Date: 03/21/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1378

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Postpone the bill indefinitely. The motion carrie
Prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment C). The moti
Prepared amendment L.003 (Attachment C). The moti
Refer the bill to the Committee on Appropriations.		PASS
Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
FAIL


01:39 PM -- House Bill 06-1378

Representative Plant, bill sponsor,explained the provisions of HB 06-1378 that are intended to preserve open space. The bill creates a fund (from existing severance tax revenues) from which the board of the Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) Trust can provide grant funds to counties to preserve open space throughout the state. Representative Plant explained the process by which moneys would be transferred from severance tax and local government trust funds in order to provide the grant funds. Representative Plant also responded to committee questions regarding how the grant funds would be doled out to local governments by GOCO.


01:49 PM

Charles Bedford, The Nature Conservancy, spoke in support of the bill and to the need for more funding for the acquisition of conservation easements. He provided examples of land parcels that have been preserved via conservation easements. Mr. Bedford responded to a committee question regarding conservation easements in areas of the state that are not in danger of development.

Representative Plant responded to a committee question about unused severance tax revenues that are in reserve.


01:56 PM

Jim Evans, City of Rifle, spoke in opposition to the bill (Attachment A). He indicated that while the City of Rifle supports conservation of open space, they are concerned for the impact the loss of severance tax revenues would have in the area.


02:03 PM

Aron Diaz, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill (Attachment B). He spoke to how the bill would divert revenue away from regions of the state that are impacted by development of energy resources.


02:07 PM

Mary Kay Hogan, Colorado Counties, Inc. (CCI), spoke in opposition to the bill as introduced. She indicated that if Section 3 of the bill were taken out of the bill, CCI would be neutral on the bill.


02:09 PM

Mike Braaten, Colorado Municipal League, spoke in opposition to the bill as introduced, reiterating the prior testimony of Ms. Hogan.


02:10 PM

Doug Robinson, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, spoke in support of the bill and in support of the expanded funding for land conservation programs.


02:12 PM

Stan Dempsey, Colorado Petroleum Association, spoke in opposition to the bill and to diverting severance tax revenues to land conservation. He spoke in opposition to diverting severance tax revenues for most purposes.

In response to a committee question, Representative Plant explained how severance tax trust fund revenue is allocated under current law


02:20 PM

Mark Vissering, Ducks Unlimited, spoke in support of the bill. He spoke to the land conservation efforts of Ducks Unlimited and to the lack of funding for such efforts.


02:24 PM

Will Shafroth, Colorado Conservation Trust, spoke in support of the bill. He reported on the demand for open space in Colorado and spoke to the degree to which HB 06-1378 would help meet the shortfall in funding for conservation of open space.


02:26 PM

John Swartow, GOCO, indicated that the GOCO board has taken no position on the bill. Mr. Swartow responded to a committee question with regards to how GOCO allocates grant funds under current law. Mr. Swartow indicated that the current funding provisions in the Colorado Constitution are separate from the granting mechanism outlined on page 3 of the bill. Mr. Swartow explained the different grant funding priorities for the various GOCO programs under current law. Mr. Swartow responded to additional committee questions regarding the balance between the use of severance tax revenues under current law and the need for more funding for open space as proposed by the bill.
BILL:HB06-1378
TIME: 02:39:38 PM
MOVED:Curry
MOTION:Prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment C). The motion carried without objection.
SECONDED:Merrifield
VOTE
Berens
Cerbo
Curry
Decker
Massey
Merrifield
Soper
Stafford
Stengel
Lindstrom
Hodge
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB06-1378
TIME: 02:43:42 PM
MOVED:Curry
MOTION:Prepared amendment L.003 (Attachment C). The motion carried without objection.
SECONDED:Merrifield
VOTE
Berens
Cerbo
Curry
Decker
Massey
Merrifield
Soper
Stafford
Stengel
Lindstrom
Hodge
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:HB06-1378
TIME: 02:44:45 PM
MOVED:Curry
MOTION:Refer the bill to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a 5-6 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Merrifield
VOTE
Berens
No
Cerbo
Yes
Curry
Yes
Decker
No
Massey
No
Merrifield
Yes
Soper
Yes
Stafford
No
Stengel
No
Lindstrom
No
Hodge
Yes
Not Final YES: 5 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:HB06-1378
TIME: 02:46:35 PM
MOVED:Stafford
MOTION:Postpone the bill indefinitely. The motion carried on a 7-4 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Decker
VOTE
Berens
Yes
Cerbo
No
Curry
No
Decker
Yes
Massey
Yes
Merrifield
No
Soper
Yes
Stafford
Yes
Stengel
Yes
Lindstrom
Yes
Hodge
No
Final YES: 7 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS