Date: 02/14/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1123

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). The moti
Refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole. The		Pass Without Objection
PASS


11:55 AM -- House Bill 06-1123

Rep Harvey explained the provisions of HB 06-1123 that address runaway teenagers and he spoke to prepared amendment 1123 L.001 (Attachment B) that is a strike below the enacting clause amendment to the bill. He indicated the intent of the bill was to allow law enforcement to get involved when teens run away from home (Attachment C). He spoke to the requirement in the strike-below that law enforcement take suspected runaways into custody. Representative Harvey responded to a committee question regarding the status of teenagers who have "emancipated" themselves.


12:05 PM

Mike Hoover, spoke in opposition to the bill as introduced and suggested that children who run away from home not be treated as criminals. He spoke in support of the strike-below amendment to the bill, but expressed concern for the bill even as amended. He indicated he believes the police have too much power to put runaway kids in jail.


12:09 PM

Beverly Hirsekorn, Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council, spoke in opposition to the bill. She spoke to the ability of law enforcement to conduct welfare checks of children under current law. She indicated the strike-below amendment is better than the bill as introduced but questioned the wisdom in allowing law enforcement to get involved in cases in which children have developmental disabilities. In response to a committee question, Ms. Hirsekorn suggested the bill be amended to take into consideration children who run away from home for legitimate purposes such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, and incest.

Committee members questioned how abused children would be treated under the bill's provisions.


12:19 PM

David Rogers, Missing Children's Task Force, spoke in support of the bill. He indicated the bill will be a tool for law enforcement to recover missing children. In response to a committee question, Mr. Rogers said he does not believe law enforcement officers will return abused children to their parents despite the bill's provisions.


12:23 PM

Christine Watson, Colorado League of Women Voters, spoke in support of the bill as amended by the strike-below amendment to the bill.


12:25 PM

Paula Rhodes Hook spoke in support of the bill but questioned what will happen to children once they are taken into temporary custody. She also suggested the bill be amended to specify that abused children not be returned to an abusive situation.
BILL:HB06-1123
TIME: 12:27:01 PM
MOVED:Carroll T.
MOTION:Prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment B). The motion carried without objection.
SECONDED:Carroll M.
VOTE
Boyd
Clapp
Decker
Gardner
Hefley
Jahn
Judd
McGihon
Witwer
Carroll M.
Carroll T.
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB06-1123
TIME: 12:30:53 PM
MOVED:Decker
MOTION:Refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole. The motion carried on a 9-1-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Hefley
VOTE
Boyd
Yes
Clapp
Excused
Decker
Yes
Gardner
Yes
Hefley
Yes
Jahn
Yes
Judd
No
McGihon
Yes
Witwer
Yes
Carroll M.
Yes
Carroll T.
Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS