Date: 01/23/2006
Final
Briefing from Joint Budget Committee
COMMITTEE ON JOINT BUSINESS AFFAIRS & LABOR
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01:40 PM -- Budget Briefing from the Joint Budget Committee
Senator Veiga explained that the House Business Affiars and Labor and Senate Business, Labor, and Technology committees would hear a briefing from the Joint Budget Committee regarding the budgets for the departments of which the committees have oversight, Department of Labor and Employment, the Department of Personnel and Administration, and the Department of Regulatory Agencies. She introduced Representative Plant, chairman of the Joint Budget Committee.
01:41 PM
Representative Plant explained the purpose of the briefing and called the committee's attention to the materials packet provided (Attachment A). He described the budget summary for the Department of Labor and Employment. The department does not receive any general fund money.
01:44 PM
Representative Plant then described the budget for the Department of Personnel and Administration. Following Representative Plant's comments, Representative Butcher asked about the costs for the cars purchased for the state fleet. Senator Tapia explained the funds represent only lease payments for part of the year.
01:46 PM
Representative Plant described the budget for the Department of Regulatory Agencies. The department is asking for additional FTE for the Civil Rights Division. Senator Tapia explained his concern with the FTE request, that the new staff would be for the Denver office. Senator Tapia suggested that having the new FTE spread around the state, rather than focussed with the central office.
01:48 PM
Representative Marshall asked about cutbacks to the Civil Rights Division, noting that the budget request does not indicate a renewal of previous funds to the division. Senator Tapia explained that the state has also lost federal funds. The three FTE are intended to address case backlogs. The Division is not meeting federal requirements regarding turnaround of cases.
01:51 PM
Representative Knoedler asked about the Division of Real Estate and the new requirement for fingerprinting of agents. He expressed concern about how such checks are funded and a reported backlog of such checks. Senator Owen noted that the background checks came through the federal background checks and that accounted for some of the backlog. The JBC members suggested the committee ask the department about the background checks and any other concerns or questions they had about the specific budget items.
01:58 PM
Representative Liston asked about the apparent deep cut to the Disabled Telephone Users Fund Payments. Senator Keller indicated that the fund was over funded and the cuts reflected that decrease.
02:00 PM
Representative Buescher noted that the Budget Committee has asked Departments to indicate the goals associated with the budget requests. He indicated that the JBC has not had much feedback about this request or indication from the departments discussed as to what those goals might be. He again suggested the committee ask the department's specific questions about funding requests.
02:01 PM
The joint session adjourned.