Capitol Pulse: Reparations debate looms in racial equity study bill

What they're saying: "What the bill will show … is Colorado's role in creating discriminatory policies and how those policies impact Blacks today," said state Rep. Leslie Herod (D-Denver), a sponsor.

The intrigue: The focus on the financial impact is sure to draw the most attention and shift the conversation to reparations.

• The word isn't explicit in the legislation but the bill's advocates acknowledge it's part of the push. "We don't want to get ahead of ourselves," Rep. Jennifer Bacon (D-Denver) said.

Yes, but: Not all Black lawmakers want reparations in the discussion. "This is not about a dollar sign. This is not about 40 acres and a mule," state Sen. James Coleman (D-Denver) said.

• He wants the attention on existing discriminatory policies. "We need to be given the tools and resources in order to pull ourselves up by our bootstraps," he said.