The Democrats in charge of the legislature say they will close this year's session either today or Wednesday, satisfied they've made strides in education, health care, the economy and protecting the environment.

"I'm going out on a really high note," said House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, who is term-limited. "I feel like every box I'm interested in has been checked."

Republicans took credit for several of the ideas that became the legacy of this session. They also claimed victory for stopping a couple proposals that went against their principles.

Democrats took control of both the House and Senate four years ago. They picked up the governor's office in 2006 and strengthened both legislative majorities while they were at it. The result of all that momentum was a decidedly Democratic agenda this year, focused on education, the environment, health care and a "new energy economy."

For the most part, Democrats were successful passing the cornerstones of that plan.

House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, with help from State Treasurer Cary Kennedy, got legislation passed allowing the state to borrow up to $1 billion to repair and rebuild the state's crumbling schools.

'Good year to be a kid'

"I think this was a really good year to be a kid in Colorado," said Romanoff, who also is term-limited.

Democrats working with the governor's budget office found money to provide health care coverage to 50,000 of the state's 150,000 uninsured children over the next three years.

Rep. Judy Solano, D-Brighton, got a "net metering" bill passed, requiring power companies to credit customers who produce their own wind and solar power.

And Gov. Bill Ritter found broad support for a package of proposals on the business-development front.

Two of the session's major pieces of legislation were bipartisan efforts co-sponsored by Sen. Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, and other Republicans.

Penry tipped his hat to the governor "for recognizing good ideas and embracing them."

Those bills will fund higher education building projects and realign the state's K-12 educational content standards with the aim of better preparing students for college.

The spirit of bipartisan cooperation was a change from some years past. House Minority Leader Mike May, R-Parker, said the approach was intentional.

"Being in the minority is not a skill I want to have forever, but you can legislate from the minority side and you can have influence," he said. "I think we were able to show that on several occasions."

Republicans took credit for scuttling at least two plans that would have loosened restrictions on the state's ability to collect and spend money.

A bill by Rep. Joe Rice, D-Littleton, to increase car registration fees to pay for critical transportation projects died under Republican pressure.

The GOP also blocked a proposal introduced by Romanoff late in the session to overhaul the Colorado Constitution by lifting the revenue limits mandated by the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights and to repeal Amendment 23's requirement that the state increase education spending annually regardless of the economy.

Citizens initiative

Romanoff on Monday officially pulled his bill from consideration, saying he will now try to collect the signatures required to place it on November's ballot as a citizens initiative.

Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs, said he is certain Romanoff won't get the signatures he needs. "The only difference between Elvis and that idea is that Elvis may be alive somewhere," he said.

Also dead is McElhany's proposal to toll Interstate 70 to fund road construction. Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, kick-started that debate with a similar "congestion-based pricing" proposal to unclog I-70 during ski season rush hour.

While both plans died before making it out of the Senate, they were indicative of the failure of lawmakers to gain ground on transportation issues.

bargec@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-954-5059

The highlights

EDUCATION * SB 218: Reallocates to higher-education construction projects hundreds of millions of dollars from federal mineral leases on land the state owns * SB 212: Realigns K-12 content standards to better prepare students for college * HB 1335: Allows the state to loan up to $1 billion to repair Colorado's crumbling schools

ENVIRONMENT HB 1160: Requires power companies to credit customers for producing their own wind and solar power HB 1353: Prevents fraud and misuse of the state's conservation easement program

HEALTH CARE SB 160: Provides coverage to 50,000 of the state's 150,000 uninsured children during the next three years. HB 1407: Forces insurance companies to pay benefits HB 1228: Allows commissioner of insurance to collect damages for misled consumers HB 1389: Allows state Division of Insurance to deny unjustified insurance rate hikes

ECONOMY HB 1225: Eliminates the business personal property tax for small businesses HB 1001: Makes $26.5 million available in grants to incubate bioscience technologies and jobs

TRANSPORTATION Not much accomplished. Two plans to toll Interstate 70 were killed. A vehicle registration and rental car fee-hike proposal died. Democrats acknowledge they must do something about state's "quiet crisis" next session.