Date: 04/15/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1316

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment D). The chair ru
Refer House Bill 15-1316 to the Committee of the W
PASS



11:24 AM -- HB15-1316

Representatives Lebsock and Thurlow, co-prime sponsors, presented House Bill 15-1316. The bill changes the prerequisites for an applicant seeking authorization to provide taxicab service, as required by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) in the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), within and between certain metropolitan counties (Adams, Arapahoe, Boulder, Broomfield, Denver, Douglas, El Paso, and Jefferson).

Under current law, the taxicab service applicant must establish that there is a public need for the taxicab service and a party may oppose an application if it presents sufficient evidence to overcome the presumption of public need. Under the bill, the PUC is no longer required to consider the public need, only whether the applicant is operationally and financially fit to provide the taxicab service. If the PUC finds that an applicant is fit to provide the proposed taxicab service, it must issue the applicant an authorizing certificate to perform taxicab service.

Representatives Lebsock and Thurlow distributed and discussed an information packet and a Denver Post editorial about the bill (Attachments A and B).

15HouseState0415AttachA.pdf15HouseState0415AttachA.pdf 15HouseState0415AttachB.pdf15HouseState0415AttachB.pdf

11:30 AM -- Professor Robert Hardaway, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Professor Hardaway discussed the costs of business regulation, entrepreneurial spirit, and the dangers of price fixing. He referred to an article in The Christian Science Monitor (Attachment C). He responded to questions from the committee about the concept of the common carrier.

15HouseState0415AttachC.pdf15HouseState0415AttachC.pdf

11:37 AM -- Doug Dean, Director, PUC, testified about the bill. Mr. Dean commented that the bill does not completely deregulate the taxicab industry, but it does modify the entry process. He spoke about his involvement in the drafting of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee about the PUC's authority to determine the number of taxicabs allowed on the street. The committee also discussed the regulation of pricing and service and safety standards with Mr. Dean. Ron Jack, Chief of the PUC's Transportation Section, came to the table to help answer questions.


11:50 AM

Discussion about the taxicab industry continued with Mr. Dean and Mr. Jack.

11:59 AM -- Mark Valentine, representing Metro Taxi and Yellow Cab, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Valentine discussed the upcoming merger of Metro Taxi and Yellow Cab, and spoke about the practical effect of the bill on the industry. He explained how rate regulation works under current law. He provided examples of fixed-rate routes in the Denver metro area. He responded to questions from the committee about the total number of taxi trips that are taken in Colorado each year.

12:08 PM -- Amy Beres, representing the Rocky Mountain Farmer's Union, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Beres discussed her foundation's provision of training for small business and co-operative (co-op) development. She spoke about the benefits of such development.

12:10 PM -- Reverend Patrick Demmer, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Reverend Demmer expressed his opinion that the bill will provide opportunities for more people of color to enter the taxicab industry.

12:14 PM -- Margaret Atencio, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Atencio discussed an illness she suffered that led to her retiring from her job. She spoke about the adjustments she has made in her life since that time. She expressed her opinion that there is a need for more taxicabs.

12:20 PM -- Tom Harrison, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Harrison expressed his opinion that there is widespread dissatisfaction with the taxicab industry in Denver. He talked about the need for more options.

12:22 PM -- Abdi Buni, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Buni spoke about the history and organization of Union Taxi as a co-op. He expressed his opinion that there is ingrained racism in the taxicab industry.

12:25 PM -- Emmett Reistroffer, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Reistroffer discussed the free market, entrepreneurialship, and the working class.

12:27 PM -- Dick Petersen, representing Rocky Mountain Employee Ownership Center, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Petersen discussed worker-owned co-ops and employee stock ownership plans. He provided examples of employee-owned businesses in the Denver metro area.

12:32 PM -- Andrew Gambardella, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Gambardella discussed barriers to entry into the taxicab industry and the economic costs of such barriers.

12:36 PM -- Abdullah Chatari, representing Green Taxi, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Chatari expressed his desire to own his own business.


12:38 PM

Representative Lebsock read a letter of support on behalf of the Independence Institute. He also asked everyone in the audience who supported the bill to raise their hands. A number of individuals did so.

12:40 PM -- Jay Sant'Anna, representing Green Taxi, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Sant'Anna spoke about the money he is required to pay Metro Taxi in order to drive for them. He described the difficulty he faces.

12:42 PM -- Michael Schleipfer, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Schleipfer spoke about safety issues, letting drivers own their own companies, better market options, and price fixing.
BILL:HB15-1316
TIME: 12:46:40 PM
MOVED:Neville P.
MOTION:Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment D). The chair ruled that the amendment did not fit under the title of the bill.
15HouseState0415AttachD.pdf15HouseState0415AttachD.pdf
SECONDED:Humphrey
VOTE
Foote
Humphrey
Lontine
Neville P.
Primavera
Tate
Thurlow
Tyler
Willett
Salazar
Ryden
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION:


BILL:HB15-1316
TIME: 12:48:40 PM
MOVED:Salazar
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1316 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 9-2.
SECONDED:Primavera
VOTE
Foote
Yes
Humphrey
No
Lontine
Yes
Neville P.
No
Primavera
Yes
Tate
Yes
Thurlow
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Willett
Yes
Salazar
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS