Colorado Mesa University became the first institution outside of the Denver Metro area to host a legislative hearing complete with remote testimony from Colorado’s State Capitol. The Energy Legislation Review Interim Study Committee held a hearing on Friday, September 13, 2019 to a standing room only crowd in the CMU University Center.
“If you would have told me ten years ago the General Assembly would be holding hearings in Grand Junction, and that people from Denver would be the ones remotely testifying, I would have laughed,” said CMU President Tim Foster. “Thanks to advances in technology and legislators who value the opinions of rural communities, CMU has been able to partner with our elected representatives to provide a valuable service to our region.”
In 2018, Colorado Mesa University announced the expansion of Colorado’s remote testimony pilot program to the CMU Montrose Campus. Prior to that expansion, CMU was the first institution in 2015 to establish agreements with the Colorado General Assembly allowing rural communities in western Colorado to testify remotely during legislative hearings.
“The everyday lives of people living in small communities are impacted by decisions made on Colorado’s front range,” said Ann Terry, executive director of the Special District Association of Colorado. “This chance to hold a hearing on the western slope of Colorado is a milestone and something that should really occur regularly.”
Terry is among many organizations whose memberships include rural organizations throughout the state.
The committee hearing included Democrats and Republicans from both the western slope and urban Colorado districts.
Western Colorado citizens who would like to testify on legislative matters in the future at CMU are encouraged to contact their local legislators or visit www.leg.colorado.gov.