Bill Summary for Bill Number HB10-1022

Date: 02/11/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB10-1022

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View-->

Action Taken:

Moved to adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment K). Th
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.002 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.004 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.005 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.006 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.008 (Attachme
Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.009 (Attachmen
Moved to adopt prepared L.003 (Attachment M). The
Moved to refer House Bill 10-1022, as amended, to

Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
PASS

03:28 PM -- House Bill 10-1022

The committee reconvened. Representatives Summers and Gagliardi presented House Bill 10-1022 which was recommended by the interim Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force. The bill changes the name of the food stamp program to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), changes the eligibility criteria for food assistance by removing the asset test and increasing the gross household income to 200 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL), and creates an outreach plan to promote awareness and access to the program. Representative Summers described the bill and the need to expand the food assistance program. Representative Summers explained that several amendments would be offered in order to reduce the fiscal note.

03:42 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc (CCI), stated that CCI has not had the opportunity to review the bill and take a position. She stated that CCI has two concerns with the bill as introduced. She stated that part of the bill's funding comes from the Department of Defense, approximately $4 million. She stated that this is one time funding. Another concern Ms. Ratliff expressed was that permanently changing the eligibility criteria for the SNAP will probably require Colorado Benefit Management System (CBMS) changes which will certainly drive a higher fiscal note. Committee members discussed the cost of making changes to the CBMS.

03:52 PM -- Pauline Burton, Colorado Department of Human Services, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Burton described the SNAP. She stated that Colorado's population is one of the fastest growing in the nation. She also commented that the number of individuals that counties are serving who are eligible for SNAP is increasing at a very high rate. She described the process an individuals goes through to determine eligibility for SNAP. Ms. Burton responded to questions from Representative Kefalas.

04:05 PM -- Rich Mauro, Denver Regional Council of Governments and the Senior Lobby, spoke in support of the bill. He spoke in support of the awareness and outreach efforts that are crucial in getting information out to individuals who are in need of food assistance.

04:08 PM -- Sandra Stenmark, Kaiser Permanente, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke to the consequences of inadequate nutrition in children.

04:13 PM -- Tara Trujillo, Colorado Children's Campaign, spoke in support of the bill. She provided statistics regarding how many children go without food. She stated that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that approximately 22 percent of children are food insecure, meaning that they go without two or more meals a day. Ms. Trujillo spoke to the paradox of keeping the asset test in determining eligibility for food assistance programs. She stated that the bill is a comprehensive strategy that enables individuals to move out of poverty.

04:18 PM -- Leona Martens, Weld Food Bank, spoke in support of the bill. She stated that the food bank has served an increase of 300 individuals a month since the recession began. She spoke to the large increase in families seeking food assistance. She stated that the bill enables a partnership between the government and the community to address food shortages. She stated that she supports the new model of partnership between the government and community organizations.

04:26 PM -- Kathy Underhill, Coalition to End Hunger, spoke in support of the bill. She stated that the bill is a systemic solution to a systemic problem. She stated that the strategies listed in the bill are recommended by the USDA and are considered best practices. She spoke to private funding that has been collected to be used towards an educational outreach program for the SNAP.


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:33:41 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment K). The amendment removes the provision to rebrand the food assistance program to the Supplemental Assistance Nutritional Program (SNAP). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:34:53 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.002 (Attachment L). The amendment removes the certification period which is intended to remove some of the CBMS changes that may be required. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:39:51 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared L.003 (Attachment M). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:41:12 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.004 (Attachment N). The amendment removes the provision in the bill that increases the federal poverty level for eligibility for food stamps. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:42:03 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.005 (Attachment O). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:43:29 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.006 (Attachment P). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:44:06 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.008 (Attachment Q). The amendment allows the department, pursuant to federal authorization, to eliminate the asset test for eligibility for food assistance benefits. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	04:52:14 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.009 (Attachment R). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Gerou
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Gerou
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Primavera
	Roberts
	Swalm
	Tyler
	Gagliardi
	Riesberg

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

04:58 PM

Representative Gagliardi spoke to the fiscal note. She indicated that a new fiscal note would be prepared for the Committee on Appropriations.


BILL:	HB10-1022
TIME:	05:04:26 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 10-1022, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Kefalas
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Apuan	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Roberts	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Tyler	Excused
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

House Bill 10-1050 was laid over to the end of the calendar.