Date: 04/06/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1303

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 06-1303, as amended by the House PASS


12:31 PM -- House Bill 06-1303 - Concerning the County Environmental Hazard Remediation Fund and County Governments - (for action only)

(The following background information on House Bill 06-1303 was provided by Representative Plant during the February 22, 2006, meeting of the House Finance Committee.) As introduced, House Bill 06-1303 was recommended by the Joint Budget Committee and directs the State Treasurer to transfer $30 million on July 1, 2006, from the Hazardous Substance Response Fund to the newly-created County Environmental Hazard Remediation Fund. Money in the new fund would be allocated by the Department of Local Affairs to counties based on population. Representative Plant said that the bill requires the money to be used by counties to identify, clean-up, or remediate environmental hazards. The money in the Hazardous Substance Response Fund would be made available to counties for certain environmental purposes.

(The following discussion and action on amendments L.004 and L.005 took place during the April 5, 2006, House Finance Committee meeting.)

The committee discussed the use of funds by counties in the bill and the figures in the fiscal note. Representative Plant distributed amendment L.005 (Attachment A) and commented that it reduces the bill's fiscal impact and requires that only interest earnings on the money in the Hazardous Substance Response Fund be used by counties for waste management efforts.

Representative Frangas distributed amendment L.004 (Attachment B) to committee members and explained that it establishes a process that enables local governments to apply for grants or other forms of assistance to assist with the impacts associated with superfund sites in the state. The committee discussed amendment L.004 and current law as it applies to a local government's ability to obtain financial assistance to clean up superfund sites.

Representative Frangas moved amendment L.004. Prior to the committee vote, a substitute motion to adopt amendment L.005 was made, but it failed on a 8-5-0 vote. A subsequent motion to amend the legislative declaration in L.004 passed without objection by those members present before the final vote on amendment L.004 was taken. The concluding vote to adopt amendment L.004, as amended, was adopted on a 7-6-0 vote. Representative Vigil, Chairman, took the bill off the table.

(The following final action was taken by the House Finance Committee on Thursday, April 6, 2006.)

Representative Vigil, placed House Bill 06-1303, as amended, on the table for action and it was referred to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 5-4-4 vote.
BILL:HB06-1303
TIME: 12:31:52 PM
MOVED:Judd
MOTION:Refer House Bill 06-1303, as amended by the House Finance Committee on April 5, 2006, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 5-4-4 vote.
SECONDED:Frangas
VOTE
Benefield
Yes
Cloer
Excused
Crane
No
Frangas
Yes
Garcia
Excused
Harvey
No
Jahn
Yes
Kerr
No
Marshall
Excused
Massey
Excused
McCluskey
No
Judd
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 4 EXC: 4 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS