Bill Summary for Bill Number HB10-1165

Date: 02/09/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB10-1165

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment D). The motion Moved to refer House Bill 10-1165, as amended, to	Pass Without Objection PASS

01:48 PM -- House Bill 10-1165

Representative Merrifield, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 10-1165, concerning the authority of the State Board of Land Commissioners regarding state lands. He explained that the bill allows the State Board of Land Commissioners to convey land to units of local government if the conveyance would add value to adjoining or nearby state trust property, benefit board operations, or comply with local land use regulations. Representative Merrifield discussed a specific parcel in his district that is leased to the City of Colorado Springs by the State Land Board, but would benefit to be permanently conveyed from the land board to the City of Colorado Springs.

He discussed current law, which provides that the board can only transact directly with school districts and the federal government, but other transactions require a public bid. The board is also authorized to collect damage deposits and other financial warrantees, but it does not have explicit authority to spend these moneys to repair damage to property. Representative Merrified explained that the bill creates the financial warranty account in the State Land Board Trust Administration Fund and provides the board continuous spending authority. Under the bill, the account will be used to hold damage deposits and can be used for remediation activities on damaged property. He addressed questions from the committee concerning the conveyance of property by the State Land Board and the fiscal impact of such sales.

02:02 PM

Brownell Bailey, Chairman, State Land Board, testified in support of the bill, discussed the scope of the State Land Board, and distributed handouts to the committee about the board (Attachments B and C). Mr. Bailey discussed various cases throughout the state where the board needed the authority to convey parcels with other entities. Mr. Bailey addressed questions from the committee concerning property sold by the State Land Board, property transfers with the federal government, and explained that mineral rights on state lands can only be transferred to the federal government.

02:12 PM

Chris Lieber, Open Space Manager, City of Colorado Springs, testified in support of the bill and talked about the need for the city to have to ability to work directly with the State Land Board for proper land use development. Mr. Lieber discussed the need for local governments to work with the State Land Board for costefficiency. He addressed questions from the committee concerning a specific case in Colorado Springs and talked about pending grant funding from Great Outdoors Colorado to acquire the parcel from the State Land Board for open space.

02:22 PM

Colleen Heinz, Co-chair, Children's Land Alliance Supporting Schools (CLASS Colorado), testified in support of the bill and talked about the purpose of Children's Land Alliance for Schools, which advocates for the growth of the State Land Trust Fund.

02:24 PM

Jane Urschel, Deputy Director, Colorado Association of School Boards, testified in support of the bill and talked about the need to increase the value of the State Land Trust Fund. Ms. Urschel and Representative Merrifield addressed questions concerning the State Land Board parcel in Colorado Springs that is currently being leased by the city. Committee discussion ensued concerning the property in Colorado Springs, and guiding law over the State Land Board.

02:31 PM

Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., testified in support of the bill, described the process in shaping the bill during 2009, and explained that local land use regulations prevail over parcels controlled by the State Land Board. Ms. Ratiliff talked about the need for the State Land Board to have the authority to convey parcels to local entities.

02:35 PM

Representative Merrifield entered closing comments on the bill and discussed prepared amendment L.002 (Attachment D).


BILL:	HB10-1165
TIME:	02:36:12 PM
MOVED:	Massey
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Priola
		VOTE
	Acree
	Apuan
	Bradford
	Liston
	Massey
	McKinley	Excused
	Priola
	Schafer S.
	Vigil
	Soper
	Peniston

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB10-1165
TIME:	02:38:54 PM
MOVED:	Priola
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 10-1165, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-1-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Apuan
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Apuan	Yes
	Bradford	Yes
	Liston	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McKinley	No
	Priola	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Peniston	Yes

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