Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Date:03/24/2009
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:37 PM to 02:59 PM
Kopp
X
Renfroe
X
Place:SCR 352
Romer
X
Spence
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Veiga
X
Senator Gibbs
Williams
X
Gibbs
X
This Report was prepared by
Geoff Johnson
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB09-1164Amended, Referred to Finance

01:37 PM

Senator Gibbs, chairman, called the meeting to order.

01:37 PM -- House Bill 09-1164

Senator Kester, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1164, concerning a surcharge on breast cancer awareness license plates to provide funding for cancer treatment for women who are not currently eligible to participate in the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Program under the "Colorado Medical Assistance Act." He said that House Bill 09-1164 will provide a funding source for low-income women with access to financial assistance for breast cancer prevention and treatment and will add a $25 fee to the cost of the Breast Cancer Awareness Special License Plate. He noted that 26,000 of these special license plates have been issued in Colorado, and that the Breast Cancer Awareness Special License Plate is the most popular special license plate in the state. He said that he will seek to amend House Bill 09-1164 in order that payment of the $25 surcharge will be optional for persons who currently have the special license plate.

The following persons testified in regard to House Bill 09-1164:

01:41 PM --
Alice Borodkin, Denver, representing herself, opposed House Bill 09-1164, and commented on the original purpose of the special license plate. She said that the plate was originally intended to be primarily a "breast cancer awareness plate," and that revenues generated by the plate were not intended to be spent for medical research. She said that the proposed total $75 cost of the special license plate is excessive and will result in a decline in revenues and awareness overall.

01:49 PM -- Carol Hickman, Lone Tree, representing herself, opposed House Bill 09-1164, said that it is unfair to change the rules for people who currently have the special license plate. She expects that many people who currently have the special license plate will not renew their plates if the surcharge is imposed. She noted that the General Assembly has already adopted a motor vehicle registration fee increase of $41 this session, and that the combined impact will adversely impact the special license plate. She commented on the original motivation in creating the special license plate and on the potential for creating a new special license plate specifically for the purpose of raising funds for treatment of breast cancer. Committee discussion ensued regarding the creation of such a special license plate. She distributed a hand-out to the committee (Attachment A.)

090324AttachA.pdf

02:09 PM --
Maria Lee, Elizabeth, representing herself, opposed House Bill 09-1164, and said that the purpose of the current plate is breast cancer awareness. She reiterated that the proposed increase in the cost of the special license plate will be burdensome on the purchasers of the plate.

02:14 PM --
Amy Reynolds, Littleton, representing herself, spoke of her breast cancer diagnosis. She commented on her family history of breast cancer, and said that she was involved with creation of the Breast Cancer Awareness Special License Plate. She said that the proposed funding mechanism in House Bill 09-1164 is confusing. She commented on medications for treatment of breast cancer that have been developed in the last decade.

02:24 PM --
Jill Adams, representing Susan G. Koman for the Cure, spoke of the importance of health insurance, and noted that uninsured persons are 60 percent more likely to die from a disease than those who carry health insurance policies.

02:30 PM -- Jeanette Oxelson, Denver, representing herself, commented on her treatment regimen for breast cancer and on the importance of early detection of breast cancer.

02:34 PM -- Vicki Tosher, representing the Colorado Breast Cancer Coalition, said that the public believes that a portion of the cost of the special license plate is used for the prevention or treatment of breast cancer. She said that many persons who currently have the special license plate would not purchase the plate if they knew that it did not support breast cancer research.

02:37 PM --
Dr. Karen Funk, Broomfield, representing Clinica Family Health, spoke of Colorado's support for breast cancer screening services and the critical nature of screening services for saving lives.

02:39 PM --
Melissa Windholz, representing herself, said that she was under the impression that some of the funds raised by the special license plate were used for treatment or prevention of breast cancer.

02:40 PM -- Vikki Lieberman, Littleton, representing herself, supported House Bill 09-1164, and spoke of her experience with breast cancer.

02:41 PM --
Dana Dzwonkowski, representing the American Cancer Society, supported House Bill 09-1164, and said that some women do not qualify for treatment in Colorado based on the location of their screening for breast cancer. She noted that the funds raised by the proposed surcharge will be used to treat women in this situation.
BILL:HB09-1164
TIME: 02:49:13 PM
MOVED:Williams
MOTION:Moved a prepared amendment to House Bill 09-1164 (Attachment B), L.006. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Kopp
Renfroe
Romer
Spence
Veiga
Williams
Gibbs
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

090324AttachB.pdf
BILL:HB09-1164
TIME: 02:56:49 PM
MOVED:Romer
MOTION:Moved a conceptual amendment to House Bill 09-1164 to make payment of the surcharge mandatory after a three-year period. The motion failed on a 2-5-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Kopp
No
Renfroe
No
Romer
Yes
Spence
No
Veiga
Yes
Williams
No
Gibbs
No
Not Final YES: 2 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL
BILL:HB09-1164
TIME: 02:57:48 PM
MOVED:Kopp
MOTION:Moved a conceptual amendment to House Bill 09-1164 to rewrite the bill such that the $25 surcharge will always be optional whether a person is applying for a new, replacement, or renewal of a Breast Cancer License Plate. The motion failed on a 2-5-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Kopp
Yes
Renfroe
Yes
Romer
No
Spence
No
Veiga
No
Williams
No
Gibbs
No
Not Final YES: 2 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL
BILL:HB09-1164
TIME: 02:57:58 PM
MOVED:Williams
MOTION:Moved that House Bill 09-1164 be referred to the Committee on Finance, as amended. The motion passed on a 7-0-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Kopp
Yes
Renfroe
Yes
Romer
Yes
Spence
Yes
Veiga
Yes
Williams
Yes
Gibbs
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:59 PM

The committee meeting adjourned.