Bente Birkeland
Bente Birkeland has been reporting on state legislative issues for KUNC and Rocky Mountain Community Radio since 2006. Originally, from Minnesota, Bente likes to hike and ski in her spare time. She keeps track of state politics throughout the year but is especially busy during the annual legislative session from January through early May.
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Weeks after the mass shooting in Boulder, Colo., the push for a statewide ban on assault-style weapons is losing steam, even among prominent Democrats who say it is the wrong strategy. -
Some see these legal fights as another way to take on viral misinformation, one that's already starting to show some results. -
After 10 people were killed at a grocery store in Boulder, Colo., state Democrats say they're considering joining seven other states and D.C. by banning "assault-style" weapons. -
No governor expects they'll have to lead their state through a global pandemic when they take office, but the last year has thrust them all into the spotlight, including Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado. -
Voting technology companies are using lawsuits to take on false claims that they were involved in stealing the 2020 election. They say the flood of election disinformation has hurt their bottom line.
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As the GOP split reverberates across the U.S., the head of one Colorado county Republican Party insinuates that COVID-19 is a hoax, calls on militia group for security and faces calls to resign. -
The head of security for a voting equipment vendor speaks out from an undisclosed location where he's living after threats or harassment were directed to him and his family — even ex-girlfriends. -
Delaying session or meeting remotely aren't options that have necessarily appealed to Republican state lawmakers who, for the most part, aren't shy about gathering in large numbers in 2021. -
While former Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper is still seen as having an edge in his state's Senate primary, recent and past comments about race have dampened enthusiasm for him among some voters.
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The coronavirus is forcing governors to ask how to balance public safety with the financial welfare of their states. We spent the day with Colorado Gov. Jared Polis as the pandemic tested his mettle.
