Final
Office of Consumer Counsel

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LABOR

Votes:
Action Taken:
moved to recommend that the bill continuing the OfPASS


09:43 AM -- Sunset Review of the Office of Consumer Counsel

Mr. Harrelson described the role and responsibility of the Office of Consumer Counsel (OCC). A copy of the sunset review entitled "Office of Consumer Counsel and Utility Consumers Board" is available on-line at: http://www.dora.state.co.us/opr/archive/2005OCCandUCB.pdf, and a copy of the draft bill that the committee would be reviewing containing the recommendations in the sunset report is appended as Attachment F.


09:47 AM

Rex Wilmouth, Colorado Public Interest Research Group (CoPIRG), whose primary purpose is consumer protection, stated his support for continuing the OCC. He reminded the committee of the types of cases that had come before the OCC in the past and how important the role of this office is. Representative Coleman questioned how effective the consumer's voice still is, and asked about the increasing utility rates. Mr. Wilmouth responded.
BILL:Office of Consumer Counsel
TIME: 09:55:27 AM
MOVED:Coleman
MOTION:moved to recommend that the bill continuing the Office of Consumer Counsel until July 1, 2015 be drafted and introduced in the 2006 session. The motion passed on an 12-0 roll call vote. The Chair indicated that Representative Carroll will be the prime House sponsor of the bill. Co-sponsors are: Representatives Borodkin, Butcher, Cerbo, Coleman, McCluskey and Paccione.
SECONDED:Carroll M.
VOTE
Balmer
Yes
Borodkin
Yes
Butcher
Yes
Carroll M.
Yes
Coleman
Yes
Knoedler
Yes
Liston
Yes
Massey
Yes
McCluskey
Yes
Paccione
Yes
White
Absent
Cerbo
Yes
Marshall
Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 1 FINAL ACTION: PASS