House Committee on Finance (01/26/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:	01/26/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	11:09 AM to 11:45 AM	Benefield	X
		Cloer	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Crane	X
		Frangas	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Garcia	X
	Representative Vigil	Harvey	X
		Jahn	*
This Report was prepared by		Kerr	X
	Ron Kirk	Marshall	X
		Massey	X
		McCluskey	X
		Judd	X
		Vigil	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SJR06-004 HB06-1013 HB06-1074		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole

11:12 AM

Representative Vigil, prime sponsor, explained that state law requires the General Assembly to pass a joint resolution by February 1 of each year that specifies the amount of General Fund revenues that will be available for appropriation for the upcoming fiscal year. After a brief discussion, Representative Vigil moved that Senate Joint Resolution 06-004 be referred to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 12-0-1 vote.


BILL:	Senate Joint Resolution 06-004
TIME:	11:13:26 AM
MOVED:	Vigil
MOTION:	Refer Senate Joint Resolution 06-004 out for final action (Committee of the Whole). The motion passed on a 12-0-1 vote.
SECONDED:	Massey
		VOTE
	Benefield	Yes
	Cloer	Yes
	Crane	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Harvey	Yes
	Jahn	Excused
	Kerr	Yes
	Marshall	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McCluskey	Yes
	Judd	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
Final YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:15 AM -- House Bill 06-1013

Representative Gallegos, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of the bill. He commented that the bill increases the maximum qualifying income for eligibility to participate in the state Property Tax/Rent and Heat/Fuel Assistance Program. (For more information on this program, see the Joint House and Senate Finance Committee summary dated January 26, 2006.) A spokesperson from the Colorado Department of Revenue provided an overview of the program as required by statute during even-numbered years.)

The following persons testified:

11:24 AM -- Mr. Josh Harwood, Legislative Council Staff, explained the fiscal impact of the bill. He said that the program is funded outside the 6 percent limit and therefore limits money that spill over through the SB 97-1 diversion. Mr. Harwood explained that since the state can retain revenue under Referendum C, it affects revenue that flows above the 6 percent limit to the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF). The result of the legislation is that it reduces the money that flows to the HUTF. Mr. Harwood clarified that the fewer dollars that are diverted to the HUTF, pay for the cost in HB 06-1013.

11:32 AM -- Mr. Herb Homan, Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the legislation. Mr. Homan commented on the history of the grant program and expressed his concern that the increased cost of living and higher poverty levels will not be addressed unless a program change is made through legislation. The money to fund the bill would be well spent to compensate low-income individuals for the increased cost-of-living increases.


BILL:	HB06-1013
TIME:	11:38:43 AM
MOVED:	Cloer
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 06-1013 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 13-0-0 vote.
SECONDED:	Frangas
		VOTE
	Benefield	Yes
	Cloer	Yes
	Crane	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Harvey	Yes
	Jahn	Yes
	Kerr	Yes
	Marshall	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McCluskey	Yes
	Judd	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:42 AM -- House Bill 06-1074 - For Action Only

(During the House Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, the committee amended House Bill 06-1074 by adopting amendment L.002 (the amendment removes the fiscal impact by deleting provisions that allow grants and incentives from the Waste Tire Cleanup Fund to be awarded to private enterprises or used for private projects) (amendment L.002, Attachment A).

Staff distributed a Legislative Council Staff memorandum entitled Fiscal Assessment of Proposed Amendment HB 1074_L.002 (Attachment B). Representative Vigil, Chairman, commented that the memorandum states that if the amendment is adopted, it would remove provisions of the bill that would allow grants and incentives to be awarded to private enterprises and disallow grants or incentives to be used for private projects. Since the amendment was adopted during the January 25, 2006, meeting of the House Finance Committee, the bill could be routed to the Committee of the Whole. Representative Vigil commented that the prime sponsor, Representative Solano, could not be present for the meeting and requested that the Chairman take appropriate action on the bill. Representative Vigil placed the bill on the table for action and it was routed to the Committee of the Whole on a 13-0-0 vote.


BILL:	HB06-1074
TIME:	11:43:07 AM
MOVED:	Jahn
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 06-1074, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 13-0-0 vote. (During the House Finance Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 25, 2006, the committee amended House Bill 06-1074 by adopting amendment L.002 (the amendment removes the fiscal impact by deleting provisions that allow grants and incentives from the Waste Tire Cleanup Fund to be awarded to private enterprises or used for private projects).
SECONDED:	Benefield
		VOTE
	Benefield	Yes
	Cloer	Yes
	Crane	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Harvey	Yes
	Jahn	Yes
	Kerr	Yes
	Marshall	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McCluskey	Yes
	Judd	Yes
	Vigil	Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:45 AM

Adjourn.