Senate Committee on Finance (02/14/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:	02/14/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:03 PM to 02:48 PM	Brophy	X
		Shaffer	X
Place:	SCR 354	Taylor	X
		Teck	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Tupa	*
	Senator Sandoval	Veiga	X
		Sandoval	X
This Report was prepared by
	Jason Schrock
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB06-018 SB06-116 SB06-173 HB06-1094		Postponed Indefinitely Committee of the Whole, Consent Calendar Amended, Referred to Appropriations Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole

02:04 PM -- Senate Bill 06-018

Senator Sandoval, chair, called the meeting to order. Senator Bacon, prime sponsor, explained that the Colorado Municipal League and Colorado Counties, Inc. had not been able to come to an agreement on the bill and that more work was needed. Senator Bacon asked that his bill be laid over until May 11.


BILL:	SB06-018
TIME:	02:05:48 PM
MOVED:	Teck
MOTION:	Motion to postpone consideration until May 11. The motion passed on a 5 - 1 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Shaffer	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Teck	No
	Tupa	Excused
	Veiga	Yes
	Sandoval	Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:08 PM -- Senate Bill 06-116

Senator Takis, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of SB06-116, an audit committee bill that requires the audit committee to design a schedule for review and evaluation of tobacco settlement programs that ensures that each program is reviewed and evaluated as deemed necessary by the committee after consultation with the State Auditor. She explained the problem with the current timing of the audits of the tobacco settlement programs. She also listed the programs which receive tobacco settlement money.


BILL:	SB06-116
TIME:	02:12:59 PM
MOVED:	Teck
MOTION:	Motion to refer SB 06-116 to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed on a 7 - 0 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Shaffer	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Teck	Yes
	Tupa	Yes
	Veiga	Yes
	Sandoval	Yes
Final YES: 7 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:15 PM -- Senate Bill 06-173

Senator Entz, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of SB06-173 which increases the state reimbursement rate for mileage traveled by state employees in a personal vehicle on official state business. He explained the mileage reimbursement difference between two wheel drives and four wheel drives and the need for Amendment L.001 offered by Senator Taylor that would maintain the differential (Attachment A). Senator Tupa wondered why all wheel drive vehicles were not included in the definition of four wheel drive vehicles. Senator Taylor discussed the necessity of driving a four wheel drive vehicle in rural districts. The committee discussed the need for a higher mileage reimbursement rate for four wheel drive vehicles.

The following people testified on the bill:

02:24 PM -- Mr. Jack Byers, Deputy State Engineer, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed how some employees of the State Engineer's office are required to have their own four wheel drive vehicle which they use significantly for work. These employees are generally lower paid that are responsible for the enforcement of the state water laws. They also provide education and assistance to citizens. He noted that some employees are paying $3,000 of their own money for official state business. He indicated that the bill would help recruit and retain employees.

02:27 PM -- Ms. Christine Watson, League of Women Voters, spoke in favor of bill. She stated that the League recognizes that elected officials need to be reimbursed for driving on official state business.

02:28 PM -- Mr. Bill Hanna, Colorado Association of Public Employees, spoke in favor of the bill.

02:29 PM -- Mr. Scott Madsen, Department of Personnel and Administration, spoke in favor of the bill. He indicated that a survey of other states showed that most states mileage reimbursement rates were equal to the Internal Revenue Service's rate and that Colorado's rates were significantly lower than other states.

Senator Entz closed by asking for support of the bill and stated that Amendment L.001 would not impact the fiscal note significantly (Attachment A).


BILL:	SB06-173
TIME:	02:31:47 PM
MOVED:	Taylor
MOTION:	Motion to adopt L.001 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Shaffer	Excused
	Taylor
	Teck
	Tupa
	Veiga
	Sandoval
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB06-173
TIME:	02:32:07 PM
MOVED:	Taylor
MOTION:	Motion to refer SB 06-173, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 6 - 0 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Shaffer	Excused
	Taylor	Yes
	Teck	Yes
	Tupa	Yes
	Veiga	Yes
	Sandoval	Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:35 PM -- House Bill 06-1094

Senator Teck, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of HB06-1094 which codifies in statute the existing practices regarding the notification of valuation for oil and gas personal property. It requires that county assessors send notices of valuation only to the operator, rather than the owner of the leasehold or land.

02:36 PM -- Mr. Patrick Boyle, Colorado Assessor's Association, spoke in favor of the bill and explained its provisions. He indicated that the bill only codifies the existing practice in which the operator of an oil and gas operation accepts the notice of valuation of the property. However, the acceptance of the notification does not mean that the operator agrees with the valuation or agrees to pay the tax. He discussed an amendment L.002 (Attachment B) which was requested by county treasurers that states that if the property owners do not pay their taxes then the operator must provide their names and addresses to the county treasurer. Under the amendment, operators are subject to a penalty if they do not submit the names to the county treasurer.

The committee discussed its concern with the time frame provided in the amendment for the operator to submit the names of the property owners. The committee thought that thirty days was more reasonable than ten days.


BILL:	HB06-1094
TIME:	02:47:25 PM
MOVED:	Taylor
MOTION:	Motion to strike "TEN" on line 6 of L.002 (Attachment B) and substitute "THIRTY." The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Shaffer	Excused
	Taylor
	Teck
	Tupa
	Veiga
	Sandoval
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB06-1094
TIME:	02:46:57 PM
MOVED:	Teck
MOTION:	Motion to adopt L.002 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy
	Shaffer	Excused
	Taylor
	Teck
	Tupa
	Veiga
	Sandoval
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB06-1094
TIME:	02:47:46 PM
MOVED:	Teck
MOTION:	Motion to refer HB 06-1094, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 6 - 0 vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Shaffer	Excused
	Taylor	Yes
	Teck	Yes
	Tupa	Yes
	Veiga	Yes
	Sandoval	Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:48 PM

The committee recessed.