ALLIES FOR GOOD GOVERNMENT —CoPIRG Director Rex Wilmouth (left) meets with Jenny Flanagan, director of Colorado Common Cause (center) and Amendment 41 Campaign Director Elena Nunez (right) to discuss their voter mobilization efforts to pass Amendment 41. The initiative was passed by an overwhelming majority.

Victory: Coloradans Pass Amendment 41
On Nov. 7 Coloradans voted to strengthen ethics oversight and ban lobbyist giving to our leaders in Denver.

Sixty-two percent of voters approved Amendment 41, a CoPIRG-supported initiative that aims to limit special interest control over politics by banning lobbyist gifts, establishing an independent ethics committee, and setting a “cool-off” period before an elected leader can work as a paid lobbyist.

“Amendment 41 is good for Colorado. It evens the playing field by keeping companies who can afford to hire lobbyists from buying favors in Denver,” said Rex Wilmouth, director of CoPIRG.

Leading up to the Nov. 7 vote, CoPIRG and its allies gathered the signatures necessary for qualifying the amendment on the ballot. Once enough signatures were gathered, the coalition began raising more support and awareness to ensure that the public understood the impact of the amendment.

Impacts Of Amendment 41
Amendment 41 addresses ethics problems in three ways:

Lobbyist gifts banned: Lobbyists use expensive gifts to buy favor with politicians.

“Cool-off” period established: Elected officials are often recruited to become paid lobbyists because of their sway at the Capitol. Amendment 41 requires a two-year “cool off” time in between leaving office and working as a lobbyist.

Independent ethics committee created: Politicians rarely get called out on their misconduct. By establishing an independent, bipartisan ethics board, our leaders will be held more accountable.