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Sen. Brittany Pettersen makes history as first state lawmaker to give birth during a legislative session in Colorado

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Sen. Brittany Pettersen makes history as first state lawmaker to give birth during a legislative session in Colorado

Source: The Colorado Sun

State Sen. Brittany Pettersen made history late Sunday when she gave birth to her son, becoming the first state lawmaker in Colorado history to give birth during the course of a legislative session.

Davis James Silverii was born weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 20.75 inches.

“He’s doing amazingly well and so is mom,” said Ian Silverii, Pettersen’s husband and a Democratic operative who runs the organization ProgressNow Colorado. “We are so in love with our little boy.”

Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, is expected to miss at least a month of the 120-day legislative session as she recovers and cares for Davis.

The Colorado legislature doesn’t have a maternity leave policy, meaning that the Senate Democratic Caucus will have to adapt to accommodate Pettersen. She cannot vote remotely, and thus plans to return to the Capitol as soon as possible — with Davis — to take votes on the floor.

With Pettersen out, the Senate Democratic caucus’ majority shrinks to 18-16 from 19-16. All legislation needs at least 18 votes to pass the chamber’s floor, meaning that Democrats can’t afford to have any members defect on a policy if they want it to pass — or they will need at least one Republican’s support.

Click here to read the full article published by The Colorado Sun on 21 january 2020.

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State Sen. Brittany Pettersen made history late Sunday when she gave birth to her son, becoming the first state lawmaker in Colorado history to give birth during the course of a legislative session.

Davis James Silverii was born weighing 7 pounds, 6 ounces and measuring 20.75 inches.

“He’s doing amazingly well and so is mom,” said Ian Silverii, Pettersen’s husband and a Democratic operative who runs the organization ProgressNow Colorado. “We are so in love with our little boy.”

Pettersen, a Lakewood Democrat, is expected to miss at least a month of the 120-day legislative session as she recovers and cares for Davis.

The Colorado legislature doesn’t have a maternity leave policy, meaning that the Senate Democratic Caucus will have to adapt to accommodate Pettersen. She cannot vote remotely, and thus plans to return to the Capitol as soon as possible — with Davis — to take votes on the floor.

With Pettersen out, the Senate Democratic caucus’ majority shrinks to 18-16 from 19-16. All legislation needs at least 18 votes to pass the chamber’s floor, meaning that Democrats can’t afford to have any members defect on a policy if they want it to pass — or they will need at least one Republican’s support.

Click here to read the full article published by The Colorado Sun on 21 january 2020.

News
Focus areas