Jobs and economic security
Colorado Pols commentary: Wouldn't You Like To See An Actual Jobs Bill?
As debuted in the opening-day speech by Colorado Senate President Brandon Shaffer, Assembly Democrats start next Tuesday on the "centerpiece" of their jobs agenda for this year's session, Senate Bill 1--the "Hire Colorado First" Act. This is the newest version of a bill that has been introduced before by Democrats, but through a combination of some changes and (hopefully) improved public awareness of the underlying issues, they hope to fare better.


Denver Post editorial: Mortgage pact is a good deal
The mortgage foreclosure crisis was in frantic full-swing during the last several years with lenders taking shortcuts that would come back to haunt them: forged signatures, faked documents, and other practices that accelerated the drive to push millions out of their homes. Last week, federal authorities and attorneys general for 49 states reached an out-of-court, $25 billion settlement with five of the largest lenders over these misdeeds.
Also: The Denver Post: Colorado tweak would make counties do more to get foreclosure profits to ex-homeowner
Also: Pueblo Chieftain: Foreclosure counseling

Colorado News Agency: Lawmaker: Don't turn to taxpayers if you use illegal drugs
A legislative committee on Thursday OK'd a measure that would require drug testing for those applying for public assistance under the Colorado Works Program.


Health Policy Solutions: Good news in U.S. health care
"U.S. Health Care: The Good News," a documentary produced with support from Rocky Mountain PBS and grants from several local foundations, tells the story of health care systems in Grand Junction, Seattle and Everett, Wash., that all have found ways to expand coverage, improve care and cut costs.

Durango Herald editorial: Catholic hierarchy vs. health plan
Amid all the noise and bluster about the Obama administration's proposal to require all employer-provided health-insurance plans to cover contraception, some basic questions have gone unanswered. Chief among them are these: Why is this a question of freedom of religion? And exactly how far can a church extend its First Amendment protections beyond actual religious activity?

Longmont Times-Call editorial: New rule for Medicaid much-needed
A quick search on the Internet nets too many stories about states announcing settlements with pharmaceutical companies accused of overcharging those states for drugs, or misreporting data in the Medicaid rebate program established in 1990, through those states' Medicaid programs.


USA Today: Spending by states and cities declines
States, cities and school districts trimmed spending at the end of 2011 by more than any time in a decade, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

Modern Healthcare: Past indiscretions lead to tighter reins on new and future conversion foundations
More than 200 of these healthcare conversion foundations dot communities across the country, and the assets at their disposal exceeded $17.4 billion as of the last comprehensive national study in 2009, conducted by Washington-based healthcare philanthropy organization Grantmakers in Health. Each foundation's endowment ranges from a couple of million dollars to several billion. Editor's note: The piece includes remarks from Colorado Center on Law and Policy Special Counsel Ed Kahn.


Center on Budget and Policy Priorities: Contrary to "Entitlement Society" Rhetoric, Over Nine-Tenths of Entitlement Benefits Go to Elderly, Disabled, or Working Households
Some conservative critics of federal social programs, including leading presidential candidates, are sounding an alarm that the United States is rapidly becoming an "entitlement society" in which social programs are undermining the work ethic and creating a large class of Americans who prefer to depend on government benefits rather than work.

The Urban Institute: High-Cost Loans Among the Unbanked
Using tax filing data, this fact sheet demonstrates dramatic behavioral differences among the banked and unbanked in their use of two at-times costly tax-time financial products, refund anticipation checks (RACs) and refund anticipation loans (RALs).