Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS, LABOR AND TECHNOLOGY

Date:03/15/2006
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:41 PM to 05:16 PM
Evans
*
Hanna
X
Place:SCR 354
Kester
X
Takis
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Wiens
X
Senator Veiga
Tochtrop
X
Veiga
X
This Report was prepared by
Jeanette Chapman
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB06-1243
HB06-1196
HB06-1127
HB06-1212		Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Referred to the Committee of the Whole
Amended, Referred to Appropriations
Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:41 PM -- House Bill 06-1243

Senator Hanna introduced her bill that would require chiropractors to carry liability insurance to cover all activities within their practice.

01:43 PM -- Reiner Kremer, representing himself, spoke in support of the legislation. He described his experiences as a practicing chiropractor. He responded to questions from the committee. He indicated that the new requirements would make chiropractic requirements the same as other insurance requirements and penalties for other medical professions.

01:47 PM -- Don Mielke, Colorado Chiropractic Association, spoke in support of the legislation.
BILL:HB06-1243
TIME: 01:51:29 PM
MOVED:Hanna
MOTION:Refer HB 1243 to the Committee of the Whole, recommend the consent calendar. The motion passed 7-0.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Evans
Yes
Hanna
Yes
Kester
Yes
Takis
Yes
Wiens
Yes
Tochtrop
Yes
Veiga
Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




01:52 PM -- House Bill 06-1196

Senator Tapia introduced his bill concerning the consolidation of existing regulation of engineering-related professions including architects, land surveyors, and professional engineers. The bill would create one oversight board.

02:00 PM -- Cornelius (Kin) Dubois, American Institute of Architects, Colorado, spoke in support of the legislation.

02:02 PM -- Mark Hamouz, American Council of Engineering Contractors, Colorado, spoke in support of the legislation.

02:04 PM -- Brian Tobias, Department of Regulatory Agencies, spoke in support of the legislation. He responded to questions from the committee.

02:08 PM

Senator Tapia indicated his intention to offer an amendment on second reading in order to provide parties the opportunity to assess a proposed amendment and offer suggestions. Senator Tochtrop asked who is sponsoring the proposed amendment. Senator Tapia indicated that the amendment is a conforming amendment from the Office of Legislative Legal Services.
BILL:HB06-1196
TIME: 02:09:33 PM
MOVED:Tochtrop
MOTION:Refer HB 1196 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 6-0-1.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Evans
Yes
Hanna
Yes
Kester
Yes
Takis
Yes
Wiens
Excused
Tochtrop
Yes
Veiga
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:15 PM -- House Bill 06-1127

Senator Williams introduced her bill that would regulate athletic trainers. She provided two amendments to the committee (Attachments A and B). She explained the proposed amendments to the committee. She discussed a third amendment that was provided to the committee (Attachment C).

02:23 PM -- Charlie Hebeler, Colorado Athletic Association, spoke in support of the legislation.

02:26 PM -- Andrew Pruitt, Boulder Center for Sports Medicine, Colorado Athletic Trainers Association, spoke in support of the legislation. He described his experience as an athletic trainer.

02:29 PM -- Christine Odell, Colorado Athletic Trainers Association, spoke in support of the legislation. She described the training and education of certified athletic trainers. She responded to questions from the committee regarding her interaction with doctors as well as with dentists. She described how trainers are currently regulated.

02:38 PM -- Margaret Hunn, Certified Athletic Trainer, spoke in support of the legislation. She described her experience at the Olympic training center.


02:41 PM -- Chris Mathewson, Colorado Athletic Trainers Association, spoke in support of the legislation. He described the need for regulation of athletic trainers.

02:47 PM -- Audrey Waldron, Physical Therapy Association of Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill as currently written. She indicated her organization would be neutral on the bill with the passage of a proposed amendment.

02:50 PM -- Ira Gorman, Physical Therapy Association of Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill as written.

02:52 PM -- Ellen Caruso, Physical Therapy Association of Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill as written. She discussed the issues with the currently drafted bill regarding definition of an athlete, requirements for supervision, and the trainers' scope of work.

02:54 PM -- Brian Tobias, Department of Regulatory Agencies, spoke in opposition to the legislation. The Department did a sunrise report for the regulation of athletic trainers. The department did not find adequate impetus for such regulation other than allowing athletic trainers to work with all individuals who would like to work with a trainer, rather than limiting such work to athletes.

02:57 PM -- Susan Miller, State Board of Medical Examiners, Department of Regulatory Agencies, spoke in opposition to the legislation. She indicated her experience with reported problems with athletic trainers, specifically that she has not seen any such reports.

03:00 PM -- Don Mielke, Colorado Chiropractic Association, spoke in support of the legislation, if amended.


