Bill Summary for Bill Number HB10-1095

Date: 01/26/2010

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB10-1095

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Moved to refer House Bill 10-1095 to the Committee	PASS

03:37 PM

The committee chair, Representative Peniston, called the meeting to order.

03:38 PM -- House Bill 10-1095

Representative Gerou, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 10-1095, concerning a limitation on the authority of a fire protection district to charge fees for providing certain rescue services to those services provided at the scene of a motor vehicle accident. Representative Gerou explained that the bill clarifies law created by House Bill 09-1041, which allowed fire protection districts to fix fees for ambulance or emergency medical services and extrication, rescue, or safety services provided. She discussed cases in other states where large fees were recovered from individuals for search and rescue efforts and explained that House Bill 09-1041 was not intended to authorize fire protection districts to assess fees for search and rescue. Representative Gerou distributed handouts to the concerning the unintended consequences of House Bill 09-1041 (Attachment A), and examples of laws in other states that allow recovery of costs for search and rescue (Attachment B).

03:42 PM

Representative Gerou responded to questions from the committee concerning how additional fees are assessed by a fire protection district and recovered from drivers in auto accidents. Committee discussion ensued concerning how individuals pay for fees for ambulance, emergency medical services, and extrication from fire protection districts.

03:46 PM

Joe Ben Slivka, Colorado Search and Rescue, testified in support of the bill and discussed specific examples of providing search and rescue missions for hikers in Summit County. Mr. Slivka explained that organizations like the Summit County Rescue Group do not charge for standard search and rescue missions, but many hikers are under the impression that they will be charged.

03:51 PM

Howard Paul, Colorado Search and Rescue, testified in support of the bill and discussed problems where individuals who are lost or injured in the wilderness are reluctant to dispatch rescue teams in fear of being charged. Mr. Paul discussed a specific rescue mission in Clear Creek County where a couple hesitated to dispatch a search and rescue team, which delayed and complicated the rescue.

03:57 PM

Bruce Fosdick, President, Colorado Search and Rescue Board, testified in support of the bill.

04:01 PM

Peg Ackerman, County Sheriffs of Colorado, testified in support of the bill and discussed the statutory responsibility for county sheriffs to implement search and rescue teams for rescues within their jurisdiction. Ms. Ackerman explained why the bill was helpful in separating the authority between fire protection districts and county sheriffs.

04:03 PM

Paul Cooke, Executive Director, Colorado State Fire Chiefs' Association, testified in support of the bill and distributed a handout to the committee that provided background on House Bill 10-1095 (Attachment C). Mr. Cooke explained that fire protection distracts do not typically assist in search and rescue missions and spoke to the need for House Bill 10-1095 to clarify that fire protection districts would not be authorized to charge such fees.


BILL:	HB10-1095
TIME:	04:06:28 PM
MOVED:	Bradford
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 10-1095 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Massey
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Apuan	Yes
	Bradford	Yes
	Liston	Excused
	Massey	Yes
	McKinley	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Peniston	Yes

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