Bill Summary for Bill Number HB10-1370

Date: 04/06/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB10-1370

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). Th Moved to refer House Bill 10-1370, as amended, to	Pass Without Objection PASS

02:03 PM -- House Bill 10-1370

Representative Court, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 10-1370, concerning certain disclosure requirements that apply to statewide ballot measures. Representative Court explained the effect of the bill, and discussed support for the bill from a disparate collection of advocates. Representative Court also discussed the importance of disclosure associated with ballot petitions.

02:06 PM

The following persons testified regarding House Bill 10-1370:

02:07 PM -- Ms. Alice Ramsey, representing the League of Women Voters, testified in favor of the bill. Ms. Ramsey discussed the importance of disclosure in the initiative petition process.

02:08 PM -- Ms. Elena Nunez, representing Colorado Common Cause, testified in favor of House Bill 10-1370. Ms. Nunez discussed the benefits of strengthening initiative petition disclosure requirements.

02:09 PM -- Mr. Phil Hayes, representing the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations, testified in favor of the bill. Mr. Hayes discussed the need for additional disclosure from issue committees.

02:11 PM -- Mr. Luis Torro, representing Colorado Ethics Watch, testified in favor of House Bill 10-1370. Mr. Torro discussed the disclaimer portion of the bill for issue committees, and the importance of such requirements. Mr. Torro also discussed court jurisdiction over disclosure requirements, as clarified in the bill. Discussion ensued regarding current requirements for disclosure of contributions to initiative campaigns, and how House Bill 10-1370 will affect these requirements. Discussion followed regarding provisions in the bill that require tracking of input during the process of creating the Blue Book. Discussion followed regarding the potential for amending these provisions in the bill.

02:22 PM

Discussion ensued regarding the applicability of the disclosure provisions of the bill during the Blue Book process to local governments. Discussion followed regarding including the names of those contributing language to the Blue Book process in the Blue Book itself, and language in the bill directing Blue Book readers to information on ballot proponents and opponents on the Secretary of State's website. Mr. Dan Cartin and Ms. Sharon Eubanks, representing the Office of Legislative Legal Services, provided input on the disclosure requirements associated with this language, and the Blue Book drafting process in general. Discussion ensued regarding the potential for reducing the number of times this language will be repeated in the Blue Book as a result of House Bill 10-1370. Discussion followed regarding the number of issue committees that would be listed on the Secretary of State's website.

02:34 PM

Discussion continued regarding the potential for including a listing of proponents and opponents associated with each ballot measure within the Blue Book. Discussion followed regarding how input from proponents and opponents is recorded during the drafting of the Blue Book, and the initiative petition process in general. Discussion turned to the definition of "issue committee" in state law.

02:45 PM

Mr. Cartin responded to questions regarding what constitutes a petition section within the context of signature collection for ballot initiatives. Discussion ensued regarding the benefits of listing initiative proponents and opponents on the Secretary of State's website, versus printing them in the Blue Book. Mr. Mike Mauer and Ms. Susan Liddle, representing Legislative Council Staff, provided background on potential costs associated with listing initiative proponents and opponents in the Blue Book.

02:55 PM

Discussion ensued regarding the inclusion of individuals representing themselves in the information to be published on the Secretary of State's website under House Bill 10-1370. Discussion returned to the listing of proponents and opponents in the Blue Book as opposed to providing this information on the Secretary of State's website.

02:59 PM -- Mr. Greg Romberg, representing the Colorado Press Association and the Colorado Broadcasters Association, testified in favor of the bill.

03:00 PM

Representative Court explained the effect of prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B).


BILL:	HB10-1370
TIME:	03:01:02 PM
MOVED:	Court
MOTION:	Moved prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Todd
		VOTE
	Casso
	Court
	DelGrosso
	Hullinghorst
	McCann
	Miklosi
	Murray
	Nikkel
	Waller
	Labuda
	Todd

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

03:02 PM

Representative Court provided closing remarks in favor House Bill 10-1370.


BILL:	HB10-1370
TIME:	03:02:41 PM
MOVED:	Court
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 10-1370, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on an 11-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Todd
		VOTE
	Casso	Yes
	Court	Yes
	DelGrosso	Yes
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Miklosi	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Nikkel	Yes
	Waller	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	Todd	Yes

Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:03 PM

The committee discussed the upcoming meeting schedule. The committee adjourned.