Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Date:02/25/2009
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:35 PM to 02:53 PM
Boyd
X
Cadman
X
Place:SCR 353
Schultheis
X
Bacon
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Williams
X
Senator Williams
This Report was prepared by
Geoff Johnson
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB09-1008
HB09-1088		Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:35 PM

Senator Williams, Chair, called the meeting to order.

01:35 PM -- House Bill 09-1008

Senator Williams, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1008, concerning the expansion of the ability to transfer annual leave between employees in the state personnel system.

The following persons testified in regard to House Bill 09-1008.

01:36 PM -- Rich Gonzales, Executive Director, Department of Personnel and Administration, said that House Bill 09-1008 will provide employees an opportunity to borrow leave if they experience a life-altering event.

01:42 PM -- Joi Simpson, Statewide Leave Coordinator, Department of Personnel and Administration, said that the leave sharing program was adopted in 1990. She commented on the eligibility requirements for employees to participate in leave sharing. She noted that House Bill 09-1008 will change the standard for receiving donated leave from "catastrophic" events to "life-altering" events. She said that House Bill 09-1008 will have no fiscal impact and that the program is family-friendly.

01:47 PM -- Mary Ulibarri, representing State of Colorado Classified Employees, commented on the case of an employee whose surgery consumed all of her leave time and described that employee's use of the leave sharing program. She said that the current criteria for the leave bank are so restrictive that the bank is no longer accepting donations.
BILL:HB09-1008
TIME: 01:55:35 PM
MOVED:Williams
MOTION:Moved that House Bill 09-1008 be referred to the Committee of the Whole, and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a 5-0-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Boyd
Yes
Cadman
Yes
Schultheis
Yes
Bacon
Yes
Williams
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:57 PM -- House Bill 09-1088

Senator Newell, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1088, concerning certification of public benefit nonprofit entities as local public procurement units. She said that House Bill 09-1088 will support nonprofit entities in the state and will allow these entities to participate in the same discounts that are available to state vendors.

The following persons testified in regard to House Bill 09-1088:

02:00 PM -- Adrienne Benavidez, Director, Division of Finance and Procurement, Department of Personnel and Administration, supported House Bill 09-1088, and commented on price agreements that are administered by the division. She spoke of how House Bill 09-1088 will benefit the state and she commented on similar programs in other states. She noted that 3,000 to 5,000 nonprofit agencies will be eligible to participate in this program. She said that the department is not currently anticipating that a fee would be charged for the use of the system.

02:06 PM -- John Utterback, State Purchasing Director, commented on the current utilization of price agreements. He said that savings available under the agreements range from 10 percent to 40 percent off retail pricing.

02:27 PM -- Mark Turner, representing the Colorado Nonprofit Association, supported House Bill 09-1088. He said that the proposal is especially important given the downturn in the state economy. He said that his organization will communicate the availability of the program to Colorado nonprofits.

02:30 PM -- John Klumchalk, representing Developmental Pathways, Incorporated, commented on purchasing by his nonprofit organization. He spoke of the potential benefit of House Bill 09-1088 to his organization. He said that negotiated contracts will benefit his organization.

02:46 PM

Senator Cadman expressed concern about the potential fiscal impact of House Bill 09-1088 on the Department of Personnel and Administration. Senator Boyd said that nonprofits that do not receive public funds will not be eligible to participate in the program.
BILL:HB09-1088
TIME: 02:49:11 PM
MOVED:Boyd
MOTION:Moved that House Bill 09-1088 be referred to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 3-2-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Boyd
Yes
Cadman
No
Schultheis
No
Bacon
Yes
Williams
Yes
Final YES: 3 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:49 PM

The committee meeting adjourned.