House Committee on Transportation & Energy (03/16/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY

Date:	03/16/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	10:58 AM to 11:17 AM	Borodkin	E*
		Green	E*
Place:	HCR 0112	Hefley	*
		Knoedler	E*
This Meeting was called to order by		Larson	E*
	Representative Pommer	Lindstrom	X
		Ragsdale	X
This Report was prepared by		Sullivan	X
	Jamila Rockette	Welker	E*
		McFadyen	E*
		Pommer	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB06-008 SB06-010 SB06-094		Referred to Appropriations Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations

10:58 AM -- Senate Bill 06-008

Representative Pommer, prime sponsor presented Senate Bill 06-008 which requires motor vehicles that weigh less than 10,000 pounds and transport hazardous materials to meet the minimum standards for commercial vehicles. The bill also repeals the provision prohibiting a peace officer who has not attained level I inspection certification from enforcing the "Hazardous Materials Transportation Act of 1987." The bill further changes the penalty for violating certain hazardous materials rules from a Class 3 misdemeanor criminal offense to a Class 2 misdemeanor traffic offense, sets the penalty for such a violation at $250 with a $33.30 surcharge, and doubles the penalty for a repeat offense within 12 months.

There was no public testimony.


BILL:	SB06-008
TIME:	10:59:37 AM
MOVED:	Pommer
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 06-008 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 9-0.
SECONDED:	Knoedler
		VOTE
	Borodkin	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Hefley	Yes
	Knoedler	Yes
	Larson	Excused
	Lindstrom	Yes
	Ragsdale	Yes
	Sullivan	Yes
	Welker	Yes
	McFadyen	Excused
	Pommer	Yes
Final YES: 9 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:01 AM -- Senate Bill 06-010

Representative Ragsdale, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 06-010 which declares the owner of a commercial vehicle to be a party in interest to a court hearing if the owner authorized the vehicle to be operated without the required credentials. The bill also clarifies that the owner's appearance in court concerning the matter does not constitute practicing law.

11:01 AM

Greg Fulton, President of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association (CMCA), spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Fulton stated that the CMCA represents 450 companies that are either directly involved or affiliated with trucking in Colorado. Mr. Fulton stated that the bill is related to three non-moving violations: hazmat permits, a longer vehicle combination permit, and oversize/overweight permits. He stated that although the trucking company is responsible for obtaining permits, it is the driver of the vehicle that is often cited with a traffic ticket for not having the correct permit, and it is the driver that must appear in court to answer to the charges of the citation. The bill would allow the trucking company to send a representative to the court to address the citation. Mr. Fulton explained that this would create efficiency and save the driver from missing time from work.


BILL:	SB06-010
TIME:	11:06:41 AM
MOVED:	Ragsdale
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 06-010 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 11-0.
SECONDED:	Larson
		VOTE
	Borodkin	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Hefley	Yes
	Knoedler	Yes
	Larson	Yes
	Lindstrom	Yes
	Ragsdale	Yes
	Sullivan	Yes
	Welker	Yes
	McFadyen	Yes
	Pommer	Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:07 AM -- Senate Bill 06-094

Representative Lindstrom, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 06-094 which concerns the regulation of motor carriers by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC).

11:13 AM

Terry Willert, Chief of Transportation for the PUC, spoke in support of the bill. Responding to questions from members, Mr. Willert discussed the annual registration fee for interstate carriers, and the purpose of putting the excess fees into a hazardous materials safety fund and a nuclear materials transportation fund.


BILL:	SB06-094
TIME:	11:16:38 AM
MOVED:	Hefley
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 06-094 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 11-0.
SECONDED:	Knoedler
		VOTE
	Borodkin	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Hefley	Yes
	Knoedler	Yes
	Larson	Yes
	Lindstrom	Yes
	Ragsdale	Yes
	Sullivan	Yes
	Welker	Yes
	McFadyen	Yes
	Pommer	Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:17 AM

The committee adjourned.