A bill sponsored by state Sen. Kerry Donovan and Rep. Dylan Roberts of Avon that would allow the state of Colorado to hire back former members of the State Wildland Inmate Fire Team moved through the legislative process of the Colorado General Assembly with broad support.
The bill, SB21-012 passed in both the Senate and the House last month. In the Senate, the bill received 33 aye votes and one no, and the House gave the bill 60 ayes and three noâs.
The bill would direct the division of fire protection and control to develop materials to increase awareness of opportunities for wildland fire careers for those who gained experience in that job while incarcerated.
Bill will fund post-release SWIFT opportunities chaffeecountytimes.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from chaffeecountytimes.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Saddle company sues Colorado prison system for breach of contract
Courtesy of Colorado Saddlery)
A Westminster-based company that had inmates make its products for years now says Colorado’s prison system is ripping it off.
Colorado Saddlery sued Colorado Correctional Industries, a division of the Colorado Department of Corrections that provides incarcerated labor, on Dec. 29, accusing CCI of breach of contract and trademark infringement.
According to the lawsuit, Colorado Saddlery contracted with CCI to have offenders produce some of its saddles and tack for nearly three decades, from 1989 to 2018.
Colorado Saddlery claims CCI has breached the two parties’ labor agreement by selling products outside of the Colorado Saddlery’s stores for below-market prices, as well as misusing the company’s logos and designs despite the end of the contract.