Partisan gridlock could dog 2015 Colorado Legislature

The legislative session that begins Wednesday in Colorado promises no shortage of juicy debates. Lawmakers will talk about emotionally charged topics from gun control and marijuana, to end-of-life decisions and new limits on oil and gas drilling.

But it remains to be seen whether a Legislature under split-party rule can manage to agree on those proposals.

After two years of Democratic rule, the Legislature is newly divided with Republicans controlling the Senate by a single seat and Democrats holding the House by just three seats.

Despite pre-session vows to compromise, the Capitol’s narrow margins will make gridlock hard to avoid.