Date: 04/08/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB10-070

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved prepared amendment L.009 (Attachment A). Th
Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-070, as amended, to 		Pass Without Objection
PASS



10:20 AM

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


10:20 AM -- Senate Bill 10-070

Representative McCann, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 10-070, concerning a statutory mechanism for the referral of a ballot question regarding the term limit of a district attorney. Representative McCann provided background on term limits for district attorneys and judicial districts, and explained the effect of the bill. Representative McCann responded to questions regarding the ability to restrict judicial district elections to eligible voters.


10:25 AM

The following persons testified regarding Senate Bill 10-070:

10:26 AM -- Mr. Ted Tow, representing the Colorado District Attorneys Council, testified in favor of the bill. Mr. Tow provided background on the district attorney system in Colorado, along with background on the state's judicial districts. Mr. Tow discussed situations involving voting on term limits for district attorneys in multi-county judicial districts, and the ability to petition for inclusion of candidates for certain county offices on the ballot. Mr. Tow then discussed provisions in the bill that require identical language pertaining to district attorney term limits in counties that comprise multi-county judicial districts. Mr. Tow next discussed actions taken in recent years in judicial districts pertaining to district attorney term limits, and certain clarifying language in the bill. Discussion ensued regarding a situation in which counties in a multi-county judicial district were reluctant to put a district attorney term limit issue on the ballot.


10:37 AM

Mr. Tow responded to questions regarding the effect of the popular vote for district attorneys in multi-county judicial districts. Discussion ensued regarding the potential for a minority within a judicial district to restrict district attorney ballot issues, and county determination of ballot access for district attorney issues. Mr. Tow responded to questions regarding the process by which district attorney issues reach the ballot. Discussion followed regarding the ability of citizens within a county to petition a district attorney issue onto the ballot when other counties within a multi-county judicial district have placed the issue on the ballot. Mr. Tow responded to questions regarding the opinion of certain county clerks on Senate Bill 10-070.

10:46 AM -- Mr. Richard Coolidge, representing the Secretary of State, testified in favor of Senate Bill 10-070. Mr. Coolidge provided background on the bill's creation, and responded to questions regarding the number of county clerks that provided input on the bill during the drafting stage.

10:49 AM -- Ms. Peg Ackerman, representing the Colorado County Clerks Association, provided clarification regarding the opinion of the clerks on the bill.


10:49 AM

Representative McCann explained the effect of prepared amendment L.009 (Attachment A).
BILL:SB10-070
TIME: 10:49:51 AM
MOVED:McCann
MOTION:Moved prepared amendment L.009 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.

10HseState0408AttachA.pdf
SECONDED:Court
VOTE
Casso
Court
DelGrosso
Hullinghorst
Excused
McCann
Miklosi
Murray
Nikkel
Waller
Labuda
Todd
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


10:50 AM

Representative McCann provided closing remarks in favor of Senate Bill 10-070.
BILL:SB10-070
TIME: 10:51:35 AM
MOVED:McCann
MOTION:Moved to refer Senate Bill 10-070, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 10-0-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Murray
VOTE
Casso
Yes
Court
Yes
DelGrosso
Yes
Hullinghorst
Excused
McCann
Yes
Miklosi
Yes
Murray
Yes
Nikkel
Yes
Waller
Yes
Labuda
Yes
Todd
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



10:52 AM

The committee adjourned.