Date: 10/20/2009

Final
Subcommittee Updates

ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY POVERTY REDUCTION TASK FORCE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
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11:45 AM -- Subcommittee Presentations -- Preliminary Findings and Conclusions

Representative Kefalas indicated that subcommittees would give updates to the committee on preliminary findings and conclusions.


11:46 AM

Senator Sandoval updated the committee on the progress of the Scope of the Problem and Metrics Subcommittee. She described the mission of the subcommittee. She discussed the inadequacy of the federal poverty guidelines and suggested ways to explore other measures, such as the Self-Sufficiency Standard and the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) measure. Senator Sandoval provided comparisons of the different poverty measures. She noted that Legislative Council Staff is working to calculate a Colorado NAS measure. She addressed federal legislation concerning poverty measurement. She said that further study should be given to gradations of poverty within the state. Senator Sandoval referred to Attachment M, which was distributed during her presentation of Bill Number 6. She described the subcommittee's working model concerning how people get out of poverty. Representative Kefalas shared additional comments.


11:55 AM

Representative Gagliardi updated the committee on the progress of the Housing and Utilities Subcommittee. She described a survey concerning ideas for legislation and discussed upcoming meetings concerning cuts to senior support services and economic development programs. Representative Gagliardi provided an overview of the witnesses that had presented at subcommittee meetings, and offered conclusions reached from the meetings. She discussed recommendations concerning a dedicated funding source for affordable housing, housing available near transportation, and current state funding for affordable housing and low-income energy assistance programs. She addressed Bill Number 7, which had been previously discussed. She recommended that the committee address the issue of discrimination in the housing market against victims of domestic violence.


12:00 PM

Senator Boyd updated the committee on the progress of the Access to and Coordination of Public Benefits and Nonprofit/Faith-Based Services Subcommittee. She described past meetings of the subcommittee and discussed future meetings. She noted the importance of understanding what benefits currently exist, such as child care assistance, food assistance, adult education programs, low-income energy assistance, and disability determination services. She stated that the committee had not yet addressed the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program, or the Colorado Benefits Management System. She described proposed legislation that the committee had previously discussed. Senator Boyd stated that it is not clear how big the faith-based community is. She described a survey that will assess the services provided by the faith-based/nonprofit community, and noted that the survey will include questions pertaining to the service area addressed. She stated that the subcommittee plans to meet year-round. Representative Summers added that the assessment of faith-based/nonprofit assistance is a significant task of the subcommittee.


12:05 PM

Senator Hudak updated the committee on the progress of the Poverty and Education Subcommittee. She distributed a list of the subcommittee's recommendations (Attachment Q). Senator Hudak stated that education is the key to preventing poverty and is one of the most successful methods for getting individuals out of poverty. She noted that the subcommittee took a broad view of educational opportunities. She described the membership of the subcommittee. She remarked that the committee embraced three ideas that Representative Kefalas had previously mentioned: Promise Neighborhoods, increasing the college graduation rate, and incentivizing mentoring. Senator Hudak discussed collaboration with the work of other committees. She addressed the list of the subcommittee's recommendations, and spoke specifically about recommendation number 10, which concerns congressional support for the expansion of the required eligibility activities in TANF reauthorization to support college completion. She discussed legislation pending in the School Finance Interim Committee concerning Promise Neighborhoods. Discussion continued. Senator Sandoval addressed recommendation number 1.

091020AttachQ.pdf

12:13 PM

Representative Waller updated the committee on the progress of the Job Creation with Sustainable Income and Work Supports Subcommittee. He described the membership of the subcommittee and provided detail on the discussions of the subcommittee. He noted that Mr. Don Marostica, Director of the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade, testified at one of the meetings. Representative Waller discussed the difference between employer-focused and employee-focused members of the subcommittee. He explained the correlation between education and access to work. He stated his hope that the task force would be able to focus on job creation more in future meetings.