Date: 02/11/2014

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB14-1183

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, LABOR, ECONOMIC, & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.003. See substitute motion below
Adopt substitute amendment L.004. The motion passe
Refer House Bill 14-1183, as amended, to the Commi
Pass Without Objection
PASS



01:50 PM -- House Bill 14-1183

Representative Fields, sponsor, presented House Bill 14-1183, concerning the reinstatement of the authority for military personnel to practice professionally. Under current law, a licensee, registrant, or certificate holder who does not renew his or her state credentials within a 60-day grace period will be treated as having expired professional credentials. Under the bill, the Director of the Division of Professions and Occupations (division) within the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), the licensing board, or commission must reinstate all expired licenses, certificates, or registrations of active military personnel. Representative Fields distributed Amendment L.003 (Attachment A) and a handout on the professions and occupations overseen by the division (Attachment B). She stated that Amendment L.003 would strike the word "active" from the bill to include all veterans. The sponsor responded to questions from the committee.

140211 AttachA.pdf140211 AttachA.pdf140211 AttachB.pdf140211 AttachB.pdf

The following individuals testified on the bill:

01:55 PM -- Steve Rylant, representing United Veterans Committee of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the purpose of his organization. Mr. Rylant discussed the influx of veterans returning from Afghanistan and stated that this bill would help them get back to work. He discussed his organization's support of Amendment L.003.

01:58 PM -- Victor Fox, representing himself as a veteran, testified in support of the bill. He said that he supported the bill because it aids a person's transition back from service.

02:00 PM -- Nicholas Walker, representing the Aurora Veterans Affairs Commission, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Walker distributed a copy of his written testimony to the committee (Attachment C).

140211 AttachC.pdf140211 AttachC.pdf

02:05 PM -- Jeff Johnson, representing the Veterans Assistance League of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. He stated his support for Amendment L.003.

02:06 PM -- Michael Skorupka, representing the division, testified in support of the bill. He discussed the work of the division as it relates to military personnel. He responded to a questions from the committee on the reinstatement process, Amendment L.003, and on whether the bill would extend services to dishonorably discharged veterans.

02:20 PM -- Kris Forrestal, Office of Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to respond to committee questions about dishonorably discharged veterans.

02:21 PM -- Steve Rylant returned to the table to discuss incidents of dishonorable discharge. Mr. Rylant responded to questions from the committee.

02:24 PM

Committee discussion ensued on Amendment L.003 and on whether to amend the bill to exclude dishonorably discharged veterans from receiving the benefits under the bill.


BILL:HB14-1183
TIME: 02:28:22 PM
MOVED:Kraft-Tharp
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.003. See substitute motion below.
SECONDED:Ryden
VOTE
Exum
Hamner
Holbert
Navarro
Nordberg
Rosenthal
Ryden
Szabo
Wright
Kraft-Tharp
Williams
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION:


02:30 PM

The committee took a brief recess.

02:34 PM

The committee came back to order. Representative Fields distributed a substitute amendment, Amendment L.004 (Attachment D). She stated that the amendment would conform to the military personnel requirements in statute.

140211 AttachD.pdf140211 AttachD.pdf
BILL:HB14-1183
TIME: 02:35:17 PM
MOVED:Kraft-Tharp
MOTION:Adopt substitute amendment L.004. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Rosenthal
VOTE
Exum
Hamner
Holbert
Navarro
Nordberg
Rosenthal
Ryden
Szabo
Wright
Kraft-Tharp
Williams
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection



02:36 PM

Representative Fields delivered closing remarks.

BILL:HB14-1183
TIME: 02:37:38 PM
MOVED:Kraft-Tharp
MOTION:Refer House Bill 14-1183, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-1.
SECONDED:Hamner
VOTE
Exum
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Holbert
No
Navarro
Yes
Nordberg
Yes
Rosenthal
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Szabo
Yes
Wright
Yes
Kraft-Tharp
Yes
Williams
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



02:38 PM

Representative Williams discussed the committee's calendar.

02:39 PM

The committee adjourned.