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Purplish
30 episodes
Rideshare safety in the spotlight and now on the books in Colorado
Aug 14, 2026 · 34 min
A state lawmaker shared her harrowing account of an alleged sexual assault during a Lyft ride. Her personal experience inspired legislation in 2025 to further regulate ride-hailing companies like Lyft and Uber in the state. Other survivors came to the State Capitol to share their stories and support the legislation. That bill did not become law after the governor’s veto. But lawmakers tried again the following year, and parts of the pared-down version take effect this month. Uber has publicly sa…
Colorado turns 150 and it’s always been a little bit ‘purple-ish’
Jul 28, 2026 · 33 min
Since it became a state 150 years ago, Colorado’s political identity has always been hard to pin down. It’s been a lot of things at once, a place of contradictions that, at times, puts the state at the forefront of change including women’s suffrage and civil rights. At other times, political power rested with those interested in turning back the clock. As the state marks its 150th statehood anniversary, CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Arlo Pérez Esquivel examine two significant chapters in Colorado’s…
Did Colorado get hit with an anti-incumbent wave on primary night?
Jul 3, 2026 · 36 min
Progressives sailed through Colorado’s primary elections in late June, including a once-in-a-generation upset for a Democratic Socialist who ousted a longtime incumbent in Denver in a race that grabbed national headlines. There was an upset of a different kind in the Democratic race for governor with a U.S. Senator losing to the state’s Attorney General, while the GOP race was too close to call on primary night. In a big election year, with all of the top statewide elected offices up for grabs,…
Colorado’s Capitol is a trove of histories, curiosities and controversies
Jun 26, 2026 · 35 min
The Colorado State Capitol Building opened its doors in November 1894. A grand neo-classical monument in the West, it used local materials to capture some of the feel of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. Over the decades it’s become, like many statehouses across the country, a trove of artwork, history and curiosities. The building is also the frequent site of protests, rallies, celebrations and a variety of other public events, a “People’s House,” if you will. In this repeat episode of Purpl…
The Republicans and Democrats who want to represent you in Congress
Jun 12, 2026 · 40 min
Congressional races across the state are heating up: with the gloves coming off in the Democratic primary for Colorado’s newest, and swingiest, district; other longtime Colorado Democrats facing challenges from more progressive candidates; and a Republican freshman trying to defend his seat from his right flank. CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Caitlyn Kim, along with Kiara DeMare and Rae Solomon, discuss who’s on the ballot, as well as the dynamics of these races and what it says about politics right…
Tina Peters is free, but the story is likely far from over
Jun 5, 2026 · 28 min
Colorado released former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters on parole June 1 from a women’s state correctional facility in Pueblo. She was less than two years into a nearly nine-year sentence for her role in tampering with county voting machines months after the 2020 presidential election, part of an effort to search for election rigging. Peters, who has become a hero among some MAGA voters, wasted no time repeating claims that Democrats are using technology to steal elections. The decision to free P…
The Democrats and Republicans who want to be Colorado’s next governor
May 29, 2026 · 38 min
Colorado’s primary elections are just around the corner. And there’s a lot riding on them — all of the statewide constitutional offices are on the ballot — and thanks to term limits, all of those races are wide open, including Colorado’s top office: governor. The fields include a who’s who of Colorado politics, and one newcomer who may have the potential to shake things up. CPR’s Bente Birkeland talks with The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul and CPR’s Ben Markus about who’s on the Democratic and Repub…
Wrapping up the session: the policies, the politics... and the poetry
May 16, 2026 · 28 min
From speed cameras to vaccine policy to ketchup packets, which of the laws passed by the 2026 legislature will actually be affecting people’s daily lives, five or ten years from now. That’s the question that launches our session wrap up conversation. But in a year when new policies often took a backseat to painful budget realities, there were also lots of politics to keep things interesting. Catch up on our latest coverage: CPR News: Lawmakers pass dozens of bills as 2026 session wraps up CCNA:…
ICE tactics have some Colorado Dems itching to respond. That’s easier said than done
May 1, 2026 · 33 min
Many of Colorado’s Democratic lawmakers came into this legislative session determined to push back against the Trump administration, especially on the president’s aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. They introduced proposals to ban state and local law enforcement from concealing their identity in most situations and to allow Coloradans to sue federal agents who violate their rights. But not all Democrats are on board with these ideas — worried they may harm legitimate law enforcement eff…
Should Colorado lawmakers get a raise? It’s a politically thorny topic
Apr 24, 2026 · 27 min
