Bill Summary for Bill Number SB15-204

Date: 04/28/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB15-204

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC HEALTH CARE & HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.014, as amended (Attachment C). Adopt amendment L.015 (Attachment F). The motion p Adopt amendment L.016 (Attachment I). The motion p Adopt amendment L.017 (Attachment G). The motion p Adopt amendment L.018 (Attachment H). The motion p Refer Senate Bill 15-204, as amended, to the Commi	Pass Without Objection Pass Without Objection Pass Without Objection Pass Without Objection Pass Without Objection PASS

02:48 PM -- SB15-204

Representative Singer introduced Senate Bill 15-204, concerning the operation of the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman. Representative Singer distributed and discussed amendment L.014 (Attachment C). Amendment L.014 establishes the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman in the Judicial Department. The amendment establishes the Child Protection Ombudsman Board, specifies the membership of the board, and outlines the terms of a memorandum of understanding between the office and the Judicial Department. Representative Singer responded to questions from the committee regarding whether other agencies operate within the Judicial Department in a similar manner as proposed for the ombudsman's office and why final actions of the office are subject to judicial review by the district court for the city and county of Denver. Representative Singer distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment D).

150428 AttachC.pdf

150428 AttachD.pdf

03:10 PM -- Stephanie Villaforte, Rocky Mountain Children's Law Center, testified in support of the bill. She stated that current law contains conflicts of interest, and discussed the current duties of the Department of Human Services regarding the operation of the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman.

03:23 PM -- Dorothy Macias, Office of the Child's Representative, testified regarding the bill. She spoke regarding the operation of the Office of the Child's Representative within the Judicial Branch.

03:25 PM -- Tori Black, representing herself, testified regarding her experience as member of the Child Protection Ombudsman Advisory Work Group.

03:33 PM -- Kendall Marlowe, National Association of Counsel for Children, testified regarding the current contract with the Office of the Child Protection Ombudsman and in support of the bill. Mr. Marlowe responded to questions from the committee regarding an investigation and the department's response to an investigation of the department by the ombudsman. He commented on how the ombudsman program would work better under the Judicial Department.

03:39 PM -- Carla Bennett, representing the League of Women Voters and the Colorado Coalition of Adoptive Families, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Bennett provided a brief history of the Child Protection Ombudsman. She said that the League of Women Voters is in favor of the bill because it is important for the public to have some oversight over the child welfare system. She spoke in support of amendment L.014 and distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment E).

150428 AttachE.pdf

03:46 PM -- Dennis Goodwin, Child Protection Ombudsman, responded to questions from the committee regarding whether the office responds to calls from children in the foster care system.

03:50 PM -- Sabrina Byrnes, Associate Child Protection Ombudsman, responded to questions from the committee. Mr. Goodwin and Ms. Byrnes responded to questions from the committee regarding notification about the services provided by the child welfare ombudsman.

03:55 PM -- Jerry Marroney, State Court Administrator, responded to committee questions regarding similar entities that are housed in the Judicial Department. He noted that the Independent Ethics Commission is also housed in the Judicial Department.

03:57 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., clarified that Colorado Counties Inc., does not have a position on the bill. She responded to questions from the committee regarding the organization's opposition to the introduced bill.


BILL:	SB15-204
TIME:	04:01:18 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.015 (Attachment F). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Danielson
		VOTE
	Conti
	Danielson
	Everett
	Ginal
	Joshi
	Landgraf
	Melton
	Moreno
	Sias
	Tyler
	Windholz
	Singer
	Primavera

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

150428 AttachF.pdf


BILL:	SB15-204
TIME:	04:02:41 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.017 (Attachment G). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Ginal
		VOTE
	Conti
	Danielson
	Everett
	Ginal
	Joshi
	Landgraf
	Melton
	Moreno
	Sias
	Tyler
	Windholz
	Singer
	Primavera

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

150428 AttachG.pdf


BILL:	SB15-204
TIME:	04:03:54 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.018 (Attachment H). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Primavera
		VOTE
	Conti
	Danielson
	Everett
	Ginal
	Joshi
	Landgraf
	Melton
	Moreno
	Sias
	Tyler
	Windholz
	Singer
	Primavera

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

150428 AttachH.pdf


BILL:	SB15-204
TIME:	04:04:35 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.014, as amended (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Ginal
		VOTE
	Conti
	Danielson
	Everett
	Ginal
	Joshi
	Landgraf
	Melton
	Moreno
	Sias
	Tyler
	Windholz
	Singer
	Primavera

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


BILL:	SB15-204
TIME:	04:05:44 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Adopt amendment L.016 (Attachment I). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Ginal
		VOTE
	Conti
	Danielson
	Everett
	Ginal
	Joshi
	Landgraf
	Melton
	Moreno
	Sias
	Tyler
	Windholz
	Singer
	Primavera

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

150428 AttachI.pdf

04:06 PM

Representative Singer gave concluding remarks regarding the bill.


BILL:	SB15-204
TIME:	04:08:22 PM
MOVED:	Singer
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 15-204, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 11-2.
SECONDED:	Melton
		VOTE
	Conti	Yes
	Danielson	Yes
	Everett	No
	Ginal	Yes
	Joshi	No
	Landgraf	Yes
	Melton	Yes
	Moreno	Yes
	Sias	Yes
	Tyler	Yes
	Windholz	Yes
	Singer	Yes
	Primavera	Yes

Final YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:12 PM

The committee adjourned.