Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES

Date:04/23/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:31 PM to 03:06 PM
Aguilar
X
Martinez Humenik
X
Place:SCR 353
Newell
X
Crowder
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Lundberg
*
Senator Lundberg
This Report was prepared by
Elizabeth Haskell
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Conf 15-Medical Services Board
HB15-1267
HB15-1283
HB15-1337		Refer to the Full Senate
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Referred to Appropriations
Referred to the Committee of the Whole


01:31 PM -- Confirmation -- Medical Services Board

Amanda Moorer, appointee to the Medical Services Board, came to the table and told the committee about why she would make a good member of the board. Patricia Givens, appointee to the Medical Services Board, spoke about her previous experience as a member of the board and why she wants to be reappointed to the board. Ms. Moorer and Ms. Givens responded to questions about the rising cost of Medicaid and the role of the board in adopting rules and regulations for programs administered by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing.


The appointment letters may be found in Attachment A. The appointees' applications and resumes may be found at the State Archives.

150423 AttachA.pdf150423 AttachA.pdf
BILL:Conf 15-Medical Services Board
TIME: 01:40:43 PM
MOVED:Newell
MOTION:Refer the reappointment of Patricia Givens and the appointment of Amanda Moorer to the Medical Services Board to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation and a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a vote of 4-0, with one excused.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Excused
Final YES: 4 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:42 PM -- HB 15-1267

Senator Guzman presented House Bill 15-1267, concerning the use of medical marijuana during probation. The bill makes an exception to probation conditions to allow a person on probation to possess and use medical marijuana, unless the person is convicted of an offense related to medical marijuana or the court determines such a prohibition is necessary and appropriate.

01:46 PM -- Jeff Clayton, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He discussed individuals who are on probation and who need to use medical marijuana to control pain and other conditions.

01:50 PM -- Robert Chase, Colorado Coalition for Patients and Caregivers, spoke in support of the bill. He stated his concern about excluding drug offenders who are on probation from using medical marijuana.

01:53 PM -- Jason Warf, Southern Colorado Cannabis Council, spoke in support of the bill.

01:55 PM -- Kristi Douglas, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She told the committee about the injuries her son suffered as the result of a motorcycle accident. She discussed the difficulty he had controlling pain with prescription pain medications and how he was able to relieve his pain with medical marijuana. She explained that her son has been unable to use medical marijuana to control his pain since he has been on probation.

02:03 PM -- Christine Smiley, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill and told the committee about her experience using medical marijuana to control anxiety and not being able to use medical marijuana while on probation.


02:06 PM -- Steven Douglas, Sr., representing himself, spoke in support of the bill and about the difficulty his son has experienced as a result of being on probation and not being able to take medical marijuana to control his pain.

02:08 PM -- Michael Milos, representing himself, spoke in support of the bill. He spoke about his experience using both prescription medications and medical marijuana to control his back pain.

02:15 PM -- Brian Vicente, Sensible Colorado, spoke in support of the bill. He told the committee about his experience as an attorney representing medical marijuana patients who are on probation.

02:17 PM -- Shawn Coleman, 36 Solutions, spoke in support of the bill.

02:18 PM -- Steven Douglas, Jr., representing himself, testified in support of the bill and told the committee about the impact the prohibition against the use of medical marijuana while on probation has had on his life.

02:22 PM

Senator Guzman made closing comments.
BILL:HB15-1267
TIME: 02:23:15 PM
MOVED:Crowder
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1267 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:25 PM -- HB 15-1283

Senator Holbert presented House Bill 15-1283, concerning marijuana testing. The bill requires the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) to develop and maintain a marijuana laboratory testing reference library to be funded from the Marijuana Tax Cash Fund. The reference library must contain methodologies for marijuana testing in the areas of potency, homogeneity, contaminants, and solvents. CDPHE may also include standard sample attainment and preparation procedures for laboratory analysis. Laboratories licensed by the Department of Revenue are required to provide materials for the reference library with the exception of testing protocols. CDPHE will complete a stakeholder process by September 1, 2015; the reference library and methodologies must be available to the public by December 31, 2015.


CDPHE, or a designated contractor, will be responsible for proficiency testing and remediating problems with medical and retail marijuana laboratories. The bill expands potency testing to include creating process validation for edible and other marijuana products in multi-serving packages for a 10 milligram serving in a 100 milligram package. The bill exempts from continued homogeneity testing individual marijuana pieces of 10 milligrams or less that have gone through process validation and permits process validation for 100 milligram servings. CDPHE must determine an acceptable range in variance for potency representations of at least plus or minus 15 percent.

02:33 PM -- Jeannine Machon, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill and about her experience as the owner of a marijuana testing facility.

02:35 PM -- Robert Chase, Colorado Coalition for Patients and Caregivers, spoke in support of the bill and raised concerns about who will have access to marijuana testing facilities.

02:38 PM -- Ron Kammerzell, Colorado Department of Revenue, responded to questions from the committee about the testing of marijuana products, testing protocols, and the type of information that will be available in the reference library.

02:45 PM -- Ms. Machon returned to the table to respond to questions about testing facilities and testing protocols.

02:49 PM

Senator Holbert made closing comments. Committee members commented on the bill.
BILL:HB15-1283
TIME: 02:51:00 PM
MOVED:Crowder
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1283 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 4-1.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
No
Lundberg
Yes
Final YES: 4 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




02:52 PM -- HB 15-1337

Senator Newell presented House Bill 15-1337, concerning placement stability for children and siblings. Under current law, the courts are encouraged to consider certain factors when deciding whether to place a child with relatives following the termination of the parent-child legal relationship or when conducting a periodic review of a child's placement when in foster care. House Bill 15-1337 requires that all the factors specified in statute be considered by the courts in these cases. The bill also updates the legislative declaration concerning placement stability for children in foster care.

02:55 PM -- Adoree Blair, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Blair spoke about the stress foster children experience when moving from home to home and the benefits associated with limiting the number of moves these children endure.

02:57 PM -- Jessica Spangler, representing herself, spoke in support of the bill. She spoke about her experience as a foster parent and her concerns about children being moved from home to home. She expressed her desire to have the county departments of human services and child placement agencies consider the mental health effects multiple moves have on foster children.

03:02 PM -- Linda Weinerman, Office of the Child's Representative, spoke in support of the bill. She told the committee that the bill addresses all moves that a child may be subject to, including the initial move away from his or her parents.

03:04 PM -- Kristin Melton, Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center, spoke in support of the bill.

03:06 PM

Senator Newell made closing comments.
BILL:HB15-1337
TIME: 03:06:33 PM
MOVED:Newell
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1337 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 5-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Aguilar
Yes
Martinez Humenik
Yes
Newell
Yes
Crowder
Yes
Lundberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

3:06 PM

The committee adjourned.