Purplish
Purplish is CPR News' weekly podcast about state politics, state government, Colorado policy, and political identity. This season the show is hosted by public affairs reporters Bente Birkeland and Andrew Kenney. Each week while the legislature is in session, they'll break down the latest developments, look ahead to what's next, and dive into the bigger picture of what it all means.
Latest episodes
May 5, 2022 • 28min
With mental health, can Colorado achieve ‘transformative’ change?
Colorado ranks last in the nation, when it comes to mental health care available, compared to the number of people who need it. This year state lawmakers are hoping to make a big difference in the problem.
Apr 22, 2022 • 31min
The fight to ban Menthols and flavored vapes
The podcast explores the heated debate over the potential ban of menthol cigarettes and flavored vapes, touching on the influence of the tobacco industry, racial justice concerns, and the balance between personal freedom and public health. It delves into the progress and challenges of the bill aiming to ban flavored tobacco in Colorado, as well as the conflicting viewpoints surrounding government intervention and its impact on small businesses and tax revenues.
Apr 14, 2022 • 26min
Who’s on the primary ballot?
And what do the choices made at the GOP state assembly say about the state of that party?
Apr 7, 2022 • 37min
Colorado at the eye of an election conspiracy storm
The story of how one county clerk came to believe in false claims about her own voting equipment, what it reveals about the many ways in which our election system […]
Mar 24, 2022 • 28min
The past, and future, of abortion in Colorado
Colorado has been a landmark state for both sides of the abortion debate: home to one of the earliest laws to liberalize access to the procedure, as well as the birthplace of the personhood movement. Now, with Roe v Wade in doubt at the federal level, state lawmakers are writing a new chapter Colorado's convoluted history on the issue.
Mar 11, 2022 • 40min
Crime is rising in Colorado – is justice reform to blame?
For more than a decade, Colorado lawmakers have pursued a range of criminal justice reforms.
Feb 25, 2022 • 34min
Lawmakers’ brewing labor battle
Some legislative leaders want to give all local public worker unions the power to collectively bargain, but they're up against a lot of powerful opponents.
Feb 10, 2022 • 24min
Serving in the statehouse while running for Congress
Seven percent of the state legislature is currently running for Congress — that’s the largest number in recent years and it speaks to the many ways in which this is […]
Jan 27, 2022 • 21min
The housing crisis comes home to the Capitol
With home values and rents rising at a dizzying rate, state lawmakers are rushing to try to address Colorado's housing crisis. They do have one ace up their sleeve: a whole lot of federal money.
Jan 17, 2022 • 16min
Back to work at the Capitol
The legislature has gaveled in its session. The governor has laid out his agenda. The cost of living and rising crime are high on the list of priorities on both sides of the aisle. What lies ahead for this year's policymaking?
