DENVER - Sixty days down. Sixty more to go in the 2013 Colorado legislative session.
The customary mid-session update from legislative leaders was largely overshadowed by the debate over gun policy, which reaches its apex Friday.
Seven gun control bills will get a full debate on the Senate floor, where they can be amended and then advance or die.
Nothing is a sure bet. The Denver Post polled several Senate Democrats and found some dissenting voices on gun liability, magazine limits, and college campus carry restrictions.
Two Democrats lodged opposition to those measures, several others were undecided. All it takes to scuttle a bill is three Democrats to vote no.
None of this seemed to worry Senate President John Morse, who sponsored the bill to add liability for gun owners, sellers, and makers of semiautomatic rifles.
"I am sure that we will pass a comprehensive package and my bill is on the cutting edge of that," said Morse. "I'm confident that we'll pass it. But again, I won't have to be confident after tomorrow-- you'll have a fact."
The gun debate has garnered the most attention of any issue thus far, but lawmakers have already advanced other controversial bills.
Civil unions is nearly to its final steps to become law. The ASSET bill, which would give some immigrants here illegally in-state college tuition, is expected to pass a final vote Friday and head to the Governor's desk.
Lawmakers have also started an effort to overhaul the way public schools are financed.
Still to come is more controversy.
To response to the passage of Amendment 64, Democrats announced Thursday that they will form a "joint select committee," so called because it consists of both House and Senate members.
The special committee is charged with taking recommendations from Gov. John Hickenlooper's task force on pot and turning them into laws.
In the coming weeks, expect legislation on fracking and a proposal to end the death penalty, which should provide a passionate debate.
Lawmakers also need to finalize the state budget. The federal government's sequestered budget cuts could complicate that effort.
(KUSA-TV © 2013 Multimedia Holdings Corporation)