Congress that have served here. What it does to them, is it really maxes out their schedule. But national public policy and state public policy often intersect in this building."
On His Future In Politics
"I'm not planning it right now, but you never say never. When the right opportunity, and that's what political office is, it's opportunity, interest and ability coming together at the same time. That's how I got into this place 15 years ago and we'll see what's next."
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