But the governor will be speaking for approximately 40 to 50 minutes. Oftentimes we get an advanced copy of the speech. We havent received that yet. He says hell be talking to the whole state. Often theyll be talking directly at lawmakers because theyre hoping especially during an Election Year theyll get along and make progress. But the governor says he really waats to speak to everyone in big job hes got, because he has to talk about not only the things he thinks went well in the last year, but also the things that we need. A lot of people think we need more money for roads, improve education, make college more affordable. Even the House Speaker says lawmakers need to fix tabor. Republicans have said all along dont tamper with the taxpayer bill of rights. Theyre going to come to loggerheads, head to head right out of the chute. The session f course goes 120 days. Its scheduled to adjourn may 11th. There are a lot of things on the table and opefully the governor can start making his case for cooperation. Wages may be another thing. weve been hearing about the increase in minimum wage. Another thing weve been hearing about we may hear addressed today as well is the right to prescribe that pill, life ending pill to terminally ill patients. He may address that as well. We do have a political show starting on sunday at 4 00. Denver7 reporter Marshall Zelinger who is out there getting ready for a report for us and Anne Trujillo our evening anchor will be hosting that show and theyll be democrats about some of the issues facing our state in this hot political season, theyll sunday. Tune in for that, thats sunday at 4 00 here on denver 7. This is something that well have every week going forward. We have Marshall Zelinger live on the phone. Hes in the gallery there in the upper tier. He has a great birdseye view. A lot to tackle this session. Marshall, can you hear us . [ no audio ] sounds like hes trying to. Well try to establish this shot. We dont want to lose this shot, because we have the podium for the speaker of the house, its where the governor will take the stage and speak to this joint session. You can see that was the `peakers platform. Well get to marshall in a minute. 3 dickeyylee holings forth, thats normally will she leads thh house. But today the governor will be there as he gives us the state of the state for 2016. Were going to take a listen now to something yesterday from legislators. Take a listen. We apologize. We are experiencing some technical difficulties. So, here we go. Oh say can you see by the dawns early light that there is the lead singer from the fray, isaac slade. He started the nee legislative session by singing the national anthem. Lawmakers also returned to the newly renovated chambers, which wasnt a bad thing to return to. This is another live look inside the house chambers, waiting for governor hickenlooper to take the podium. An issue, some lawmakers in different cities, including denver, one of the hot issues is this construction defect laws, whether they favor the contractors or homeowners. Theres been some back and forth, especially in denver, and so it will be interesting 3 to see if he touches on that as welll its something that would affect many builders and jobs across the state. So another issue. Perhaps not as large assfixing roads and education, but one that can mean a lot of money for the state and a lot of jobs and affect a lot of you out there. College affordability a hot weve been hearing that on the president ial campaign trail as well. Thats another topic we expect to hear from as we continue to wait, if youre just joining us, were hanging around now. The state of the state address supposed to start at 11 00. Clearly were running behind here. Everyone looks like theyre about to take their seat, so hopefully that eans well hear from the governor soon. Looks like we do have Marshall Zelinger standing by. Can you hear us now . Reporter i can. Can you hear me . Great. Finally. Tell us a little it about whats going on inside now. Reporter speaker of the house has taken the podium and will announce when the governor comes in, almost like the president being in town. As soon as it getssto that point ill quiet down, but its not quite there yet. Youve been previewing what governor. We know hes going to highlight the positives of the economy, but will also touch on some of the problems with the state, funding for transportation and education. Pottntial cuts were going to hell do that in front of the house and senate meetinn together in the house chambers. Theres a few minutesshere of ceremony that has to take place before the governor is announced to come into the chambers. Talk about for a moment, if you will, the challenge the governorrhas in this speech, because on one hand youve ggt to talk abouu how well were doing in colorado, but you also have to talk about the needs we have in colorado. They seem to be conflicting, but he has to address both those topics. Reporter hes going to start clearly with the positive. Youd want to start with the positive and et people jazzed up and encourageed. Hes going to highlight the colorado, problems with transportation, funding building he roads instead of it looks like the governor might be ready to be announced. Marshall, thank you so much. We can hear you trying to be quiet in there. I think were going to go ahead and listen in to whats oing on there as they prepare to introduce the governor. Ttey have roll call out of the way. I guess thats good. Eeerybody is there. They should be, right . Hope so. Get this session rocking here with the state of the state address from the governor. Again, scheduled to start at 11 00, were 8 after, so a little bit behind. Not terribly unused to this. That happens seems year to year the governor is supposed to speak for a little under an hour, talking about not only the