House Bill 1271: Direct File Signed into Law

Ever wonder what happened to the Direct File bill we got to watch during Advocacy Day? It has just been signed into law by Governor Hickenlooper! What a great success! Today, every child accused of a crime facing adult court has the right to ask a judge to decide which system of justice--juvenile or adult--the case belongs in, and the right to present witnesses and other evidence in court. Juvenile court judges will decide whether 14-15 year olds should be transferred to adult criminal court. Criminal court judges will decide whether 16-17 year olds who are direct filed should be transferred to juvenile court. This is called a "reverse-transfer" hearing and provides essential due process protections. Please thank Governor Hickenlooper for signing this important bill. Please thank the sponsors of House Bill 1271, who led with civility and strength in the face of strong opposition: Representative BJ Nikkel, 303-866-2907, rep.nikkel@gmail.com Representative Beth McCann, 303-866-2959, beth.mccann.house@state.co.us Senator Tim Neville, 303-866-4859, tim.neville.senate@state.co.us Senator Angela Giron, 303-866-4878, angela.giron.senate@state.co.us

Sign the Petition to Stop Criminalizing Homelessness

Show Denver City Council that you don't approve of criminalizing homelessness. Read the article. Sign the Petition.

http://www.change.org/petitions/can-denver-afford-to-criminalize-its-homeless

The rate at which Colorado's kids are slipping into the ranks of the poor has slowed.

Check out the 2012 Kids Count report put out by Colorado Children's Campaign here:

http://www.coloradokids.org/data/publications/2012kidscount.html

Statistics about marriage ensuring economic success are suspect at best

For low-wage workers, the math of marriage in which one plus one adds up and becomes two incomes may be true only infrequently over time. That creates instability. And while all workers may risk a job or earnings loss, there may be a low-income tipping point where instability feels boundless, not just some blip from which to bounce back.

-Jodie Levin-Epstein

Read more on the myth of marriage, poverty reduction and personal responsibility here.

Click the Link. Play the Game. End Poverty.

Can games change the way we think about the future? From April 3-5, the Rockefeller Foundation will be holding a global public online game, called Catalysts for Change, to identify a thousand new paths out of poverty in just 48 hours of gameplay with hundreds of players from all walks of life. The game is open to everyone, anywhere in the world. Register to play at game.catalyze4change.org. Follow the game on Twitter (@catalyze4change) and on Facebook.

http://catalyze4change.org/