House Committee on Local Government (03/11/2015)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Date:	03/11/2015	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:33 PM to 02:19 PM	Arndt	X
		Danielson	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Keyser	*
		Klingenschmitt	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Navarro	X
	Representative Fields	Ransom	X
		Rosenthal	X
This Report was prepared by		Saine	*
	Damion Pechota	Singer	X
		Lebsock	X
		Fields	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB15-1256 HB15-1262		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:35 PM -- HB15-1256

Representative Mitsch Bush, sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1256 concerning the classification of Routt County. The bill reclassifies Routt County as category II for the fixing of salaries of county officers. Routt County is currently classified as category III. Representative Mitsch Bush distributed letters of support (Attachment A).

15HouseLocal0311AttachA.pdf

Representative Mitsch Bush answered questions from the committee members regarding the industries in Routt County and the responsibilities of county officers.

Representative Klingenschmitt distributed and discussed a handout to the committee members (Attachment B) on the populations of Colorado counties. Representative Mitsch Bush discussed the current practice for changing the categorization of a county. She also discussed the responsibilities of county officials in relation to services and a county's population.

15HouseLocal0311AttachB.pdf

01:45 PM

Representative Mitsch Bush and Representative Klingenschmitt continued to dialogue regarding the correlation between population and work load for county officers.

Representative Saine discussed the current process for county categorization.

01:51 PM -- Doug Monger, Routt County Commissioner, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the issues that county officers deal with in relation to populations and industries. Commissioner Monger discussed the need for Routt County to be changed to category II.

01:54 PM -- Eric Bergman, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the current categorization of Colorado counties.

01:55 PM -- Richard Orf, representing Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the need to change Routt County to category II.

Representative Mitsch Bush provided closing comments on the bill


BILL:	HB15-1256
TIME:	01:57:29 PM
MOVED:	Arndt
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1256 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 11-0.
SECONDED:	Saine
		VOTE
	Arndt	Yes
	Danielson	Yes
	Keyser	Yes
	Klingenschmitt	Yes
	Navarro	Yes
	Ransom	Yes
	Rosenthal	Yes
	Saine	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Lebsock	Yes
	Fields	Yes

YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:59 PM -- HB15-1262

Representative Rosenthal, sponsor, presented and summarized House Bill 15-1262 concerning separate legal entities established by a contract between two or more political subdivisions of the state, and, in connection therewith, clarifying the legal status and scope of powers of such entity. The bill clarifies that a separate legal entity established by a contract between two or more counties, municipalities, special districts, or other political subdivisions of the state: is a political subdivision and public corporation of the state and is separate from the parties to the contract if the contract or an amendment state the entity is formed in conformity with the provisions of the bill; may exercise any general power of a special district as provided by the contract, except it may not levy a tax or exercise the power of eminent domain; may issue bonds, notes, or other financial obligations that are exempt from taxation; and may acquire, lease, and sell property.

Representative Rosenthal distributed and summarized Amendment L.001 (Attachment C).

15HouseLocal0311AttachC.pdf

02:04 PM -- MaryAnn McGeady, representing McGeady Sisneros, P.C., spoke in favor of the bill. She provided an overview of the bill regarding separate legal entities, the issuance of bonds, and tax exempt debt.

Ms. McGeady answered questions from the committee regarding debt from local government entities.

Representative Klingenschmitt and Ms. MeGeady continued to discuss debt in relation to the Taxpayer Bill of Rights (TABOR).

Ms. MeGeady provided an overview of amendment L.001.


BILL:	HB15-1262
TIME:	02:14:30 PM
MOVED:	Rosenthal
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Lebsock
		VOTE
	Arndt
	Danielson
	Keyser	Excused
	Klingenschmitt
	Navarro
	Ransom
	Rosenthal
	Saine
	Singer
	Lebsock
	Fields

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

Representative Rosenthal provided closing comments on the bill.


BILL:	HB15-1262
TIME:	02:17:43 PM
MOVED:	Rosenthal
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 15-1262, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 9-0.
SECONDED:	Arndt
		VOTE
	Arndt	Yes
	Danielson	Yes
	Keyser	Excused
	Klingenschmitt	Yes
	Navarro	Yes
	Ransom	Yes
	Rosenthal	Yes
	Saine	Excused
	Singer	Yes
	Lebsock	Yes
	Fields	Yes

YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:19 PM

The committee adjourned.