Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Date:04/01/2015
ATTENDANCE
Time:11:27 AM to 12:17 PM
Foote
*
Humphrey
X
Place:LSB A
Lontine
X
Neville P.
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Primavera
X
Representative Ryden
Tate
X
Thurlow
X
This Report was prepared by
Tyler
X
Jessika Shipley
Willett
*
Salazar
X
Ryden
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB15-1315
SB15-078		Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Postponed Indefinitely


11:28 AM -- HB15-1315

Representative Ryden, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1315. Under current law, the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) supports the operation of county veterans service officers (CVSOs). A line item in the DMVA's Long Bill appropriation provides funding to assist counties with these operations, subject to a requirement that a county contribute an equal amount for its CVSO from the county budget. The state's payment rate for CVSOs is established annually through the Long Bill.

This bill eliminates the requirement that counties contribute a matching amount for CVSO operations. The bill also specifies that the payment rate will be determined by the Division of Veterans Affairs in the DMVA based on available appropriations to support CVSOs, and clarifies that payments to counties are from the DMVA's budgeted line item for CVSOs.

11:30 AM -- Steve Rylant, representing the United Veterans Committee, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Rylant discussed the mission of CVSOs and the effects of Agent Orange.

11:34 AM -- Gini Pingenot, representing Colorado Counties, Inc., testified about the bill. Ms. Pingenot discussed the value and benefit CVSOs provide to communities and explained that the requirement to provide them has always been an unfunded or underfunded mandate on the counties. She responded to questions from the committee about funding for CVSOs.

11:38 AM -- Ben Mestas, representing DMVA, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Mestas explained how the bill provides needed clarification about funding for CVSOs.





BILL:HB15-1315
TIME: 11:43:08 AM
MOVED:Ryden
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1315 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0, with 1 excused.
SECONDED:Humphrey
VOTE
Foote
Yes
Humphrey
Yes
Lontine
Yes
Neville P.
Yes
Primavera
Yes
Tate
Yes
Thurlow
Yes
Tyler
Yes
Willett
Excused
Salazar
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


11:44 AM -- SB15-078

Representative Neville, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 15-078. Beginning January 2016, this bill requires that Legislative Council Staff (LCS) receive outside comments and prepare a notice of reported business fiscal impact (BFI) for each bill or concurrent resolution introduced by the General Assembly, and each rule proposed by a department within the Executive Branch.

Comments may be submitted within a five-day window commencing between two and four days after the bill's or resolution's introduction. Any comments received by LCS must be compiled and posted on the agency's website. Each department of the Executive Branch is required to notify LCS concerning rule making. Following notification of any new or amended executive branch rule, LCS must follow the same procedure to accept, compile, and post BFIs on the LCS web site.

All BFIs consist only of the impacts claimed by those submitting the comments, which may also include information on the methodology used to support the claims; however, LCS must not include any independent analysis or state any conclusions concerning the comments received. LCS is given authority to establish minimum standards for submitting comments, and must remove a BFI notice after the notice has been posted on the website for one year.

Representative Neville responded to questions from the committee about the comments that would be accepted under the bill. The committee discussed the potential for inaccurate comments to be published as a BFI.

11:58 AM -- Tony Gagliardi, representing the National Federal of Independent Business, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Gagliardi responded to questions from the committee about how the bill would be implemented and how his members would know to comment about bills.






12:03 PM -- Chris Edmonds, representing the Bell Policy Center, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Edmonds listed the problems he sees with the bill. He expressed concern about the inability to fact check public comments. He indicated that the bill does not limit comments to those about the business fiscal impact of the bill, but the comments would be posted under the title "Business Fiscal Impact." He stated that the bill has the potential to tax the resources of LCS and could tarnish the office's nonpartisan status. He distributed written copies of his testimony (Attachment A). He responded to questions from the committee.

15HouseState0401AttachA.pdf15HouseState0401AttachA.pdf

12:10 PM

Representative Neville wrapped up his presentation of the bill and asked for a favorable recommendation. The committee took a brief recess.


12:16 PM

The committee reconvened.
BILL:SB15-078
TIME: 12:16:37 PM
MOVED:Neville P.
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 15-078 to the Legislative Council Committee. The motion failed on a vote of 5-6.
SECONDED:Tate
VOTE
Foote
No
Humphrey
Yes
Lontine
No
Neville P.
Yes
Primavera
No
Tate
Yes
Thurlow
Yes
Tyler
No
Willett
Yes
Salazar
No
Ryden
No
YES: 5 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL









BILL:SB15-078
TIME: 12:17:09 PM
MOVED:Salazar
MOTION:Postpone Senate Bill 15-078 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 6-5.
SECONDED:Foote
VOTE
Foote
Yes
Humphrey
No
Lontine
Yes
Neville P.
No
Primavera
Yes
Tate
No
Thurlow
No
Tyler
Yes
Willett
No
Salazar
Yes
Ryden
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


12:17 PM

The committee adjourned.