highlights over the last year or so, but also the challenges we have ahead as a state. Especially as he tries to get both the house and senate to Work Together on a lot of these issues, which is always a challenge for anyone when its that divided as it is. Especially during an Election Year. Yeah. Even the state lawmakers could tell you they know much of the natiin keeps a close eye on colorado, not only because of our growth, because we lead in many areas, in business areas, but because were a state for the president ial election. Theyre not they know thats happening so they may be more divided than usual because its an Election Year. Do we still have marshall available . Reporter im still here. I want to bring you back in, because you have your political show coming up at 4 0 thhs sunday. Can you tell us a little bit about who were going to hear reporter war going to talk to the leaders, house and senate leaders. Clearly theyre going to have different viewpoints. The speakers speech yesterday was about colorados way of life and the positives of colorado and ways to bring a equal to quality, the speaker the president s speech was more about Law Enforcement and protection. Clearry the viewpoints on the tone of the speech were different. Were looking for three members of both the house and senate here. When i start to see those members appear in the door way, thats what im waiting for that will shut me upp to talk more about what will be on the debut show, welllbe asking leaders of the house and things, and get the other chamber to pass things. Just like last year, there will be difficulties in passing compromise here without getting help from each side. Would you say the tabor is probably the biggest challenge where the lawmakers are on either side of the aisle on to change or budge . Reporter if you ask the senate side, theyll talk about dealing withhthe budget that you have and refunding the money to the voters and figuring out how to spend he money that you have in your piggy bank without asking for more. The democrats will paint the picture of the mechanism creating this tabor refund now that could possibly go to education or transportation in some fashion, that that mechanism needs to be changed, that its not so much it `hould be a tabor refund this year, voters should be getting money back, but its a miitake letting that happen. Governor is about to enter. Marshall, its no secret this city is rapidly expanding. We are just state is growing. Population is insane right now. Do you think theyll e addressing some issues related to that as well today . Reporter were about to find out. Is he walking in now . I think so. We may have lost our live picture, unfortunately, marshall. Reporter didnt realize that. so we can hear you and hear folks kind of murmuring as the governor is entering the room, but cant see it. Lets take a look. I think we have it now. 3 now we see him. Coming down the aisle. When he gets to the front row, thats where special delegates are, the mayors and fiance in the front row. You see Lieutenant Governor joe garcia. This is his wife next to him. John souther, mayor of Colorado Springs in that row hes greeting. Other members of the Colorado Legislature on the end. Senate president will hand over the podium to the governor who will start his state of the state address. The first half will focus on before e turns to the realism, the problems this legislature will have to figure out solutions for starting this afternoon and tomorrow when they really get to business. It is my extreme pleasure to present to you the governor of the entire great state of colorado, according to him, the honorable, the betrothed, john hickenlooper, governor of colorado. [ applause ] thank you. Thank yyu very much. You, thank you. Thank you. [ applause ] thank you and good morning. The rosy glow and spring ii my step isnt just due to my recent engagement. Thank you. I know that i am a very lucky person and i know im not the only one looking forward to the broncos beating the steelers on sunday. [ applause ] im grateful, excited to be here with you today in the State Capitol to kick off our sixth year of Work Together. Leadership, and thank you to our house leadership. To all of the members of the assembly, we thank you for your commit and your service to the state. Last year we llst ooe of colorados most beloved Public Servants and educators, representative john buckner. We welcome janet bucknnr to the General Assembly, we know youll bring the same level of dedication that your husband brought to his work nd community. Thank you as well to attorney general cynthia kauffman, to secretary of state wayne williams, to treasurer walker stapleton, were honored to have the vice chairwoman and councilman Michael Thompson joining us this morning as well. Welcome. [ applause ] in the house today is also u. S. Representative ed perlmutter. [ applause ] thank you for taking a brief respite from the hurley burly of washington, d. C. And southers. [ aaplause ] and denver mayor michael ancock. [ applause ] thank you both for all that you do for our communities and for our state. We offer our thanks to the supremes, the esteemed members of the Colorado Supreme Court who are in attendance this were indebted to the members of our military and Law Enforcement ommunities and to Major General edwards of the Colorado National guard for their service and sacrifice in the pursuit of keeping us safe. [ applause ] i want to extend thanks to my cabinet and staff. I dont think ive ever worked with sufficient an Incredible Group of people in my life. I also want to ggve a shoutout to all our state employees for `endeavoring to bring out the [ applause ] some months ago Lieutenant Governor garcia accepted a new position as president of the western interstate commission for higher education, which hell begin later