House Committee on Transportation (03/01/2012)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION

Date:	03/01/2012	ATTENDANCE

Time:	10:01 AM to 11:19 AM	(None)
		Barker	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Brown	X
		Fischer	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Hamner	X
	Representative Vaad	Jones	X
		Priola	*
This Report was prepared by		Ramirez	X
	Kelli Kelty	Scott	X
		Tyler	*
		Williams A.	X
		Young	X
		Looper	X
		Vaad	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB12-1312 HB12-1302		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Finance

10:01 AM -- House Bill 12-1312

Representative Vaad, chair, called the meeting to order. A quorum was present. Representative Sonnenberg, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 12-1312. The bill specifies that the Colorado Public Utilities Commission (PUC), when determining whether to grant a certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) for the siting of proposed electric transmission lines or associated facilities, should not consider local land use issues. Issues such as the location or alignment of the proposed lines or facilities are to be addressed through a local government's land use regulations. Representative Sonnenberg discussed the provisions of the bill. Representative Hamner asked for information concerning local land use issues as addressed under the bill. Representative Fischer asked why the bill is necessary, specifically why it is a good idea to have the PUC not consider local land use issues. Representative Sonnenberg said that right now the state has a duplicate process in which both the PUC and local governments look at local land use issues.

The following people testified on the bill:

10:10 AM -- Mr. Joel Bladow, representing the Tri-State General and Transmission Association (Tri-State), testified in support of the bill. Mr. Bladow gave a brief overview of Tri-State and expressed his support for the bill. He commented on the legislative history concerning transmission projects in the state. Representative Vaad asked Mr. Bladow to clarify the summary of legislation in the fiscal note concerning local land use issues. Representative Jones asked about the impetus for the bill. Representative Fischer asked for information concerning the siting of transmission lines.

10:30 AM

Committee discussion ensued concerning transmission projects and the authority of local governments pursuant to the bill.

10:32 AM -- Mr. Chris Votoupal, representing the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA), testified in support of the bill. Mr. Votoupal gave a brief overview of CCIA and said that transmission is one of CCIA's top priorities for 2012. Mr. Votoupal responded to questions from the committee concerning transmission siting, in particular any challenges that CCIA currently faces and how the bill will remediate those challenges.

10:37 AM -- Ms. Carly Dollar, representing the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry (CACI), testified in support of the bill. Ms. Dollar responded to questions from the committee.

10:39 AM -- Mr. Geoff Hier, representing the Colorado Rural Electric Association (CREA), testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hier responded to questions from the committee concerning transmission lines that cross several counties.

10:47 AM -- Ms. Becky Quintana and Mr. Tom Dougherty, both representing the PUC, came to the table to respond to questions from the committee concerning whether counties have the explicit authority to regulate interstate transmission projects. Mr. Dougherty responded that a transmission line that spans multiple counties would require an agreement between multiple counties. Absent an intergovernmental agreement, no county or municipality has any authority outside of its jurisdiction. Representative Looper asked if the PUC supports the bill. Ms. Quintana responded that the PUC is neutral on the bill. She commented that the PUC agrees that the bill does not restrict the authority of the PUC, but rather more clearly defines the jurisdiction of the PUC and local governments. Representative Young asked for information concerning local government processes concerning transmission siting.

10:54 AM

Representative Sonnenberg explained proposed amendment L.001 (Attachment A).


BILL:	HB12-1312
TIME:	10:55:12 AM
MOVED:	Ramirez
MOTION:	Moved to adopt prepared amendment L.001. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Looper
		VOTE
	(None)
	Barker
	Brown
	Fischer
	Hamner
	Jones
	Priola
	Ramirez
	Scott
	Tyler
	Williams A.
	Young
	Looper
	Vaad

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB12-1312
TIME:	10:56:10 AM
MOVED:	Scott
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 12-1312, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 12-1.
SECONDED:	Barker
		VOTE
	(None)
	Barker	Yes
	Brown	Yes
	Fischer	No
	Hamner	Yes
	Jones	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Ramirez	Yes
	Scott	Yes
	Tyler	Yes
	Williams A.	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Looper	Yes
	Vaad	Yes

YES: 12 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:01 AM -- House Bill 12-1302

The committee took a brief recess.

11:03 AM

The committee came back to order. Representative Massey, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 12-1302. The bill creates the Flight for Life Colorado special license plate. The plate will be available to all applicants who pay a one-time additional fee of $50 and demonstrate they have donated $25 to Flight For Life Colorado. Of this fee, $25 is credited to the Licensing Services Cash Fund (LSCF) and $25 is credited to the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF). Representative Massey discussed the Flight for Life program.

The following people testified on the bill:

11:06 AM -- Ms. Maren Rubino, representing the Department of Revenue, came to the table to respond to questions from the committee concerning special license plate requirements. Ms. Rubino said that all of the statutory requirements have been met concerning this bill.

11:07 AM -- Ms. Kathleen Mayer, representing Flight for Life Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Mayer gave a brief overview of the Flight for Life program in Colorado and distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment B). Representative Ramirez commented on the program. Representative Hamner expressed her support for the program. Representative Williams asked if the program transports organs. Ms. Mayer responded that in most instances, the program typically does not. Representative Vaad asked about the history of the program. Representative Brown expressed his personal experience with the program.

11:13 AM -- Ms. Diane Rees, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Rees said that she is representing the thousands of people whose lives have been saved by the Flight for Life program. She commented on her personal experience with the program.


BILL:	HB12-1302
TIME:	11:19:01 AM
MOVED:	Ramirez
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 12-1302 to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed on a vote of 13-0.
SECONDED:	Looper
		VOTE
	(None)
	Barker	Yes
	Brown	Yes
	Fischer	Yes
	Hamner	Yes
	Jones	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Ramirez	Yes
	Scott	Yes
	Tyler	Yes
	Williams A.	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Looper	Yes
	Vaad	Yes

YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:19 AM

The committee adjourned.