Senate Committee on Local Government (03/24/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Date:	03/24/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	03:52 PM to 04:18 PM	Crowder	X
		Donovan	X
Place:	SCR 353	Kefalas	X
		Martinez Humenik	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Ulibarri	X
	Senator Marble	Balmer	X
		Marble	X
This Report was prepared by
	David Beaujon
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB15-1256 HB15-1225 HB15-1008		Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar Referred to Appropriations Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar

03:52 PM -- HB 15-1256

Senator Baumgardner, sponsor, described the provisions of House Bill 15-1256 concerning the classification of Routt County. Under current law, Routt County is classified as a category III county for purposes of establishing the salaries of county officers. This reengrossed bill reclassifies the county as a category II county.

The following person testified on the bill:

03:54 PM -- Gary Petersen, Routt County Assessor, spoke in support of the bill. He also discussed the cost of housing in Routt County and the disparity of salaries for elected officials and their employees.

03:58 PM

Testimony was closed by the Chair and Senator Baumgardner closed his remarks on the bill.


BILL:	HB15-1256
TIME:	03:58:53 PM
MOVED:	Crowder
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1256 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Crowder	Yes
	Donovan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Martinez Humenik	Yes
	Ulibarri	Yes
	Balmer	Yes
	Marble	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:59 PM -- HB 15-1225

Senator Roberts and Senator Donovan, co-prime sponsors, described the provisions of House Bill 15-1225 concerning federal land coordination. The reengrossed bill requires certain officers and agencies of the executive branch in Colorado to provide technical and financial support to local governments that are affected by federal land management. The Governor is required to provide technical support to local governments in cooperation with the executive directors of the Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the Commissioner of the Department of Agriculture (CDA). This technical support includes sharing information with federal land managers, developing local land use plans, hiring consultants, and entering into memoranda of understanding (MOU) or other cooperation with federal agencies. The Governor is also authorized, but not required, to establish an advisory committee that provides technical assistance related to specific federal land management decision-making processes. The bill authorizes the use of the Local Government Mineral Impact Fund and the Local Government Severance Tax Fund (funds) for planning, analysis, public engagement, collaboration with federal land managers, and other local government activity related to federal land management.

There was no testimony on the bill.

04:11 PM

Senator Roberts and Senator Donovan closed their remarks on the bill.


BILL:	HB15-1225
TIME:	04:11:49 PM
MOVED:	Donovan
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1225 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Crowder	Yes
	Donovan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Martinez Humenik	Yes
	Ulibarri	Yes
	Balmer	Yes
	Marble	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:12 PM -- HB 15-1008

Senator Roberts, sponsor, described the provisions of House Bill 15-1008 concerning agricultural lands destroyed by natural causes. This reengrossed bill, recommended by the interim Wildlfires Matter Review Committee, provides that when the productivity of agricultural land is destroyed by a natural cause on or after January 1, 2012, the land will retain its agricultural classification for a rehabilitation period consisting of the year of destruction and the next four property tax years. During the rehabilitation period, the bill specifies that the owner must make progress toward restoring agricultural use or, in the case of forest land, must comply with an approved forest management plan. The classification of an affected agricultural parcel must change to reflect current use if: rehabilitation for agricultural use has not occurred by the end of the rehabilitation period; the original agricultural classification was erroneous; or a change of use has occurred, other than destruction by a natural cause. The county assessor may extend the rehabilitation period when the property owner submits evidence that additional time is required to complete rehabilitation despite good faith efforts in the original rehabilitation period.

The following person testified on the bill:

04:15 PM -- JoAnn Groff, Division of Property Taxation, responded to questions from the committee about the bill and current law.

04:16 PM

Testimony was closed by the Chair and Senator Roberts closed her remarks on the bill.


BILL:	HB15-1008
TIME:	04:17:24 PM
MOVED:	Donovan
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1008 to the Committee of the Whole with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 7-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Crowder	Yes
	Donovan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Martinez Humenik	Yes
	Ulibarri	Yes
	Balmer	Yes
	Marble	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:18 PM

The committee adjourned.