Bill Summary for Bill Number HB15-1058

Date: 01/21/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1058

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
The motion passed without objection. Postpone House Bill 15-1058 indefinitely. The moti Refer House Bill 15-1058 to the Committee on Educa	PASS FAIL


BILL:	HB15-1058
TIME:	04:01:25 PM
MOVED:	Pabon
MOTION:	Postpone House Bill 15-1058 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:	Becker K.
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Dore	No
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Lawrence	No
	Pabon	Yes
	Roupe	No
	Van Winkle	No
	Wilson	No
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

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

02:22 PM -- HB15-1058

Rep. Becker, J., Sponsor, introduced House Bill 15-1058. The bill transfers 70 percent of the year-end General Fund surplus into the State Education Fund and 30 percent to a new Higher Education Fund. The intent of the bill is to reduce the effect of the negative factor. In essence, after all the funding adjustments required by the school finance act are calculated, the negative factor reduces each district's total program funding, and thus its per pupil funding, by a specified percentage determined by a targeted funding level. He noted that rural schools in particular have been hurt by the negative factor.

Committee discussion ensued regarding how the surplus is used currently. Representative Becker, J. responded to question on the projected end date of the transfers. He also summarized the determination of the 70/30 percent split. He stated the goal for the Higher Education Fund to protect funding for higher education and give higher education institutions a "rainy day" account. The Committee then discussed permanent versus time-specific transfers, current education funding, and the surplus.

02:59 PM -- Ms. Jane Urschel, PhD, Deputy Executive Director of the Colorado Association of School Boards, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the negative factor and Amendment 23. She noted that the number one priority of CASB is to pay off the negative factor. She noted the effort by the legislature last year to decrease the negative factor, but said that the General Assembly did not come close getting rid of the negative factor. She stated that the negative factor is a credit card debt the assembly needs to pay on behalf of students.

03:04 PM -- Mr. Brett Miles, Superintendent of Holyoke RE-IJ School District, testified in support of the bill. He noted the substantial impact the negative factor has had on his school district and its budgets. He discussed the impact on the purchase of new textbooks and school buses.

03:08 PM -- Mr. Rob Sanders, Superintendent of Buffalo School District RE-4J, testified in support of the bill. He testified that his school district has lost $1.8 million to the negative factor over five years. He discussed the loss of teachers to neighboring states. He noted that every penny that goes to the districts helps.

03:11 PM -- Dr. Jo Barbie, Superintendent of Weld County School District, RE-1, testified in support of the bill. She talked about the extensive cuts in her school district resulting from the negative factor. She noted the school district has 63 percent of students on free or reduced lunch. She said the school district has faced new mandates, accountability, and assessment systems along with funding cuts.

03:20 PM -- Mr. John Stoffel, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. He has five grandchildren in the Cherry Creek and Gilpin school districts. He believes that our schools do not have enough support and funding. He requested the committee support the bill.

03:23 PM -- Dr. Valentina Flores, Ed.D, representing herself and the children of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She noted that she is a new member of the State Board of Education. She discussed the many requirements school districts face dealing with evaluation and assessment. She also expressed concern regarding the costs to school districts to implement these programs.

03:27 PM -- Mr. Brian Tanner, Government Affairs Director of the Colorado Education Association, testified in support of the bill. He discussed quality public education and the need for adequate resources for schools. He supports increased funding for K-12 education. He said he understands the bill is not a panacea, but it is step a towards funding our schools.

Committee discussion ensued regarding the education budget.

03:30 PM

Representative Becker, J reiterated his support for the bill and giving surplus dollars to education. He said this bill moves education forward as a priority in Colorado and begins the process of fixing education funding problems. Committee discussion ensued.


BILL:	HB15-1058
TIME:	03:36:15 PM
MOVED:	Dore
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1058 to the Committee on Education. The motion failed on a vote of 5-6.
SECONDED:	Lawrence
		VOTE
	Becker K.	No
	Dore	Yes
	Garnett	No
	Kagan	No
	Lawrence	Yes
	Pabon	No
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Yes
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	No
	Court	No

YES: 5 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB15-1058
TIME:	04:01:25 PM
MOVED:	Pabon
MOTION:	Postpone House Bill 15-1058 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:	Becker K.
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Dore	No
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Lawrence	No
	Pabon	Yes
	Roupe	No
	Van Winkle	No
	Wilson	No
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

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

04:02 PM

The committee adjourned.