Date: 04/23/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB14-157

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 14-157 to the Committee on ApproPASS



01:41 PM -- SB14-157

The committee returned to order.

Representatives Ryden and Nordberg, co-sponsors, presented Senate Bill 14-157. The bill requires the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) to issue a request for proposals (RFP) for an outside contractor to prepare a report demonstrating to policymakers in the federal Department of Defense (DOD) the strategic and economic advantages of maintaining and expanding military missions, defense spending, and defense-related investment in Colorado. The DMVA may consult with the Governor's Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) to prepare the RFP and select a contractor.

No later than August 1, 2014, the DMVA must solicit proposals from prospective contractors. The bill identifies the minimum qualifications the DMVA must consider when selecting a contractor, and the specific subjects the contractor must address in the final report. The DMVA must award the contract no later than October 1, 2014, and the contractor must complete the report no later than April 15, 2015.

The bill creates the Comprehensive Report on the Value of United States Military Activities Fund in the State Treasury to finance the report. The fund consists of any moneys the General Assembly appropriates to it, as well as any money collected by the DMVA from federal grants or from private donations. The bill is repealed July 1, 2016.


01:46 PM

Representative Ryden responded to questions from the committee about the cost of the bill.

01:46 PM -- Kevin Hougen, representing the Aurora Chamber of Commerce, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hougen discussed the importance of the United States military to Colorado communities.

01:50 PM -- Andy Merritt, representing the Colorado Springs Regional Business Alliance, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Merritt spoke about proposed cuts to the federal Department of Defense budget. He spoke about what those cuts may mean to Colorado communities.

01:54 PM -- Greg Dorman, representing the Colorado Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, testified in support of the bill.
BILL:SB14-157
TIME: 01:56:59 PM
MOVED:Ryden
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 14-157 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:Gerou
VOTE
Conti
Yes
Foote
Yes
Gerou
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Labuda
Yes
Melton
Yes
Moreno
Yes
Nordberg
Yes
Williams
Yes
Salazar
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS