Bills Signed Into Law: 172
Executive Orders Issued: 96
Nominations & Appointments: 125

New Energy Economy

* Doubled Colorado's renewable energy standard to 20% by 2020 (HB 1281).

* Promoted full legislative package, including Clean Energy Fund, Wind on the Wires transmission bills and incentives for renewable-energy production.

* Landed Vestas Blades manufacturing plant (460 jobs).

* Issued Greening of State Government executive order.

* Quadrupling the number of E-85 ethanol fuel pumps around Colorado.

Environment & Natural Resources

* Proposed overhaul of Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission to broaden membership and take public health and environment into account.

* Called for legislative task force to examine northeast Colorado water issues.

* Hired a climate change adviser to the Office of Policy and Initiatives.

* Submitted revisions to Colorado's roadless-protection petition.

* Signed HB 1132 into law, allowing water quality and environmental impacts to be considered in water-transfer decisions.

Health Care

* Established Preferred Drug List, lowering prescription drug costs for Medicaid clients and saving at least $1.6M annually.

* Established Colorado Cares Rx Program, providing discounted generic medication to 264,000 Coloradans (SB 1).

* Signed HB 1133, the Health Care Whistleblower Protection Bill.

* Created Nurse Workforce and Patient Care Task Force.

* Initiated legislation to add three members to "208" Commission.

* Signed SB 60, which helps notify rape victims of emergency contraception.

* Signed SB 97, which redirects tobacco settlement money into health care.

* Signed SB 79, which requires standard medical contracts between insurers and doctors and other health providers.

Transportation

* Named 32-member Transportation Finance and Implementation Panel.

* Hosted 600 participants at "Bridges to the 21st Century" Statewide Transportation Summit.

Education

* Introduced plan to keep State Education Fund from becoming insolvent.

* Signed HB 1014, reviving graduate programs at Western State College.

* Signed HB 1048, allowing the state to measure student progress over time.

* Proposed an additional $5.7M in financial aid for college students.

* Proposed $25M for construction projects at colleges and other facilities.

Economic Development

* Convened a Business Advisory Group of 20 business leaders.

* Established a Jobs Cabinet.

* Landed Vestas Blades manufacturing plant (460 jobs).

Criminal Justice

* Introduced plan to reduce the state's nearly 50 percent offender recidivism rate.

* Signed HB 1010, modernizing crime-fighting tools for police at crime scenes.

* Appointed six new judges.

Driver's License Offices

* Proposed re-opening 2 driver's license offices (Adams and Jefferson counties).

Government Efficiency

* Proposed Government Efficiency and Management Performance Review.

* Dissolved Office of Colorado Benefits Management System, saving $200K.

* Restored employee payroll deduction option.

Storm Relief

* Authorized up to $1M in emergency funds for Holly tornado recovery.

* Arranged for 50 FEMA mobile homes and travel trailers for people of Holly.

* Authorized $2.5M southeast Colorado blizzard recovery.

* Seeking aid for cattlemen, ranchers and farmers through USDA and Congress.

Lawsuit Settlement

* Facilitated settlement of lawsuit involving long wait times for county jail inmates to receive court-ordered mental-health competency hearings.

Lt. Gov. O'Brien: First 100 Days in Office

Colorado Commission on Indian Affairs

* Facilitated first-ever "learning" trip with Southern Ute and Ute Mountain Ute tribes.

* Convened Ute Mountain Ute tribal council members, Cortez law enforcement, and other city and county leaders to discuss mutual concerns in Montezuma and Cortez counties.

* Collaborated with Sen. Williams to write and successfully pass SJR07-024.

Health and Wellness

* Partnered with Kaiser Permanente and CDPHE to launch the "Live Well" initiative.

* Acting as spokesperson for CHP+ program.

* Chairing the Metro Denver Health and Wellness Commission.

* Partnered with a coalition to write HB1347.

* Worked with HCPF, CDPHE on funding for obesity and nutrition programs and promotion.

Early Childhood

* Worked to move policy work on ECE to the Office of the Lt. Governor.

* Launched key efforts and raised needed funds to examine a potential governance structure for early childhood in Colorado.

* Launched efforts to increase Colorado Preschool and Kindergarten Program by an additional 2,000 slots, fulfilling a 2003 goal of the Children's Campaign.

K-12 Education

* Made key contributions to fine tuning governor's executive order establishing the P-20 Council.

* Partnered with the Donnell-Kay and Piton Foundations to host a conference and several meetings with business and legislative leaders regarding education reform.

* Appointed by the governor to represent Colorado on the Education Commission of the States.

Governor's Commission on Community Service

* Aligned federal priorities for Commission on Community Service with Colorado Promise.

Economic Development

* Partnered with the Colorado Council on the Arts, C.U. Denver Film Program, and the Denver Film Society to create a new focus on the arts as an economic development tool.

* Chairing the Henderson Underground Science and Engineering Project.

