Gov. Hickenlooper signs proclamations for Amendment S and Amendment 65

DENVER — Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013 — Gov. John Hickenlooper today signed an Executive Order that makes an “official declaration of the vote” related to Amendment S and Amendment 65. The declaration formalizes the amendments as part of the state Constitution.

Amendment S updates the state’s personnel system for the first time in 40 years. The changes better enable the State to recruit and retain top talent by increasing flexibility in the hiring process, including allowing hiring managers to consider other objective criteria besides a written test and expanding the number of candidates that can be interviewed from three to six. Amendment S also expands a hiring preference for veterans and increases the public accountability of the State Personnel Board by instituting term limits. More specifically:

The state’s outdated hiring process directly contributed to a recent backlog of 1,800 permits and licenses for the private sector. Amendment S allows the state to move at a 21st-century pace, reducing the drag on the private sector and making Colorado more business-friendly.
Before Amendment S, the only way the state of Colorado could assess a job applicant was through standardized testing. Now, applicants will be judged on their ability, talent and their test scores so the best candidates are hired and promoted.
Amendment S gives veterans preference each time they apply for a job in state government. This change makes Colorado more military friendly and will ensure veterans are treated with the same respect as in other states.
Amendment S allows the state to bring back experienced workers for seasonal work while keeping protections in place for employees.
Amendment S makes employees more accountable to department heads and facilitates the creation of effective teams of employees. It also shortens the terms of Personnel Board members to ensure greater oversight of the departments.

Voters in November approved the amendment by a vote of 1,276,405 (56.35 percent) to 988,541 (43.65 percent).

Amendment 65 encourages Colorado’s congressional delegation and state lawmakers to support a U.S. constitutional amendment to limit campaign contributions and spending.

Voters in November approved the amendment by a vote of 1,762,515 (74.01 percent) to 619,073 (25.99 percent).

A copy of the Executive Order signed by the governor can be found here.

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