Date: 03/23/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HCR15-1001

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer HCR15-1001 to the Committee of the Whole. ThPASS



04:13 PM -- HCR15-1001

Representatives Moreno and Melton, co-prime sponsors, presented House Concurrent Resolution 15-1001. The concurrent resolution creates a referred measure that will appear before voters at the November 2016 general election. If passed, the measure would amend the Colorado Constitution to increase the statewide minimum wage from $8.23 to $12.50 by January 1, 2020, by the following annual increments:

Effective January 1, 2021, the bill stipulates that the minimum wage must be increased, rather than adjusted, annually for inflation using the Consumer Price Index.


04:18 PM

Representatives Moreno and Melton responded to questions from the committee.

04:27 PM -- Andrew Olson, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Olson spoke about living on a minimum wage salary.

04:28 PM -- Patrick Ulibarri, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Ulibarri discussed how difficult it is to be a single father on a minimum wage salary. He responded to questions from the committee.

04:31 PM -- Patrick Boyle, representing the Colorado Competitive Council, testified in opposition to the bill.

04:32 PM -- Owen Perkins, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Perkins distributed and discussed a binder of statistics about the minimum wage. A copy of the binder was not available for the official record.

04:38 PM -- Sonia Riggs, representing the Colorado Restaurant Association, the Colorado Hotel and Hospitality Association, and the National Federation of Independent Business, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Riggs expressed her opinion that the bill will negatively impact businesses and employment in Colorado. She responded to questions from the committee.

04:46 PM -- Michelle Webster, representing the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Webster distributed and read a prepared statement (Attachment C). She responded to questions from the committee.

15HouseState0323AttachC.pdf15HouseState0323AttachC.pdf

04:54 PM -- Mark Moses, representing the Colorado Restaurant Association and the Colorado Association for Commerce and Industry, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Moses discussed the differences between small businesses and large corporate entities in terms of profits and wages. He responded to questions from the committee.

05:00 PM -- George Awuor, representing the Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Awuor read a prepared statement about the immediate and future benefits of raising the minimum wage (Attachment D).

15HouseState0323AttachD.pdf15HouseState0323AttachD.pdf

05:05 PM -- Harry Hempy, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hempy spoke about injustice, the history of the minimum wage, and what constitutes a living wage. He commented about reasons for amending the state constitution. He expressed his opinion that the majority of Coloradans want to raise the minimum wage.

05:10 PM -- Phil Hayes, representing the Colorado AFL-CIO, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hayes responded to questions from the committee.


05:21 PM

Representative Moreno wrapped up the presentation of the bill and asked for a favorable recommendation.
BILL:HCR15-1001
TIME: 05:31:25 PM
MOVED:Salazar
MOTION:Refer HCR15-1001 to the Committee of the Whole. 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



05:31 PM

The committee adjourned.