Colorado has a part-time, citizen legislature, driven by the notion that it’s important to have people from all kinds of professional backgrounds bringing their experience to lawmaking. So for four months every year, state legislators pause their regular lives to be at the Capitol. But the flexibility to do that can be hard to come by, and some say the pay — currently around $47,000 a year — makes things even harder. Now, an approach lawmakers hoped would take the politics out of the pay raise p…
Who’s on the primary ballot and what did it take for them to get there
Apr 17, 2026 · 27 min
Primary ballots will land in Coloradans’ mailbox in a few weeks, and now, voters know which candidates will be on them. Many got there by winning over party activists at the recent Democratic and Republican state assemblies in Pueblo. These were high-stakes gatherings in a high-stakes election year, as hopefuls lined up for all of Colorado’s top offices: U.S senator, governor, attorney general, secretary of state and treasurer. CPR’s Bente Birkeland, The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul and CPR’s Caitl…
11 questions lawmakers hope could help prevent domestic violence killings
Apr 10, 2026 · 27 min
A bill advancing through Colorado's statehouse would require law enforcement officers to ask a set of 11 questions — 11 very specific questions, meant to measure someone’s risk of dying at the hands of their abuser. Backers say the change is especially urgent now, because even though homicides in Colorado have gone down in recent years, domestic violence killings have gone up. CPR’s Bente Birkeland, KUNC’s Kyle McKinnon and CPR’s Ava Kian discuss efforts to try to improve how law enforcement acr…
Who should have the power to pump up the volume at Colorado’s venues
Apr 3, 2026 · 32 min
Decades ago, Colorado lawmakers set statewide limits on noise for different types of areas — lower limits near homes, louder away from them. But a recent court case has upended the status quo around which venues are allowed to be extra loud and how much say local governments have, and that has state lawmakers this year stirring up a noisy debate over noise. CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Dan Boyce delve into the complexity of noise and how people experience it, the debate over state limits versus loc…
Colorado’s budget woes and the ballooning costs of Medicaid
Mar 27, 2026 · 33 min
The six lawmakers tasked with writing Colorado’s budget have an excruciating job this year — they must find about $1.5 billion in savings to keep the budget in balance, and understand that many of their cuts will have direct, human consequences. That’s because the state's Medicaid program, which provides health coverage to low-income Coloradans, accounts for a significant part of Colorado’s budget, and costs have ballooned in recent years. CPR’s Bente Birkeland, The Colorado Sun’s Jesse Paul and…
Colorado’s prisons have a crowding problem
Mar 20, 2026 · 29 min
Colorado’s prisons have been filled nearly to capacity for months. And when the state has too many people in its prisons, difficult living conditions can quickly become intolerable. That’s got Colorado Department of Corrections officials, staff and some lawmakers worried. DOC says it needs more money to fund hundreds of additional beds for male inmates. But state lawmakers in both parties say DOC has failed to come up with a plan to address systemic issues. CPR’s Bente Birkeland and KUNC’s Kyle…
What the ‘Flock’ are you looking at? License plate readers and mass surveillance
Mar 13, 2026 · 36 min
Flock cameras, and other license plate reader systems, are installed all over Colorado. The technology gives law enforcement access to a new level of tracking, a reach they say has helped them solve all kinds of terrible crimes and made the state safer. But community fears that law enforcement could misuse the data and invade people’s privacy, and share it with federal immigration authorities, are mounting — and getting the attention of state lawmakers. CPR’s Bente Birkeland and Denverite’s Andr…
A prescription for pesticides? Why lawmakers considered a novel approach to neonics
Mar 6, 2026 · 28 min
For a lot of farmers in Colorado, and across the country, insecticides known as neonicotinoids, or neonics, have been a game changer. But what’s been a breakthrough for some has been a nightmare for others. Neonics are being blamed for die-offs in domestic bees and native pollinators, and there’s growing concern over their potential impacts on human health as well. This year, some Democratic lawmakers proposed a bold step to reduce the chemicals’ use in Colorado; they wanted farmers to get somet…
Will Colorado give data centers a warm embrace, or a cool reception?
Feb 20, 2026 · 26 min
Data centers, the infrastructure underpinning the artificial intelligence boom, are popping up in communities all across the country, including in Colorado. And with each new build, come more questions from residents about what these structures mean for their utility bills and quality of life. At the State Capitol, lawmakers are choosing between two competing visions of how Colorado should approach data centers — with incentives plus some guardrails, or strictly with regulations. CPR’s Sam Brasc…
Colorado in Trump’s crosshairs
Feb 6, 2026 · 31 min
Again and again, President Trump has made it known he has a beef with Colorado, whether it's anger over his presidential portrait that was displayed at the State Capitol or the state’s policies on immigration, artificial intelligence and voting. And it’s not simply talk. Since Trump has returned to the White House, Colorado is losing a military command, and a major scientific research center is in jeopardy, as are hundreds of millions of dollars in federal funding. Democrats say Trump’s actions…
Gov. Polis is a lame duck. What does that mean for Colorado policy and politics?
