House Committee on Finance (02/18/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:	02/18/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:32 PM to 02:25 PM	Becker K.	X
		Conti	X
Place:	LSB A	Garnett	X
		Kagan	*
This Meeting was called to order by		Pabon	X
	Representative Court	Priola	X
		Roupe	*
This Report was prepared by		Van Winkle	E
	Katie Ruedebusch	Wilson	X
		Foote	*
		Court	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB15-1008 SB15-026 SB15-028 HB15-1100 SB15-025 SB15-027		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to Appropriations Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:32 PM

Representative Court, chair, called the meeting to order.

01:33 PM -- HB15-1008

Representative Hamner, sponsor, introduced House Bill 15-1008. The bill, recommended by the Wildfire Matters Review Committee, provides that agricultural land destroyed by a natural cause on or after January 1, 2012, will retain its agricultural classification for a rehabilitation period consisting of the year of destruction and the next four property tax years. Representative Hamner stated the intent of the bill is to protect agricultural land owners after natural disasters. Committee discussion ensued regarding the impact of the bill on school financing.

01:38 PM -- Ms. JoAnn Groff, Property Tax Administrator for the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation (department), testified in support of the bill. She discussed that, on recommendation from the Office of Legislative Legal Services, the department determined that it did not have regulatory authority under Colorado law to allow agricultural land to retain its classification after a natural disaster. She stated the bill gives that authority to the department and clarifies earlier actions undertaken by the department. Responding to a question from the committee, Ms. Groff noted that if the land owner decides to no longer use the land for an agricultural purpose during the rehabilitation period, the land loses its agricultural classification.

01:41 PM -- Mr. Kyle Hooper, representing the Colorado Department of Local Affairs Division of Property Taxation, testified in support of the bill. He stated that this is a good bill for the state due to the recent natural disasters.

01:44 PM -- Mr. Nicholas Colglazier, Director of Public Policy, representing the Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in support of the bill. He stated this bill provides great benefits for our farmers and ranchers due to Colorado's recent natural disasters.


BILL:	HB15-1008
TIME:	01:46:55 PM
MOVED:	Court
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection. 15HouseFin0218AttachA.pdf
SECONDED:	Pabon
		VOTE
	Becker K.
	Conti
	Garnett
	Kagan
	Pabon
	Priola
	Roupe	Excused
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson
	Foote
	Court

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB15-1008
TIME:	01:47:56 PM
MOVED:	Court
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1008, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:	Kagan
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Roupe	Excused
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:49 PM -- SB15-026

Representative Ginal, sponsor, introduced Senate Bill 15-026. The bill, recommended by the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission, specifies the procedures for new members entering the Fire and Police Pension Association's (FPPA) statewide defined benefit pension plan for firefighters.

01:51 PM -- Mr. Kevin Lindahl, representing the FPPA, testified in support of the bill.


BILL:	SB15-026
TIME:	01:52:23 PM
MOVED:	Becker K.
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-026 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	Priola
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:54 PM -- SB15-028

Representative Ginal, sponsor, introduced Senate Bill 15-028. The bill requires a fire chief who elects to be exempted from the FPPA's defined benefit plan to participate in the federal Social Security program or in another federally regulated retirement program. The bill was recommended by the Police Officers' and Firefighters' Pension Reform Commission.


BILL:	SB15-028
TIME:	01:55:19 PM
MOVED:	Becker K.
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-028 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	Priola
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

FINAL YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:56 PM -- HB15-1100

Representative Lebsock, sponsor, introduced House Bill 15-1100. The bill increases the $10 million diversion of the state sales and use tax from the General Fund to the Older Coloradans Cash Fund by $4 million to a total of $14 million per year. Committee discussion ensued regarding the merits of the introduced bill and a proposed amendment (Attachment B). Representatives Lebsock and Roupe noted that this bill gives Area Agencies on Aging more flexibility and certainty in planning yearly budgets.

15HouseFin0218AttachB.pdf


BILL:	HB15-1100
TIME:	01:57:31 PM
MOVED:	Roupe
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.005 (Attachment B). The motion passed on a vote of 7-3.
SECONDED:	Foote
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	No
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	No
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	No
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

YES: 7 NO: 3 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


BILL:	HB15-1100
TIME:	02:16:44 PM
MOVED:	Roupe
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1100, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	Kagan
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


BILL:	SB15-025
TIME:	02:21:59 PM
MOVED:	Pabon
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-025 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	Kagan
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


BILL:	SB15-027
TIME:	02:23:28 PM
MOVED:	Court
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-027 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-0.
SECONDED:	Pabon
		VOTE
	Becker K.	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Garnett	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Priola	Yes
	Roupe	Yes
	Van Winkle	Excused
	Wilson	Yes
	Foote	Yes
	Court	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:25 PM

The committee adjourned.