A day after Colorado's attorney general found that state workers still have the power to strike--despite an executive order by Gov. Bill Ritter that says they don't--the Senate GOP called on Ritter and fellow Democrats to enact a Republican-authored strike ban.

The Ritter administration and some legislative Democrats have said publicly they would support the proposed  ban on strikes by all state employees, which will be sponsored by Rep. Bob Gardner, a Colorado Springs Republican, and Assistant Senate GOP leader Nancy Spence, of Centennial, in the 2008 legislative session. However,  Republican Sen. Shawn Mitchell, of Broomfield, said now is the time to "start counting votes."

"The governor and some legislative Democrats have said they're OK with the Republicans' proposed strike ban , and that's fine and well, but it's also early in the game and easy to make promises," Mitchell said. "My guess is the governor is still hoping this whole issue goes away. That is why we must make one thing clear to the administration and its allies in the legislature: 'We will hold your feet to the fire.' "