Date: 04/27/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1231

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Postpone House Bill 15-1231 indefinitely using a r
Refer House Bill 15-1231 to the Committee on Appro		PASS
FAIL



04:37 PM -- HB15-1231

The committee reconvened.

Senators Merrifield and Crowder, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 15-1231 to the committee. This bill reenacts the Enhanced Unemployment Insurance Compensation Benefits Program (program) in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). The Division of Unemployment Insurance will review and approve job training programs and pay enhanced benefits to eligible claimants enrolled in job training for three fiscal years, starting in FY 2015-16 and ending in FY 2017-18. Up to $4 million may be expended for the program, including benefit payments, in any fiscal year, with no more than $12 million in expenditures obligated by the division over the three fiscal years affected by the bill. The state General Fund pays for program costs.

The division's administration of the program includes:

• input from local workforce investment boards and the Division of Labor in CDLE regarding occupations for which training should be approved;
• outreach to unemployed workers, informing them of the program;
• weekly payment of the benefit to eligible claimants, with a maximum cumulative benefit amount calculated based on the monetary amount of the individual claimant's benefit for a regular unemployment claim; and
• rulemaking deemed necessary by the division's director to implement, administer, or take enforcement action related to the program.

By December 31, 2016, and December 31, 2017, the division must submit an annual report to the Joint Budget Committee and the business committees of the General Assembly. This report will contain detailed information regarding the program and its outcomes.

Senator Merrifield distributed a fact sheet on the bill (Attachment E) and explained that the bill is one of a number of workforce development measures. He described the enhanced unemployment compensation benefit program, noting that it was originally created in 2009. He described the program's successes.

15SenateState0427AttachE.pdf15SenateState0427AttachE.pdf

04:42 PM -- Dawn Howard, representing the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support of the bill.

04:44 PM -- Rich Jones, representing the Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill. He explained the benefits of the program and relayed statistics about the program.

04:46 PM -- Pat Teegarden, representing the Department of Labor and Employment, testified on the bill.


04:47 PM

Senator Crowder wrapped up his presentation of the bill.
BILL:HB15-1231
TIME: 04:50:44 PM
MOVED:Jones
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1231 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a vote of 2-3.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Hill
No
Jones
Yes
Ulibarri
Yes
Sonnenberg
No
Scott
No
YES: 2 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:HB15-1231
TIME: 04:51:37 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Postpone House Bill 15-1231 indefinitely using a reversal of the previous roll call. There was no objection to the use of the reverse roll call, therefore, the bill was postponed indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 3-2.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Hill
Yes
Jones
No
Ulibarri
No
Sonnenberg
Yes
Scott
Yes
Final YES: 3 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS