The Mountain Minute: 4/23/2025

🎧 Mountain Minute – April 23, 2025
Hosted by Team RMV
Gun rights, open records, and immigration blowback—Colorado’s legislature is making headlines, and even our critics are calling foul. Here’s what you need to know.

Colorado News:
🔹 Concealed Carry Permits Surge – Denver is seeing a spike in permit applications ahead of a new July law that adds stricter requirements for training and testing. Critics say it’s a roundabout way to restrict gun access.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/concealed-carry-permits-spike-in-denver-as-new-rules-loom/

🔹 Democrats Rush Radical Immigration Bill – A last-minute push with no public debate pushed sweeping new protections for illegal immigrants through the Colorado legislature. Conservatives say the bill sidelines law enforcement and puts politics over public safety.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/colorado-democrats-ram-through-radical-immigration-bill-with-last-minute-amendments/

🔹 Colorado Passes $43.9B Budget – Lawmakers closed a $1.2B shortfall by slashing funding for transportation, workforce programs, and social services. Both parties warn that deeper cuts could come next year.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/colorado-lawmakers-pass-budget-cutting-roads-aid-to-keep-health-care-afloat/

🔹 RMV Defended in Left-Leaning Op-Ed – After Governor Polis vetoed a bill that would’ve let government workers decide who qualifies as “legitimate media,” The Sentinel defended even outlets like Rocky Mountain Voice, arguing that a free press includes voices across the spectrum.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/perry-your-cora-request-isnt-less-important-than-rmvs-isnt-it-nice-that-polis-agrees/

National News:
🔹 RFK Jr. Pushes Food Dye Ban – RFK Jr. announced a proposal to ban eight petroleum-based food dyes from U.S. products by 2026, citing child health risks. Critics call it government overreach.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/rfk-jr-to-ban-petroleum-based-food-dyes/

🔹 Boebert Battles Front Range Rail – Rep. Lauren Boebert is leading opposition to a $66M passenger rail project, calling it wasteful and potentially harmful to local communities.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/boebert-wants-to-pull-the-brakes-on-federal-funding-for-proposed-front-range-passenger-rail-project/

🔹 Space Command Move Could Cost Us – El Paso County Commissioner Cory Applegate is urging the federal government to keep Space Command in Colorado, citing unmatched military synergy and aerospace infrastructure.
Read more: https://rockymountainvoice.com/2025/04/el-paso-commissioner-applegate-americas-space-advantage-depends-on-keeping-command-in-colorado/

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