“Civility” was the overused word of the day at the state Capitol as the 2011 session of the Colorado General Assembly started back in January. But, as usual, the sentiment was quickly dismissed until the session finally came to an end last night.

As the day began, it looked as though lawmakers would have to call a special session—with a steep price tag for taxpayers—to work out an issue over payday loans (Colorado Independent). But Governor John Hickenlooper swooped in to negotiate the “hostage” situation and was ultimately effective in ending the “standoff” (Denver Post).

Although the 2011 assembly convened with a lot of noise over immigration, budget axing quickly put education in the spotlight. Before wrapping up yesterday, Lawmakers scrounged up “spare change” for the Colorado Preschool Program, which serves low-income kids, but that payout is expected at “well less than $100,000” (Education News Colorado). A number of business-related bills were also taken up before the final gavel fell (Denver Business Journal), and Pueblo lawmakers signed off celebrating their successes in maintaining a program for the Colorado Mental Health Institute and an extension that will keep the city’s steel mill from temporary closures (Chieftain).