Jan 23, 2026 · 28 min
In his first seven years in office, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis had a lot of challenges and tragedies to contend with: the COVID-19 pandemic; the 2021 Marshall Fire and other climate disasters; shootings in Boulder, Highlands Ranch, Colorado Springs and Evergreen. These events defined his governorship, as did, what he’s heralded as, some big-ticket policy wins: free full-day kindergarten and universal preschool, cutting the income tax, and wooing the Sundance Film Festival to Boulder. But during…
Get ready for a new legislative session under Colorado’s Gold Dome
Jan 9, 2026 · 26 min
From another big budget shortfall to unsettled business over artificial intelligence to other pressing policy issues, like housing, the environment and surveillance, the 2026 legislative session kicks off in less than a week and Colorado lawmakers already have a lot on their to-do lists. Plus, while Democrats continue to hold a wide majority in both legislative chambers, tensions between the more progressive and more moderate factions of the party threaten to bubble over. On top of all of that,…
Colorado’s homeowner’s insurance on shaky ground
Dec 12, 2025 · 30 min
Colorado, like the rest of the country, is experiencing more, and worse, climate disasters, wreaking havoc on people’s homes — and their homeowner’s insurance rates. In the wake of devastating hail storms and massive wildfires, Coloradans face rising premiums, less choice and availability, and in some cases, getting dropped by insurers altogether. The state is now one of the top ten most expensive in the country for homeowners insurance. And escalating the issue is climate change. CPR’s Bente Bi…
Will Colorado join the redistricting war?
Nov 21, 2025 · 33 min
In statehouses across the country, the political playing field is being redrawn, as states wade into the murky waters of midcycle redistricting. President Donald Trump kicked off this effort, when he urged Republicans in Texas to draw new Congressional maps, years ahead of schedule. Then came Missouri and North Carolina, and earlier this month, California voters agreed to put aside their independently drawn map and give Democrats more seats. Colorado — a blue state with its congressional seats s…
Veterans Day Special: The battle of Iwo Jima, through the eyes of a Coloradan who lived it
Nov 10, 2025 · 15 min
On Purplish, our focus is usually on exploring the politics of the moment. But for Veterans Day, we're offering something different -- a chance to experience a defining moment in World War II from one of the last remaining veterans to live through it. The battle of Iwo Jima was one of the toughest in Marine Corps history. Nearly 7,000 Marines lost their lives taking the volcanic island from its Japanese defenders. 80 years on, few remain who served in that grueling conflict. One of them is Jim B…
Yes, yes, we just had an election, but It's never too soon to talk about the midterms
Nov 7, 2025 · 39 min
Anti-hunger advocates and education groups did a victory dance election night, celebrating the passage of Props. MM and LL, two statewide ballot measures to increase funding for Colorado’s universal free school meal program. CPR’s Jenny Brundin joins Purplish host Bente Birkeland to talk through what voters thought of these measures and what it means for the programs' future. They also dig into the results of school board races around the state. Then, a pivot to look ahead at the 2026 midterms,…
Portrait scandals and secret tunnels: Purplish tours the Colorado Capitol
Oct 24, 2025 · 33 min
The Colorado State Capitol Building opened its doors in November 1894, a grand neo-classical monument in the West, built of local materials, but with some of the feel of the U.S. Capitol Building in Washington, D.C. Like many statehouses across the country, it’s a trove of artwork, history and curiosities. The building is also often the site of protests, rallies, celebrations and a variety of other public events, a “People’s House,” if you will. On Purplish, we spend a lot of time under the gold…
Colorado’s ‘Healthy School Meals for All’ is at a crossroads. Voters will decide where it goes
Oct 17, 2025 · 30 min
There are just two statewide questions on the ballot this year, and both are related to a universal school meals program intended to feed all public school students in the state regardless of income. Three years ago, voters approved a tax on wealthier Coloradans to fund the Healthy School Meals program for All. That original measure set out to do several things, with the marquee item being to provide free breakfast and lunch for all K-12 public school students in Colorado. But it’s running short…
Colorado banned conversion therapy for minors. A U.S. Supreme Court case could upend that
Oct 3, 2025 · 26 min
In 2019, Colorado Democrats had control of both the House and the Senate. That gave them the momentum they needed to push forward an issue that had repeatedly failed in the statehouse under Republicans: a ban on conversion therapy for minors. The law prohibits licensed therapists from trying to change a child’s sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. Even though some conservatives strongly opposed it, the law ended up passing with bipartisan support and a few high-profile Republican…
How a possible Buc-ee’s travel plaza has divided one Colorado town
Sep 19, 2025 · 35 min
Last year, Buc-ee’s opened its first Colorado location, an expansive 74,000 square-foot outpost in Weld County filled with beaver-branded merch, brisket sandwiches and sweets. Not too long after that, the company began plans for a second store, landing at a parcel of land about a two-hours drive away in northern El Paso County. But the prospect of a Buc-ee’s arriving on the edge of the small town of Palmer Lake quickly became a larger-than-life controversy. CPR’s Bente Birkeland, KRCC’s Andrea C…
Budget balanced (for now), AI decisions punted, relationships ruptured: What went down during special session
Aug 29, 2025 · 27 min
The giant tax-cuts-and-spending package passed by Congressional Republicans will have major ramifications for every state in the country, but Colorado is one of the first place it's really being felt. Thanks to the state's unusual way of handling its finances, the federal tax cuts immediately threw Colorado's finances way out of whack. That was the main reason lawmakers recently came back to the Capitol in August for a high temperature, high stakes special session. But grueling fights over AI re…
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