Colorado Secretary of State's rulemaking for a new elections law from the 2023 Assembly session. You can go green, but can you install it? Speaking of install, give being an electrician some thought.
Are election law and the rules around elections in Colorado a passion of yours?
The Colorado Secretary of State's Office is going to hold a rulemaking** hearing on Aug 3rd based on some new law that passed in the last Assembly session.
The first link below is to the notice of rulemaking for the SOS's office. It gives the details on what rules they plan to update or create.
The second link below is your ticket to register for the hearing.
Remember that you needn't be an expert, you needn't be silver-tongued. You just need to be present and you need to question the things that your government is doing.
**Recall that there are two processes to some laws. First the legislature passes a law which expresses what the people want to happen (the concept). The executive branch department(s) that would be effected or that have to enforce that law then come up with rules and procedures that implement that concept. You have the ability to speak up at both.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1CKnE6HRwQCygxcgRBqgp30hSAwrRpWzD/view?usp=sharing
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7739541944876240221
You can mandate it, you can incentivize it, you can go green, but can you fix it or install it?
I wrote an op ed a few months back (see the first link below) reminding everyone of something simple: we can have all the green dreams we want, but we need to think about how we will fix the new technology that gets us there.
And, from the perspective of someone living on the Eastern Plains, I can tell you that we're not ready. At least not in the smaller parts of the state.
Well, apparently other people are now starting to ask the same kinds of questions. Take a look at the Sun article linked second below.
Let's put aside the issue of servicing new equipment. Let's go back a couple steps. If we're going to electrify everything, who's going to do the wiring?
The service sector is getting ready with training and recruiting, but, at least in the short term, I wonder if it will be enough.
I do not object to someone choosing to put in electric heating, drive an EV, or install solar panels. I myself, if I could make a trade that would give me a car comparable to my current one, would give an EV serious thought. I have solar panels on my roof.
I can't help but think that the push to do this, and do it right now, is a bit rushed. Putting aside my (usual and reasonable) concerns about the government compelling us to do it, I wonder whether or not we are investing heavily in BetaMax only to watch VHS become the standard.
Are we going to find 15, 20 years from now that we were premature? Are we going to find some other alternative that was better? Are our children and grandchildren going to thank us or curse us for the wads of THEIR money we tossed around now to incentivize and subsidize?
https://gazette.com/opinion/denver-columns/guest-column-you-can-go-green-but-can-you-fix-it/article_2681ffc4-95aa-11ed-96e6-87512f5058ae.html
https://coloradosun.com/2023/06/29/colorado-electrician-shortage-electric-push/
I cannot let an opportunity to push getting a trade pass me by.
The post immediately below this one is about the politics of going green and electrifying everything. Whether or not you agree with the politics, there is a push to do it and there will be demand.
Demand means jobs. This will be particularly the case in the rural parts of Colorado.
Anyone that has tried to (and this goes double in a rural area) get ahold of an electrician already knows the magnitude of the demand. How could you question whether or not this would be a solid field to take a trade in?
If you or someone you know wants a good career, give becoming an electrician some thought. As with almost all trades it is a great way to get into a good-paying career, debt free. Hell, with a lot of programs you will already be working and earning while you train. You can't do that at college.
I put in a couple links below to some training programs here in Colorado. I do not vouch for them. I present them as a couple examples. First one is union, second is (if I read right) non union.
Before signing up on anything, make sure you know what you are getting, what you'll have to do, and what, if any, money you'll have to pay.
https://rmcneca.com/apprenticeship/
https://iecrm.org/apprenticeship-program/