House Committee on Finance (02/06/2014)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:	02/06/2014	ATTENDANCE

Time:	10:07 AM to 11:19 AM	Becker	*
		DelGrosso	E
Place:	LSB A	Foote	X
		Joshi	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Kagan	X
	Representative Court	Melton	X
		Pabon	X
This Report was prepared by		Priola	X
	Matt Kiszka	Saine	X
		Swalm	X
		Wilson	X
		Labuda	X
		Court	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB14-1080 HB14-1170 HB14-1042		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations Referred to Appropriations

10:08 AM -- HB14-1080

Representative McLachlan and Representative Coram came to the table to present House Bill 14-1080. Representative McLachlan explained that the bill clarifies that sales taxes do not apply to purchases made on a reservation, or delivered to the reservation, if the purchaser is an enrolled tribal member. In addition, it exempts sales of automobiles from sales taxes if they are made by an enrolled tribal member and the automobile will be registered at an address on a reservation. It also allows for a sales tax exemption if the sale is made on the reservation to a legal entity that is owned or partially owned by an enrolled tribal member. Representative Coram stated that he thought the bill was good for the districts covered by himself and Representative McLachlan. The representatives responded to questions on the fiscal note of the bill, and the codification of existing practices of the Department of Revenue (DOR) that are related to the bill.

Ed DeCecco, Office of Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to speak to the drafting of the bill and the bill summary. Mr. DeCecco told the committee that he would be modifying the bill summary to better reflect the bill language.

10:15 AM -- Howard Richards Sr., representing the Southern Ute Indian Tribal Council, spoke in favor of the bill. Mr. Richards stated that the bill is of great importance to his tribe, and that it will help rectify confusion that has existed over state law and provide clarity. He added that it will improve consistency in the application of relevant tax rules, and that the legislation will codify longstanding state and local practices regarding the sale of automobiles to tribal members in the state. Mr. Richards responded to a question on whether the addressed tribes have boundaries that extend beyond the borders of Colorado.

10:22 AM -- Manuel Heart, representing the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, came to the table to speak in favor of the bill. He stated that the members of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe live in the southwest corner of Colorado, and often come up to Denver to purchase vehicles. Mr. Heart told the committee that often the best deals are available in Colorado's larger cities, where sometimes the dealerships are not aware of the sales and use tax exemption for Colorado Ute Indians. He stated that the bill would alleviate this confusion. Mr. Heart responded to questions on how dealerships might become aware of the sales and use tax exemption, and purchases made by tribal members outside the state.

10:29 AM -- Sam Maynes, representing the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, spoke in favor of the bill. He responded to a question on how many localities there are that do not currently honor the sales and use tax exemption addressed by the bill. He stated that this bill will bring consistency across the board for the numerous involved parties.


BILL:	HB14-1080
TIME:	10:33:31 AM
MOVED:	Melton
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 14-1080 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 12-0, with 1 member excused.
SECONDED:	Saine
		VOTE
	Becker	Yes
	DelGrosso	Excused
	Foote	Yes
	Joshi	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Melton	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Saine	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Wilson	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	Court	Yes

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

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.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

11:12 AM -- HB14-1042

Representative Saine came to the table and presented House Bill 14-1042. She explained that the bill requires custodians of records to provide certain records relating to the relinquishment of a child at the time of relinquishment or when the document is created. Representative Saine responded to questions on whether conversations with the Joint Budget Committee on funding for the bill had occurred, and why the bill was needed.


BILL:	HB14-1042
TIME:	11:17:14 AM
MOVED:	Priola
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 14-1042 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 12-0, with 1 member excused.
SECONDED:	Saine
		VOTE
	Becker	Yes
	DelGrosso	Excused
	Foote	Yes
	Joshi	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Melton	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Saine	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Wilson	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	Court	Yes

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

11:18 AM

The committee was adjourned.