House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs (03/18/2010)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Date:	03/18/2010	ATTENDANCE

Time:	10:36 AM to 12:09 PM	Casso	X
		Court	X
Place:	HCR 0112	DelGrosso	X
		Hullinghorst	*
This Meeting was called to order by		McCann	*
	Representative Todd	Miklosi	*
		Murray	X
This Report was prepared by		Nikkel	X
	Bo Pogue	Waller	X
		Labuda	X
		Todd	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB10-099 SB10-041 HB10-1354		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Laid Over

10:36 AM

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present.

10:37 AM -- Senate Bill 10-099

Representative Weissmann, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 10-099, concerning the acceptance by members of the General Assembly from a joint governmental agency of this state of the payment of or reimbursement for certain expenses related to the member's attendance at a meeting of the joint governmental agency. Representative Weissmann explained the effect of the bill. Discussion ensued regarding a provision in the bill that prohibits a legislator from receiving reimbursement from a joint governmental agency if the legislator is in a position to take action that benefits the agency. Discussion followed regarding language in the bill pertaining to the length of reimbursable stay by legislators at conferences. Mr. Dan Cartin, representing Legislative Legal Services, provided clarification regarding the ability of legislators to extend stays at conferences and conventions at their own cost. The committee discussed the ability to amend the bill to address this point.

10:48 AM

The committee discussed the need to amend other areas of state law to address travel not associated with joint governmental agencies. Discussion ensued regarding certain reimbursement prohibitions for legislators contained in the Colorado Constitution.

10:51 AM

No one testified regarding Senate Bill 10-099. Representative Weissmann explained the effect of prepared amendment L.004 (Attachment A).


BILL:	SB10-099
TIME:	10:51:27 AM
MOVED:	Court
MOTION:	Moved prepared amendment L.004 (Attachment A). 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

10:52 AM


BILL:	SB10-099
TIME:	10:52:48 AM
MOVED:	Murray
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-099, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on an 11-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Hullinghorst
		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

10:53 AM -- Senate Bill 10-041

Representative Nikkel, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 10-041, concerning technical modifications to statutory provisions governing campaign finance. Representative Nikkel explained the effect of each of the bill's provisions. The following person testified regarding Senate Bill 10-041:

10:55 AM -- Mr. Richard Coolidge, representing the Secretary of State, testified in favor of the bill.

10:56 AM

No amendments were offered to the bill.


BILL:	SB10-041
TIME:	10:56:46 AM
MOVED:	Nikkel
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-041 to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on an 11-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Court
		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

10:58 AM

The committee recessed.

11:01 AM -- House Bill 10-1354

The committee returned to order. Representatives Benefield and Looper, prime sponsors, presented House Bill 10-1354, concerning policy studies conducted by the General Assembly during the legislative interim. Representative Benefield provided background on the issues affected by the bill, and explained the bill's effect. Representative Looper discussed the model for the interim legislative committee process created by the bill, and discussed the need to create the new process. Representative Looper also explained how the new interim committee process would operate. Representative Benefield discussed staffing for a recent interim committee by a nonprofit agency, and the number of allowable committee bills under the new interim process created by the bill. Discussion ensued regarding rulemaking pertaining to interim committees, and allowing for interim committee membership flexibility.

11:14 AM

Discussion continued regarding flexibility for interim committee membership under the new interim process created by House Bill 10-1354. Discussion centered around a provision in the bill that restricts interim task force membership to the members of committees of reference. Representative Benefield discussed the need for legislators who are versed in particular policy areas to serve on interim task forces that address these particular areas. Representative Looper discussed the potential for amending the bill to allow for greater interim committee membership flexibility. Ms. Julie Pelegrin, representing the Office of Legislative Legal Services, provided clarification regarding portions of the bill that assign interim task force membership.

11:24 AM

Discussion continued regarding interim task force membership allowed under House Bill 10-1354, and the potential for amending the bill to allow for greater membership flexibility. Discussion followed regarding policy subject area specialization in the General Assembly.

11:36 AM

Discussion continued regarding the potential to allow for greater membership flexibility in the interim committee studies created under House Bill 10-1354. Ms. Pelegrin responded to questions regarding the ability of legislators who are not members of a committee of reference for a particular subject area to be appointed by legislative leadership to an interim study pertaining to that subject area.

11:49 AM

Mr. Mike Mauer, Legislative Council Staff, provided clarification regarding flexibility in appointing members to a given interim study under House Bill 10-1354. Discussion ensued regarding interest in multiple policy subject areas as it pertains to interim study membership restriction under the bill.

11:53 AM

The following person testified regarding House Bill 10-1354:

11:53 AM -- Mr. Kevin Lindahl, representing the Fire and Police Pension Association, testified in favor of the bill. Mr. Lindahl discussed the effectiveness of the interim Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission in providing oversight for the association. Mr. Lindahl discussed prepared amendment L.002.

11:57 AM

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


BILL:	HB10-1354
TIME:	11:57:32 AM
MOVED:	Todd
MOTION:	Moved prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Labuda
		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


BILL:	HB10-1354
TIME:	11:58:37 AM
MOVED:	Todd
MOTION:	Moved prepared amendment L.002 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Labuda
		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

11:58 AM

Representative Benefield explained the effect of prepared amendment L.003 (Attachment D). Discussion ensued regarding issues pertaining to mental health that reach beyond the expertise of the House and Senate Judiciary committees, and how House Bill 10-1354 limits flexibility on appointments to the Interim Committee on Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System. Discussion followed regarding appointments to the task force addressing these issues as affected by amendment L.003.


BILL:	HB10-1354
TIME:	11:58:51 AM
MOVED:	Todd
MOTION:	Moved prepared amendment L.003 (Attachment D). The motion passed on a 9-2 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Labuda
		VOTE
	Casso	Yes
	Court	Yes
	DelGrosso	Yes
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Miklosi	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Nikkel	Yes
	Waller	No
	Labuda	No
	Todd	Yes

Not Final YES: 9 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:08 PM

Discussion ensued regarding the potential for laying the bill over to work on further amendments.

12:09 PM

House Bill 10-1354 was laid over to March 23. The committee adjourned.