this year. [ sniffing ] i want to thank you, joe, for your partnership. Your leadership as the executive director of the department of higher education, and most importantly for your friendship. [ applause ] soon weewill also bid farewell to executive director of the mike, we thank you for your collaboration, your stewardship of all our Natural Resources in the state of colorado. `[ applause ] id also like to give a special shoutout this year to the department of personnel and administration, legislative staff and all the employees from capitol complex, and Colorado Companies who have worked so hard to restore these chambers to their original splendor. [ applause ] 131 years ago a democraticc governor and republican General Assembly came together to enact leeislation to build this capitol. It was 1885 and colorado was experiencing a silver boom. And growing by the day. It cost roughly 2. 7 million to build the capitol back then. Today would probably cost 100 times that. Originally the top of the capitol dome was to be adorned by a 12foot high statue of quote, unquote, the most beautiful woman in colorado. Despite a clear republican majority, the legislators couldnt agree oo who was, in fact, the most beautiful woman in the state. So they forged a compromise. The crystal atmosphere known as the lantern that tops this building to this day, they built something to be proud of that has endureed and served generations of coloraddans. At the beginning of my second term last january, as we took stock of the strength of our state, the promise of the future, and the thorny fiscal thicket that threatens to undermine both, we asked proposing to build for colorado . Colorrdo is still the frontier. Were forward hinkers, risk takers, innovators, self sufficient, independent and strong, a little wild and a hell of a good time. Colorado is a place where you can make your own way. This should be as true tomorrow as it is today. We dont need a delorean time machine to know change is coming. Just 20 years ago we were still using dialup modem. We didnt know we would be texting more than talking, and dating would be about swiping left and right. And he cat videos, all the cat videos. If youre yoong or old, what your dream looks llke, strike gold, stone cold, colorado is the place where fortune favors the bold. Can hase your american dreaa. Colorado is the place. [ applause ] a vibrant economy, widespread prosperity, a healthy environment, these things dont create themselves. Theyre created byy partnerships. The state is a partner with business and nonprofits in growth. By working together we can do more for colorado than any own. We call this the Golden Triangle. Thanks to the investtent of our private sector, the collaboration in and beyond this building, and the hard work and innovation of people across colorado, our Golden Triangle strategy is working. [ applause ] weve come a long way in the last five years, from budget short falls, stagnant economy, we have one of the best economies in the countty. One of the best places for businesses and careers, quality of life, health and tourism. Our economy is projected to continue its steady growth and our government can be effective in finding solutions to ssme of colorados greatest challenges. we now have a comprehensionive statewiie water plan, the result of unprecedented engagement with over 30,000 part. Its anchored in conservation and powered by Innovative Solutions to make our water go further, protect our flourishes. Well work with you to craft legislation that gives the Colorado Water conservatiin board greater flexibility in funding our most important water projects. Were building on the success of colorados 40 billioning a curl industry to ensure our Rural Communities realize their full economic potential. Colorado blueprintt2. 0 is helping regions identify and capitalize on their assets. This bottom up approach is delivering exciting resslts. Today we are happy to announce costia county will be home to blanca products saw mill, a new commercial facility that will ssrve southern colorado and northern new mexico, creating over 100 jobssin the first year with the potential to grow by hunddeds more by 2020. To giveeyou an idea of how big in that county is like adding 60,000 jobs to metro denver. [ applause ] in 2013, this body created the ready grant, which played an integral role in the partnership that brought this project to colorado. Wwth us today are county commissioners please join me in congratulating them on their partnership in bringing this new business to colorado. [ applause ] stand up. [ applause ] rural colorado is also plugging into our aerospace industry, thanks to outreach aimed at expanding colorados space major front range contractors are looking to swamp businesses around the state and looping them into their supply chain. Over 50 Colorado Companies supplied 25 million worth of goods and services to one single recent Lockheed Martin satellite project. its not just front range benefits see companies seeing the benefits. Companies joined forces as a result of rood trips arranged by the colorado Business Space round table. We encourage other industries to follow this lead to make targeted efforts to do business with Colorado Companies and maximize resources statewide. Now, when youve got it, youve got it. One of the many ways colooados tourism. In 2014 we hit two allttme tourism records. Spent 18. 6 billion in colorado. Thats a 7 gaii in spending compared to 2013. [ applause ] were just hitting our stride. We established the Outdoor RecreationIndustry Office to help communities throughout the state grow their recreation business. Were launching our Rural Jump Start Program his monnh in mesa county. Three companies, colorado clean, tsw analytics, and pro star geocorps have applied. We look forward to working with them and Colorado M