Joint Committee Committee on Legislative Council (08/31/2011)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Date:	08/31/2011	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:15 PM to 02:56 PM	Boyd	X
		Cadman	*
Place:	HCR 0112	Ferrandino	X
		Hodge	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Kerr J.	*
	Senator Shaffer B.	Kopp	X
		Levy	X
This Report was prepared by		Morse	X
	Christie Lee	Nicholson	X
		Nikkel	X
		Pace	X
		Priola	X
		Renfroe	*
		Scheffel	E
		Stephens	E
		Todd	E
		McNulty	X
		Shaffer B.	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Proposition 103 Public Testimony		- -

02:16 PM -- Proposition 103

Mike Mauer, Director, Legislative Council Staff, explained the process for the Legislative Council Committee to review the ballot information booklet. He noted that it takes a two-thirds vote of its membership to make any changes or 12 votes.

02:21 PM

Jennifer Thomsen, Legislative Council Staff, presented the blue book analysis for Proposition 103 as prepared in the packet of information (Attachment A). She walked the committee through the bullets and each section of the analysis.

02:25 PM

Ms. Thomsen explained the three arguments for and against the measure.

02:27 PM

Senator Cadman asked why the assertions in the arguments for the measure are written as if they will happen and the arguments against are written as if they may happen. Mr. Mauer responded and explained that staff uses absolute terms if the sentence is factual and uses the term maywhen it is factually unclear or subjective. A committee discussion ensued on the issue.

02:34 PM -- Public Testimony

Penn Pfiffner, representing Too Taxing for Colorado, talked about the importance of the blue book this year. He distributed a handout with suggested changes to the arguments against the measure (Attachment B). He talked about the increase in the government's budget versus the growth in the economy that would occur under the measure.

02:40 PM

A committee discussion began regarding amending the language in the argument against as proposed in the handout. Specifically, the committee talked about the percentages included in the third sentence in the handout that states "Proposition 103 increases government budgets by 8 percent at a time when Colorado's economy is growing at less than 1 percent." Mr. Mauer explained that staff also wrestled with the idea of including the percentage, but couldn't find an exact number or formula to use and as a result, decided not to include one in the argument.


BILL:	Public Testimony
TIME:	02:40:11 PM
MOVED:	Cadman
MOTION:	Moved the proposed changes to Argument 1 against as recommended by Penn Pfiffner, with the following amendment: Strike sentence # 3 and substitute: "Proposition 103 increases government budgets by a greater rate than Colorado's economy is growing." The motion failed on a 7-8 vote, with 3 members excused.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Boyd	No
	Cadman	Yes
	Ferrandino	No
	Hodge	No
	Kerr J.	Yes
	Kopp	Yes
	Levy	No
	Morse	No
	Nicholson	No
	Nikkel	Yes
	Pace	No
	Priola	Yes
	Renfroe	Yes
	Scheffel	Excused
	Stephens	Excused
	Todd	Excused
	McNulty	Yes
	Shaffer B.	No
Not Final YES: 7 NO: 8 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	Public Testimony
TIME:	02:54:15 PM
MOVED:	Renfroe
MOTION:	Moved to amend argument 3 against in the final draft, page 5, line 11, strike "may" and substitute "will". The motion failed on a 7-8 vote, with 3 members excused.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Boyd	No
	Cadman	Yes
	Ferrandino	No
	Hodge	No
	Kerr J.	Yes
	Kopp	Yes
	Levy	No
	Morse	No
	Nicholson	No
	Nikkel	Yes
	Pace	No
	Priola	Yes
	Renfroe	Yes
	Scheffel	Excused
	Stephens	Excused
	Todd	Excused
	McNulty	Yes
	Shaffer B.	No
Not Final YES: 7 NO: 8 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL

02:55 PM

The committee adjourned.