On Monday, May 13, Governor Jared Polis and four Colorado legislatures gathered at DU with local journalists from the Colorado Sun and CBS4 and the Director of the Center for American Politics, Dr. Seth Masket. They held a town hall in Davis Auditorium, recapping the last legislative session. Chancellor Chopp introduced the event and thanked the Center for American Politics for their engagement with the local and national politics.
Governor Jared Polis was asked questions from DU students for the first half-hour of the event. He covered a wide array of topics including his support of immigration in the form of in-state tuition and drivers’ licenses, oil and gas regulation, and the successful passage of free all-day kindergarten. After he was posed a question asking advice for “an aspiring queer politician,” he encouraged students to, “Pursue [their] passions.” He told the audience that any person from any upbringing could be successful in politics saying, “there’s no one background that’s ideal for a career in public service.”
Next, four Colorado legislators, two from the state House and two from the state Senate, discussed the last session. House Speaker KC Becker (D-Boulder), House Minority Leader Patrick Neville (R-Castle Rock), Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg (D-Boulder) and Senate Minority Leader Chris Holbert (R-Highlands Ranch) had a passionate discussion about school safety in regards to shootings. Becker advocated for more mental health providers in schools, while Neville advocated for more security in schools in the form of armed teachers and student resource officers.
Masket said that he was grateful to the Colorado Sun for collaborating on the event. He celebrated civic engagement saying, “The Center on American Politics is devoted to bringing important political events to campus for the benefit of students and faculty, and this seemed like a great opportunity to hold a discussion about the new laws and political events that affect our lives.”
Both round tables can be found on Facebook. Watch the full round table with Governor Polis here, and the round table with all Colorado lawmakers here.
