Ritter's roadshow earns applause

Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Published June 1, 2007 at midnight

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Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter has traveled the state in recent weeks, signing bills in a senior citizens center, at a dog walking event in Denver's Washington Park, and even in a forest.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike praised Ritter for making so many bill signings public - and for holding a majority of those events outside the governor's office.

"Bill Ritter understands that the people of Colorado want to see a governor who is working across the divide and between the four corners of the state," said Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, who watched one of his bills being signed at the Capitol last month.

When Ritter does hold bill-signing ceremonies at the Capitol, the event is held in the west foyer, which allows dozens to show up for the festivities. Only a handful of people can be invited if the ceremony is held in the governor's office.

"What the governor told us was that he wanted, to the extent that it was possible, to sign bills in the communities where they will do the most good," Ritter's spokesman, Evan Dreyer, said.

"It reinforces what he said on the campaign trail: that every county, every community, every person in Colorado matters."

On Thursday, Ritter signed 40 bills into law, four of them at public events.

He signed two children's health care measures during a ceremony at Stein Elementary in Lakewood. Stein is home to a school-based community health clinic.

Then he traveled to Fort Collins to speak at the grand opening of a new Intel Corp. building. While there, he signed a bill that provides state matching funds to research universities that receive national research grants, and a bill that extends the sales and tax-use exemption for certain high-tech companies.

So far, Ritter has signed 413 bills into law. Monday is the deadline to act on bills passed by the legislature in this year's session.

Previously, Ritter signed an animal-cruelty bill during the annual Furry Scurry run/walk at Washington Park, and stood among pine trees killed by bark beetles outside Frisco to sign a measure that helps fund tree removal to reduce wildfire hazards.

Ritter succeeded Republican Gov. Bill Owens in January. Owens, who took office in 1999, also held dozens of public bill signings, particularly in his first years in office.

"When there's a new governor, lawmakers and the people who worked on the bill want to show that the measure has the governor's stamp of approval," said Mike Beasley, who worked as Owens' first legislative lobbyist.

Bill signings

Gov. Bill Ritter will hold bill- signing ceremonies through Monday, the deadline to act on 2007 legislation passed.

• Today: Signs five measures related to mortgages and mortgage fraud.

• Saturday: Will sign into law Bicycle Colorado's "Share the Road" license plate bill.

• Monday: Signing on bills relating to veterans, rural health care and other matters.

bartels@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5327

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