Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

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

Date:02/25/2014
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:32 PM to 02:08 PM
Exum
X
Hamner
X
Place:LSB A
Holbert
X
Navarro
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Nordberg
X
Representative Williams
Rosenthal
X
Ryden
X
This Report was prepared by
Szabo
X
Erin Vanderberg
Wright
X
Kraft-Tharp
X
Williams
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB14-1075
HB14-1272
HB14-1278		Postponed Indefinitely
Postponed Indefinitely
Amended, Referred to Finance


01:33 PM -- HB 14-1075

Representative Williams, chair, called the meeting to order. A quorum was present. Representative Melton, sponsor, presented House Bill 14-1075, concerning a reduction in the deferral of unemployment insurance benefits for individuals separated from employment due to the unsuitability of the work after accepting work while unemployed. The current deferral penalty is 10 weeks. The bill reduces the deferral period in these situations to the period of time the claimant worked prior to the separation. Representative Melton described the incident which precipitated the bill, and requested that the committee move to postpone the bill indefinitely.
BILL:HB14-1075
TIME: 01:35:58 PM
MOVED:Kraft-Tharp
MOTION:Postpone House Bill 14-1075 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:Ryden
VOTE
Exum
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Holbert
Yes
Navarro
Yes
Nordberg
Yes
Rosenthal
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Szabo
Yes
Wright
Yes
Kraft-Tharp
Yes
Williams
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




01:36 PM -- HB 14-1272

Representative Labuda, sponsor, presented House Bill 14-1272, concerning the certification of home inspectors. The bill creates a certification program for home inspectors in the Division of Real Estate in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA). Representative Labuda discussed the reasons she was carrying the bill and discussed the national trend toward certification of home inspectors. She responded to questions from the committee on the sunset review of the issue.
BILL:HB14-1272
TIME: 01:41:48 PM
MOVED:Holbert
MOTION:Postpone House Bill 14-1272 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 8-3.
SECONDED:Nordberg
VOTE
Exum
No
Hamner
Yes
Holbert
Yes
Navarro
Yes
Nordberg
Yes
Rosenthal
No
Ryden
No
Szabo
Yes
Wright
Yes
Kraft-Tharp
Yes
Williams
Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:42 PM -- HB 14-1278

Representative Rosenthal, sponsor, presented House Bill 14-1278, concerning continuation of the Workers' Compensation Accreditation Program (WCAP). As recommended in the Department of Regulatory Agencies' (DORA's) sunset review, the bill continues the WCAP, administered by the Division of Workers Compensation (division) in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE), until September 1, 2025. It also requires the division to conduct a study on the potential impact on the state's workers' compensation system if it adopts the most current version of the American Medical Association's Guides to the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment (AMA Guides). The division is required to report its findings and recommendations for legislative changes to the General Assembly on or before December 31, 2014. Finally, the bill removes the cap on registration fees for accreditation.

Representative Rosenthal distributed Amendment L.001 (Attachment A), which would remove the requirement that the division conduct a study.

140225 AttachA.pdf140225 AttachA.pdf


The following individuals testified:

01:46 PM -- Paul Tauriello, director of the division, came to the table to respond to committee questions on the removal of the cap on registration fees.

01:51 PM -- Virginia Morrison Love, representing Pinnacol Assurance (Pinnacol), testified in support of the bill. She stated that her organization supports the bill, including the required study on the potential impact on the state's workers' compensation system if it adopted the most current edition of the AMA Guides.

01:54 PM -- Scott Meiklejohn, representing the Workers Compensation Education Association, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Meiklejohn said that his organization supports the bill and Amendment L.001. Mr. Meiklejohn discussed the history of the state's use of the AMA Guides, third edition revised. He stated that his organization believes that a change in the edition of AMA Guides would have unintended consequences.

02:00 PM

Representative Rosenthal discussed Amendment L.001 and responded to questions from the committee.

02:02 PM -- Ms. Morrison Love returned to the table to respond to a question of whether Pinnacol would still support the bill as amended. She stated that it would. She said that while the organization would prefer the study to take place, the WCAP is a valuable program that Pinnacol would like to see continue.
BILL:HB14-1278
TIME: 02:01:12 PM
MOVED:Rosenthal
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:Holbert
VOTE
Exum
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Holbert
No
Navarro
No
Nordberg
No
Rosenthal
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Szabo
No
Wright
No
Kraft-Tharp
Yes
Williams
Yes
YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



02:06 PM

Representative Rosenthal made closing remarks.
BILL:HB14-1278
TIME: 02:06:25 PM
MOVED:Rosenthal
MOTION:Refer House Bill 14-1278, as amended, to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:Ryden
VOTE
Exum
Yes
Hamner
Yes
Holbert
Yes
Navarro
Yes
Nordberg
Yes
Rosenthal
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Szabo
Yes
Wright
Yes
Kraft-Tharp
Yes
Williams
Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:08 PM

The committee adjourned.