House Committee on Judiciary (04/29/2014)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Date:	04/29/2014	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:34 PM to 03:11 PM	Buckner	X
		Court	E
Place:	HCR 0112	Gardner	X
		Lawrence	E
This Meeting was called to order by		McLachlan	X
	Representative Kagan	Murray	X
		Pettersen	*
This Report was prepared by		Salazar	X
	Bo Pogue	Waller	X
		Lee	X
		Kagan	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB14-002 SB14-127 SB14-176		Referred to Finance Referred to Appropriations Referred to Appropriations

01:35 PM -- SB14-002

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present. Speaker Ferrandino, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 14-002, concerning transferring the Safe2tell program to the Department of Law. Speaker Ferrandino provided background on the Safe2tell program, and explained the effect of the bill. The following persons testified regarding Senate Bill 14-002:

01:38 PM -- Ms. Susan Payne, representing the Safe2tell program, testified in support of the bill. Committee members received the 2013 Safe2tell annual report (Attachment A). Ms. Payne discussed studies on prior knowledge of impending violence in schools, and noted the "veil of silence" in schools. Ms. Payne discussed information sharing among schools, and efforts undertaken to reduce barriers to accessing information from students. Ms. Payne discussed efforts undertaken to improve the usage of a telephone hotline and other communications devices instituted under the Safe2tell program to allow students to report potential impending violent situations. Ms. Payne discussed trends in the use of these communications devices, and the types of incidents that have been reported. She discussed the various institutions that have collaborated to implement and improve the Safe2tell program.

14HseJud0429AttachA.pdf

01:49 PM

Ms. Payne explained how the Safe2tell program operates, providing examples of its operation. Ms. Payne responded to questions regarding the transition of the Safe2tell program from administration by a private, nonprofit organization to one administered under the Department of Law. Discussion ensued regarding the funding source for administering the Safe2tell program.

01:55 PM -- Mr. John McDonald, representing Jefferson County Schools, testified in support of the bill. Mr. McDonald discussed efforts undertaken to protect schools from violence since the Columbine incident, and trends in the use of messaging systems established under the Safe2tell program.

01:58 PM -- Mr. Michael McGuire, representing himself, testified in support of Senate Bill 14-002. Mr. McGuire discussed the threat of violence in schools, and the benefits of the Safe2tell program in helping to curb such violence through information sharing. Mr. McGuire spoke in favor of sustaining the program.

02:01 PM -- Mr. John Giardino, representing the Colorado Parent-Teacher Organization, testified in support of the bill. He discussed efforts undertaken by his organization to curb school violence, and spoke to the merits of the Safe2tell program.

02:06 PM -- Ms. Cynthia Coffman, representing the Department of Law, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Coffman explained how her department may be able to improve the reach of the Safe2tell program. Ms. Coffman responded to questions regarding the potential for creating an advisory group to provide oversight of and maintain fundraising for the Safe2tell program once it migrates to the Department of Law.

02:13 PM

No amendments were offered to Senate Bill 14-002.


BILL:	SB14-002
TIME:	02:13:58 PM
MOVED:	Salazar
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 14-002 to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed on a vote of 6-0.
SECONDED:	Buckner
		VOTE
	Buckner	Yes
	Court	Excused
	Gardner	Excused
	Lawrence	Excused
	McLachlan	Excused
	Murray	Yes
	Pettersen	Yes
	Salazar	Yes
	Waller	Excused
	Lee	Yes
	Kagan	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 5 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:15 PM -- SB14-127

Representative Dore, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 14-127, concerning statewide radio communications, and, in connection therewith, directing the Department of Public Safety to perform a communications needs assessment and recreating the Consolidated Communications System Authority as a new standing public safety communications subcommittee under the Homeland Security and All-Hazards Senior Advisory Committee in the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in that department. Representative Dore provided background on the operation and management of the Digital Trunked Radio System (DTRS), and explained the effect of the bill. Representative Dore responded to questions regarding expenditures to be made under the bill to hire a consultant for the assessment of statewide radio communications, and the overall fiscal impact of the legislation.

