Bill Summary for Bill Number HB12-1326

Date: 03/14/2012

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB12-1326

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 12-1326 to the Committee on Appro	PASS

01:53 PM -- House Bill 12-1326 - Concerning the Old Age Pension Fund

Representative Kefalas and Representative Acree, prime sponsors, explained the provisions of the bill. Representative Acree began by saying that House Bill 12-1326 encourages the State Board of Human Services to raise the standard allowance under the Old Age Pension (OAP) Program from $699 per month to $725 per month and sets the family income limit for seniors to be eligible for services through the Dental Assistance Program in the Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE) at 135 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).

The committee discussed the federal poverty level and asked that testimony address questions about qualifying for the OAP benefits.

The following persons testified:

02:13 PM -- Ms. Eileen Doherty, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the legislation. Ms. Doherty discussed the income qualifying guidelines for the Old Age Pension Program.

02:30 PM -- Ms. Betty Proctor, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Proctor noted that the additional benefits in the bill would help the most needy in Colorado.

02:39 PM -- Mr. Art Smith, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and discussed his fixed income limitations. He noted that the increased benefits in the bill would help pay for medical expenses.

02:39 PM -- Mr. Sheryle Hutter, representing the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, testified in support of the legislation.


BILL:	HB12-1326
TIME:	02:41:23 PM
MOVED:	Acree
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 12-1326 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 12-1.
SECONDED:	Kefalas
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Beezley	No
	Conti	Yes
	Holbert	Yes
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Swerdfeger	Yes
	DelGrosso	Yes

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