Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:03/12/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:10:04 AM to 11:20 AM
Becker K.
*
Conti
E
Place:LSB A
Garnett
X
Kagan
*
This Meeting was called to order by
Pabon
X
Representative Court
Priola
*
Roupe
X
This Report was prepared by
Van Winkle
X
Katie Ruedebusch
Wilson
X
Foote
X
Court
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB15-1142
SB15-097
HB15-1159		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Amended, Referred to Appropriations


10:05 AM -- HB15-1142

Representative Court, chair, called the meeting to order. Representative McCann, sponsor, introduced House Bill 15-1142. The bill allows public trustees the option to conduct a foreclosure sale by means of the Internet or other electronic medium. A public trustee who utilizes this option must include the website and provide information about publicly-available computers in required mailings, and must also post bidding rules online two weeks before the sale. Information about the electronic sale is also to be posted through traditional means, such as posting a written notice in the office of the public trustee. Public trustees are not liable for technical issues such as the failure of computers or the website. Public trustees are authorized to collect a fee for service of up to $60 to conduct the sale, and to receive these funds through electronic transfer. Representative McCann distributed and discussed amendment L.004 (Attachment A).

15HouseFin0312AttachA.pdf15HouseFin0312AttachA.pdf

10:12 AM -- Debra Johnson, representing the City and County of Denver, came to the table to discuss foreclosure sale via phone.










BILL:HB15-1142
TIME: 10:13:56 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Pabon
VOTE
Becker K.
Conti
Excused
Garnett
Kagan
Pabon
Priola
Roupe
Van Winkle
Wilson
Foote
Court
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

BILL:HB15-1142
TIME: 10:14:45 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1142, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:Pabon
VOTE
Becker K.
Yes
Conti
Excused
Garnett
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Pabon
Yes
Priola
Yes
Roupe
Yes
Van Winkle
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Foote
Yes
Court
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS







10:15 AM -- SB15-097

Representative Landgraf, sponsor, introduced Senate Bill 15-097. Current law requires that an assigned cobeneficiary of a Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) member must be a living person. The reengrossed bill removes this requirement by allowing a PERA member to designate a supplemental needs trust (trust) as a cobeneficiary that is eligible to receive a benefit. The bill defines a trust as a valid third-party special needs trust established for a member's or retiree's child as the beneficiary of the trust. The trust must comply with all applicable laws under the Colorado Medical Assistance Act and the federal Social Security Act. The Department of Health Care Policy and Financing is required to review and evaluate the effect of any trust established on medical assistance eligibility. The trust must be solely for the benefit of a single living beneficiary. The bill also addresses various situations concerning benefit options, cobeneficiary designation changes, survivor benefits, health care eligibility, and annuitization. Representative Landgraf stated that the bill is needed for PERA members with disabled beneficiaries.

10:19 AM -- Ms. Jennifer Schreck, representing Colorado PERA, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the need for the bill and the definitions of various terms in the bill.
BILL:SB15-097
TIME: 10:24:34 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 15-097 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:Foote
VOTE
Becker K.
Yes
Conti
Excused
Garnett
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Pabon
Yes
Priola
Yes
Roupe
Yes
Van Winkle
Yes
Wilson
Yes
Foote
Yes
Court
Yes
FINAL YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS















10:26 AM -- HB15-1159

Representative Arndt, sponsor, introduced House Bill 15-1159. The bill, as amended by the House Agriculture Committee, extends the instream flow incentive tax credit, currently set to expire after tax year 2014, through tax year 2019. It also removes a provision restricting the credit's availability to tax years beginning during fiscal years when revenue is sufficient to grow General Fund appropriations by 6 percent. Finally, the bill moves the deadline for the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB) to report credit certificates to the Department of Revenue for November 30 to December 30 each year. The bill does not affect the $2 million cap on aggregate instream flow credit awarded for a single tax year. Representative Court distributed amendment L.006 (Attachment B). Representative Arndt distributed amendment L.004 and L.005 (Attachments C and D). Committee discussion ensued regarding water rights and instream flow.

15HouseFin0312AttachB.pdf15HouseFin0312AttachB.pdf 15HouseFin0312AttachC.pdf15HouseFin0312AttachC.pdf

15HouseFin0312AttachD.pdf15HouseFin0312AttachD.pdf

10:43 AM -- Ms. Linda Bassi, representing the CWCB, came to the table to answer committee questions. She discussed instream flow in Colorado, water rights, and water right transactions. Committee discussion ensued.

10:58 AM -- Ms. Esther van Mourik, Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to answer questions. She discussed how the tax credit works in practice. She distributed a preamended version of the bill to the committee (Attachment E).

15HouseFin0312AttachE.pdf15HouseFin0312AttachE.pdf

11:02 AM -- Ms. Bassi returned to the table to answer questions. She discussed the three-year limit on the tax credit and the process by which persons donate their water rights.

11:04 AM -- Mr. Richard Orf, representing Water Congress, testified that they have a no position on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1159
TIME: 11:06:43 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Pabon
VOTE
Becker K.
Conti
Garnett
Kagan
Pabon
Priola
Roupe
Van Winkle
Wilson
Foote
Court
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

BILL:HB15-1159
TIME: 11:08:44 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.005 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Foote
VOTE
Becker K.
Conti
Garnett
Kagan
Pabon
Priola
Roupe
Van Winkle
Wilson
Foote
Court
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection






BILL:HB15-1159
TIME: 11:09:55 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Pabon
VOTE
Becker K.
Conti
Garnett
Kagan
Pabon
Priola
Roupe
Van Winkle
Wilson
Foote
Court
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

































11:10 PM -- Committee discussion ensued.
BILL:HB15-1159
TIME: 11:16:44 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1159, as amended, to Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:Garnett
VOTE
Becker K.
Yes
Conti
No
Garnett
Yes
Kagan
Yes
Pabon
Yes
Priola
No
Roupe
No
Van Winkle
No
Wilson
No
Foote
Yes
Court
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


11:20 AM

The committee adjourned.