02:22 PM

The following persons testified regarding Senate Bill 14-127:

02:22 PM -- Chief David Daley, representing the Colorado Fire Chiefs, testified in support of the bill. Chief Daley explained how emergency communications are broadcast among first responders, and provided scenarios on the communications needs of first responders. Chief Daley responded to questions regarding the previously referenced costs associated with hiring a consultant.

02:28 PM -- Mr. Kurt Schlegel, representing the Consolidated Communication System Authority, testified in support of Senate Bill 14-127. Mr. Schlegel discussed the function of this authority, and explained why a business plan is needed for DTRS. Mr. Schlegel also explained the need to hire a consultant for business planning and needs assessments. Mr. Schlegel responded to questions regarding the total cost for DTRS upgrading that the planning and assessments conducted under Senate Bill 14-127 may reveal, and the types of infrastructure required to perpetuate the DTRS. Mr. Schlegel discussed potential interoperability issues with the DTRS, and explained how Senate Bill 14-127 will mitigate these issues. Mr. Schlegel responded to questions regarding what the moneys appropriated for consulting under the bill will purchase.

02:40 PM

Discussion ensued regarding the nature of the planning to be funded by Senate Bill 14-127. Representative Dore responded to questions regarding the propriety of the bill's consulting costs.

02:45 PM -- Mr. Kevin Klein, representing the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management within the Department of Public Safety, testified in support of Senate Bill 14-127. Mr. Klein discussed the suitability of moving DTRS oversight responsibilities into the Department of Public Safety, and addressed certain interoperability issues associated with the system. Mr. Klein discussed the fiscal impact of the bill. Mr. Klein responded to questions regarding the eventual build-out costs associated with DTRS once assessments are made, and the potential for his division to conduct the bill's assessments in-house.

02:55 PM

Discussion continued regarding the potential for the Department of Public Safety to conduct the assessments associated with Senate Bill 14-127 in-house.

02:56 PM

No amendments were offered to Senate Bill 14-127. Representative Dore provided closing remarks in support of Senate Bill 14-127. Representatives Murray and Salazar provided input on the legislation.


BILL:	SB14-127
TIME:	02:57:25 PM
MOVED:	Waller
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 14-127 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
SECONDED:	Pettersen
		VOTE
	Buckner	Yes
	Court	Excused
	Gardner	Excused
	Lawrence	Excused
	McLachlan	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Pettersen	Yes
	Salazar	Yes
	Waller	Yes
	Lee	Yes
	Kagan	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:01 PM -- SB14-176

Representative Murray, co-prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 14-176, concerning crimes related to entities that trade in stolen vehicles. Representative Murray outlined the differences between the bill and House Bill 14-1084, a similar bill that was postponed indefinitely.


BILL:	SB14-176
TIME:	03:03:35 PM
MOVED:	Murray
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 14-176 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion was withdrawn.
SECONDED:	Salazar
		VOTE
	Buckner
	Court	Excused
	Gardner
	Lawrence	Excused
	McLachlan
	Murray
	Pettersen
	Salazar
	Waller
	Lee
	Kagan

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION:

03:04 PM

The following person testified regarding Senate Bill 14-176:

03:05 PM -- Mr. Matthew Durkin, representing the Attorney General's Office, testified in support of the bill. Committee members received a fact sheet in support of the bill (Attachment B). Mr. Durkin discussed the need to make "chop shop" activity a crime.

14HseJud0429AttachB.pdf

03:08 PM

No amendments were offered to Senate Bill 14-176.


BILL:	SB14-176
TIME:	03:08:47 PM
MOVED:	Murray
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 14-176 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
SECONDED:	Salazar
		VOTE
	Buckner	Yes
	Court	Excused
	Gardner	Yes
	Lawrence	Excused
	McLachlan	Yes
	Murray	Yes
	Pettersen	Excused
	Salazar	Yes
	Waller	Yes
	Lee	Yes
	Kagan	Yes

Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:11 PM

The committee adjourned.