Ritter Administration: First 100 Days

Department of Agriculture

* Responded to southeast Colorado blizzards with hay drops; working with federal government and Congress to secure disaster designation; and helped coordinate Operation Blizzard Benefit Concert.

* Examining well-water issues along South Platte River in northeast Colorado.

* Testified at Farm Bill field hearing in Colorado.

Department of Health Care Policy and Financing

* Absorbed responsibilities of Colorado Benefits Management System with Department of Human Services.

* Reorganizing department with new leadership team, mission, vision and goals.

* Implementing governor's Preferred Drug List executive order.

* Created position for director of Client and Community Relations.

Department of Higher Education

* Secured an additional $57.8M, or 8.45% for higher-ed funding in FY07/08.

* Accepted a grant from the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education to hold a summit in June to address long-term financing of public higher education.

Department of Human Services

* Opened Forensic Unit at Colorado Mental Health Institute in Pueblo and reduced wait-list of inmates waiting for competency hearings. Also settled a related lawsuit.

* Increased support for counties to meet obligations to Colorado's needy population.

* Absorbed responsibilities of Colorado Benefit Management System along with Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.

* Initiated plans and requested funds to improve physical standards at the Homelake Domiciliary and Veterans Nursing Home.

Department of Labor and Employment

* Introduced new website for job-seekers and workforce professionals.

* Provided extensive assistance on implementation of new immigration laws regarding employment eligibility and legal-worker status.

* Received honors from the EPA for developing an innovative system to manage the State Petroleum Storage Tank Fund, resulting in faster and cheaper cleanups.

Department of Local Affairs

* Coordinated emergency-response and recovery efforts after the Holly tornado, including securing 50 travel trailers from FEMA for families who lost their homes.

* Led response efforts following this winter's blizzards in southeast Colorado.

* Established new Foreclosure Hotline to combat Colorado's high foreclosure rate.

* Awarded $20.6M to energy-impacted communities for public improvement projects.

* Awarded $232K to seven regional growth management projects around the state.

Department of Military and Veterans Affairs

* Trained and prepared for deployments of 162-person security force company, 30- person aero-medical evacuation unit and 280-man special forces unit.

* Improved recruiting and retention in Army National Guard to reach 107% strength and 101% strength in Air National Guard.

* Supported legislation to establish an oversight commission for the State Veterans Nursing Homes (HB 1211).

* Supported legislation to establish local advisory boards for each State Veterans Nursing Home (HB 1212).

* Conducted eight searches for overdue/crashed aircraft.

Department of Natural Resources

* Leading the effort to reform the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission by expanding its membership and broadening its mission (HB 1341).

* Worked with Gov. Ritter to submit a roadless-area petition to the federal government.

* Produced the first renewable energy leasing opportunities map, identifying nearly 50,000 acres of potential land for renewable energy leasing across the state.

* Worked with lawmakers on two important water-right bills, HB 1305 and HB 1012.

Department of Public Health and Environment

* Passed new regulations governing mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants, requiring reductions faster than expected under a federal rule.

* Serving on Cabinet-level interagency Climate Change Team responsible for developing a state strategy to address issues of climate change.

* Launched the $3M-a-year public-private LiveWell Colorado program to encourage improved physical activity and nutrition.

* Preparing to debut the Smart Meal Seal pilot.

* Piloting SimplyWell, a comprehensive health risk management solutions program.

Department of Public Safety

* With Department of Corrections, leading the effort to cut prison recidivism rates.

* Supporting "Safet2Tell" violence-prevention program, which provides students, teachers and parents with a confidential program to report school safety concerns.

* Completed a project that electronically transmits fingerprint records to the FBI.

* Signed an agreement with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that will provide ICE training to 22 state troopers for a new Immigration Enforcement Unit.

* Provided DNA analysis that solved two 20-year old criminal cases.

* Colorado State Patrol troopers were among first responders to Holly tornado.

* Colorado Bureau of Investigation launched a new identity theft unit.

Department of Regulatory Agencies

* Secured resources to open civil rights offices in Pueblo and Grand Junction.

* Responded to concerns that citizens may not be aware of their rights throughout the regulatory process. Began disseminating statement of rights to anyone who files a complaint with the department.

* Posted an area on website with cross-divisional Q & A links geared toward most frequently asked questions from consumers.

* Approved a solar energy contract between Xcel Energy and SunEdison that provides for construction of the nation's largest photovoltaic plant. Groundbreaking ceremony is scheduled for April 23 in Alamosa.

Department of Revenue

* Expanded online license-plate renewal.

* Implemented online payment processing for Net-filers.

* Working toward re-opening several driver's license offices around Colorado and making online renewal available by late summer 2007.

Department of Transportation

* Participated in "Bridges to the 21st Century" Statewide Transportation Summit.

* Snowplow drivers logged 67,000 hours of overtime responding to winter blizzards and maintenance crews have filled more than 155,000 potholes.

* Launched 511, a new traveler information hotline for weather and construction info.

* Debuted "Driver's Seat" education and safety campaign for teen drivers and parents.