Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs (04/27/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Date:	04/27/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:18 PM to 04:24 PM	Boyd	X
		Cadman	X
Place:	SCR 356	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:
HB09-1010 HB09-1137 SJM09-007 SJM09-011 SJM09-008		Amended, Referred to Appropriations Amended, Referred to Appropriations Postponed Indefinitely Postponed Indefinitely Postponed Indefinitely

02:18 PM

Senator Williams, Chair, called the meeting to order.

02:18 PM -- House Bill 09-1010

Senator Gibbs, and Senator Spence, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 09-1010, concerning the promotion of Colorado as a location for film production activities. Senator Gibbs noted that Colorado's film commission is the oldest film commission in the United States. He commented on the role of the commission, and noted that it is staffed by three employees. He described the provisions of House Bill 09-1010, and commented on the economic impact of film production in Colorado.

The following persons testified in regard to House Bill 09-1010:

02:27 PM -- Kevin Shand, representing the Colorado Film Commission, commented on the economic benefit of film production in Colorado. He commented on the location of film commissions in state government agencies in the United States. He noted that there is a correlation between film production in a state and tourism in the state.

02:27 PM -- Marcia Morgan, representing the Colorado Film Commission, commented on staffing of the commission.

02:32 PM -- David Emrich, representing the Postmodern Company, commented on the activities of his company. He said that the film commission lost its status as a state agency in 2003. He said that public policy has kept the film industry in Colorado from being competitive with other states.

02:37 PM -- Ken Seagren, representing the Lighting Services Inc., commented on past film production in Colorado, and employment levels in the film industry.


BILL:	HB09-1010
TIME:	02:42:06 PM
MOVED:	Williams
MOTION:	Moved a prepared amendment to House Bill 09-1010, L.012 (Attachment A.) The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Boyd
	Cadman
	Schultheis
	Bacon
	Williams


Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1010
TIME:	02:46:55 PM
MOVED:	Williams
MOTION:	Moved that House Bill 09-1010 be referred to the Committee on Appropriations, as amended. 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

02:53 PM -- House Bill 09-1137

Senator Newell, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1137, concerning intercepts, and, in connection therewith, intercepting gambling winnings to pay outstanding restitution. She commented on the administration of intercepts in Colorado. She said that more than $314,000 was collected in the first six months after interception of delinquent child support payments commenced. She commented on the use of funds to be expended under House Bill 09-1137.

The following persons testified in regard to House Bill 09-1137:

03:00 PM -- John Bohannon, representing the Isle Casino, Black Hawk, and the Colorado Gaming Commission, opposed House Bill 09-1137. He commented on the requirements in the bill for the gaming commission to collect fees, and said casino employees should not act "as the state's bill collectors." He said that some casino guests are embarrassed by withholdings from their winnings. He said that the bill singles out the gaming industry for collection activities.

03:09 PM -- Amy Miller, representing the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence, supported House Bill 09-1137. She said that prior instances of using intercepts to collect child support debt have been successful. She commented on the impact of failure to pay for victim restitution.

03:12 PM -- Emily Kreutz Maxfield, representing the Department of Human Services, commented on the administration of intercepts.

03:15 PM -- Clark Bolser, representing the Department of Personnel, commented on the administration of moneys withheld for child support, and on the department's role in this administration.


BILL:	HB09-1137
TIME:	03:24:59 PM
MOVED:	Bacon
MOTION:	Moved a prepared amendment to House Bill 09-1137, L. 024 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Boyd
	Cadman
	Schultheis
	Bacon
	Williams

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1137
TIME:	03:25:17 PM
MOVED:	Bacon
MOTION:	Moved that House Bill 09-1137 be referred to the Committee on Appropriations, as amended. The motion passed on a 4-1-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Boyd	Yes
	Cadman	No
	Schultheis	Yes
	Bacon	Yes
	Williams	Yes


Final YES: 4 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:25 PM -- SJM 09-007

Senator Cadman, prime sponsor, presented Senate Joint Memorial 09-007, memorializing Congress to protect the right of workers to cast secret ballots in workplace elections. He said that polls show that Americans support the secret ballot in employee representation elections.

The following person testified in regard to Senate Joint Memorial 09-007:

03:27 PM -- Diana Orf, representing the Colorado Mining Association, supported the memorial and said that secret ballots are fundamental to the conduct of elections in the United States. She said that the "card check" proposal in Congress will chill free speech.


BILL:	SJM 09-007
TIME:	03:34:42 PM
MOVED:	Bacon
MOTION:	Moved that Senate Joint Memorial 09-007 be postponed indefinitely. 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

03:35 PM -- SUMMARY for SJM 09-011

Senator Lundberg, prime sponsor, presented Senate Joint Memorial 09-011, memorializing Congress concerning a claim of sovereignty under the Tenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States over certain powers, serving notice to the federal government to cease and desist certain mandates, and providing that certain federal legislation be prohibited or repealed. He said that the measure will memorialize Congress to support the Tenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Senator Schultheis said that the state should not always acquiesce to federal mandates.


BILL:	SJM 09-011
TIME:	03:46:34 PM
MOVED:	Bacon
MOTION:	Moved that Senate Joint Memorial 09-011 be postponed indefinitely. 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

03:59 PM -- SUMMARY for SJM 09-008

Senator Kopp, prime sponsor, presented Senate Joint Memorial 09-008, concerning reservations about Congress' intent to implement a cap-and-trade regulatory program to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases. He commented on the decision of the EPA to regulate carbon dioxide as a harmful pollutant. He said that federal legislation on the topic will dramatically affect the public and that the issue of global warming is not at the top of the list of concerns of Americans.

The following persons testified in regard to Senate Joint Memorial 09-008:

04:05 PM -- Stan Lewandowski, representing the Intermountain Rural Electric Association, said that the issue of global warming will be resolved based on its economic consequences rather than on the science involved. He said that utility customers are primarily concerned with the cost of their electricity. He said that 4,900 megawatts of additional power are needed in Colorado, and that enormous costs are involved with the federal cap-and-trade proposal.

04:08 PM -- Diana Orf, representing the Colorado Mining Association (CMA), said that the board of the CMA has not yet taken a position on the pending federal cap-and-trade legislation. However, she said that it is a principle of her organization to oppose measures that will increase costs to consumers. She suggested that the appropriate route to take in regard to global warming is a reliance on incentives. She said that the technology in this area is not yet ready to be deployed. She noted that federal proposals in this policy area are in a state of flux. She said that it is appropriate that the General Assembly urge Congress to act cautiously regarding global warming.

04:12 PM -- Barbara Walz, representing Tri-State Electric, commented on the potential cost impact of cap-and-trade on her business' customers. Senator Kopp commented on anticipated utility cost increases that could result from federal cap-and-trade legislation and he commented on potential job losses in Colorado if cap-and-trade is adopted.


BILL:	SJM 09-008
TIME:	04:23:28 PM
MOVED:	Bacon
MOTION:	Moved that Senate Joint Memorial 09-008 be postponed indefinitely. 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

04:24 PM

The committee meeting recessed.