Date: 02/06/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB14-1170

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 14-1170 to the Committee on ApproPASS



10:37 AM -- HB14-1170

A letter from the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police (Attachment A), expressing their support of the bill, was distributed to the committee. Representative Garcia came to the table to present House Bill 14-1170. He explained that the bill authorizes the State Treasurer to enter into lease-purchase agreements on behalf of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) within the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for a period of up to 20 years to purchase and renovate a new building to house the CBI Pueblo forensic laboratory and regional office. Representative Garcia explained the importance of the facility to the state and the area that it serves, and responded to questions.

14HseFin0206AttachA.pdf14HseFin0206AttachA.pdf

10:44 AM -- Ron Sloan, Director of the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, came to the table to respond to questions and speak in favor of the bill. Mr. Sloan stated that there would be profound impacts on the agencies that rely on CBI investigative services if the Pueblo lab were to close, such as increased response times for crime scene processing and additional issues. Mr. Sloan also provided an overview of the forensic services provided by the CBI Pueblo lab, spoke to the fiscal note for the bill, and summarized the costs that constitute the General Fund expenditures that would result from the bill.

Kori Donaldson, Legislative Council Staff, joined Mr. Sloan at the table for a question on the cost of the existing lab's annual lease that is featured in the bill's fiscal note. Mr. Sloan responded to a question on the future growth expectations of the CBI Pueblo lab, the size difference of the old facility versus the new facility, and whether the additional space was necessary. Committee discussion of the prison population of Colorado, and the investigative services of the CBI Pueblo regional office ensued.


10:57 AM

The committee discussed the potential repurposing of the Colorado State Penitentiary 2 Building into the new lab for the CBI, and what would happen to the existing CBI lab if the bill did not pass.


11:07 AM

Representative Garcia made his closing comments, highlighting the importance of the bill in preventing the negative repercussions of the closure of the CBI Pueblo lab.
BILL:HB14-1170
TIME: 11:10:16 AM
MOVED:Kagan
MOTION:Refer House Bill 14-1170 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 10-2, with 1 member excused.
SECONDED:Pabon
VOTE
Becker
Yes
DelGrosso
Excused
Foote
Yes
Joshi
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Melton
Yes
Pabon
Yes
Priola
No
Saine
No
Swalm
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Labuda
Yes
Court
Yes
YES: 10 NO: 2 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS