DENVER (AP) -- Gov. Bill Ritter says his decision not to run for re-election and the lame-duck status of some legislative leaders helped lawmakers get difficult legislation passed this year.
Ritter said Thursday that bills that were helped by the lack of election year politics included teacher tenure reform, cuts to state employee pensioners and pushing utilities toward replacing coal power plants with ones powered by natural gas.
The governor says the session left deep wounds among some lawmakers who opposed budget cuts and teacher reform, but he believes those will heal over time.
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