03:01 PM

Senator Williams made closing comments on the merits of the bill. She responded to Senator Evans regarding a definition of athlete in the bill and the amendment.
BILL:HB06-1127
TIME: 03:04:54 PM
MOVED:Tochtrop
MOTION:Amendment L.023 (Attachment C). An amendment to the amendment was offered. Following the passage of an amendment to the amendment, the motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Evans
Hanna
Kester
Takis
Wiens
Tochtrop
Veiga
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:HB06-1127
TIME: 03:06:57 PM
MOVED:Tochtrop
MOTION:Amend amendment L.023. Page 2, line 18, after "a" insert "physician, dentist, or"; line 19 strike "AND"; strike line 20; line 27, after "a" insert "physician, dentist, or". The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Evans
Hanna
Kester
Takis
Wiens
Tochtrop
Veiga
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:HB06-1127
TIME: 03:07:18 PM
MOVED:Tochtrop
MOTION:Refer HB 1127 to the Committee on Appropriations, as amended. The motion passed 6-1.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Evans
Yes
Hanna
Yes
Kester
Yes
Takis
Yes
Wiens
No
Tochtrop
Yes
Veiga
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:09 PM

The committee recessed to clear the room. The committee relocated to SCR 356 for discussion of HB 1212.

03:16 PM -- House Bill 06-1212

The committee relocated to SCR 356 for discussion of HB 1212. Senator Veiga introduced her bill concerning the availability of emergency contraception and allowing pharmacists the authority to prescribe emergency contraception.

03:21 PM -- Susan Wood, Former Commissioner for Womens' Health at the Food and Drug Administration, spoke in support of the legislation. She described her experience with reproductive health issues and the federal government. She provided a copy of her testimony to the committee (Attachment D). She responded to questions from the committee regarding the safety of "Plan B". Plan B is the commercial name for the emergency contraceptive prescription described in the bill. She responded to questions regarding the makeup of the drug. Committee discussion ensued.

03:41 PM -- Carol Stamm, Colorado Obstetric and Gynecological Society and the Colorado Medical Society, spoke in support of the legislation. She described how the Plan B drug will function in preventing pregnancy. She responded to questions from the committee.

03:51 PM -- Val Kalins, Colorado Pharmacists Society, spoke in support of the legislation.

03:52 PM -- Laura Hansen, Colorado Pharmacists Society, spoke in support of the legislation. She described the role of a pharmacist in dispensing drugs to individuals. She responded to questions from the committee regarding the protocol for providing the prescription.

03:58 PM -- Tamika Payne, Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault, spoke in favor of the legislation. She responded to questions from the committee regarding to whom the prescription would be made available.


04:04 PM -- Ann Burger, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the legislation.

04:10 PM -- Diane Foley, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill. Dr. Foley is a pediatric gynecologist who is concerned about the portions of the bill that talk about emergency contraception as being a safety issue. She cited studies that show that emergency contraception contributes to higher levels of sexually transmitted diseases. Dr. Foley supports the prescription of emergency contraception by doctors, but not by pharmacists. She stated that this legislation disregards issues of safety. The committee asked questions about the studies Dr. Foley cited.

04:15 PM -- Jeff Arpad, Pure by Choice, spoke in opposition to the bill. Mr. Arpad stated that emergency contraception leads to women being treated like objects.

04:19 PM -- Patricia Lynch, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill. Ms. Lynch is a registered nurse and is concerned that emergency contraception promotes the destruction of human life.

04:23 PM -- Timothy Dore, Colorado Catholic Conference, spoke in opposition to the bill. He expressed concern that pharmacists who have a moral opposition to prescribing the drug would be forced to do so. He responded to questions from the committee regarding whether a pharmacist could object without losing his or her job.

04:27 PM -- Tom Longua, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill. He provided a written copy of his statement to the committee, a copy was not available for staff.

04:32 PM -- Ken Stone, Colorado Physicians for Life and Colorado Right to Life, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee regarding the appropriateness of allowing a pharmacist to prescribe Plan B.

04:44 PM -- Chuck Page, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill. He described his experience as a practicing pharmacist.

04:49 PM -- Cosette Davis, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill.

04:52 PM -- Mariegrace Veres, Pure by Choice, spoke in opposition to the bill. She expressed her concern that the legislation promotes the idea that teenagers can have sex safely whenever they want.

04:55 PM -- Helen Hargis, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill.


04:59 PM -- Angie Austin, representing herself, spoke in opposition to the bill. She described her experience as a rape victim and indicated her belief that allowing use of Plan B would cause rape victims to not report what happened to them.

05:06 PM

Senator Veiga made closing comments on the merits of the bill. She responded to points raised in the course of testimony on the bill.
BILL:HB06-1212
TIME: 05:14:23 PM
MOVED:Veiga
MOTION:Refer HB 1212 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 4-3.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Evans
No
Hanna
Yes
Kester
No
Takis
Yes
Wiens
No
Tochtrop
Yes
Veiga
Yes
Final YES: 4 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

05:15 PM

The committee recessed.