Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON JOINT BUSINESS AFFAIRS & LABOR

Date:01/30/2006
ATTENDANCE
Time:01:37 PM to 03:17 PM
Balmer
X
Borodkin
X
Place:HCR 0107
Butcher
X
Carroll M.
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Cerbo
*
Senator Veiga
Coleman
X
Evans
E
This Report was prepared by
Hanna
E
Christie Lee
Kester
X
Knoedler
X
Liston
X
McCluskey
X
Paccione
X
Penry
X
Takis
X
Tochtrop
E
Welker
X
Wiens
X
Marshall
X
Veiga
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Presentation from the Department of Regulatory Agencies
Presentation from the Department of Labor and Employment
Presentation from the Department of Personnel and Administration		-
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01:38 PM -- Presentation from the Department of Regulatory Agencies

Julie Hoerner and Geoffrey Hier from the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) distributed and explained four handouts to the committee: a brochure about DORA (Attachment A), the DORA Organizational Chart for Fiscal Year 05-06 (Attachment B), the DORA Prioritization of Departmental Objectives for Fiscal Year 06-07 (Attachment C), and the DORA Strategic Plan for the Fiscal Year 06-07 Budget Submission (Attachment D). Ms. Hoerner explained the various duties of DORA. There was committee discussion about the EEOC moving from Colorado to Phoenix. In response to a question from the committee, Ms. Hoerner explained the impact on jobs that resulted from the EEOC changing from a regional office to a field office in Phoenix. She stated that she did not know the exact number of affected employees, but that it only impacted the legal staff.


01:48 PM

Ms. Hoerner mentioned that under statute the department may give a statement detailing what aspects of a program or service the department could reduce in the event that the funding for the program or service is reduced. She stated that since DORA is predominately cash funded, a reduction in money would mean that the General Assembly has decided to eliminate or change regulation in a particular profession or occupation. The committee asked for clarification on how the department plans to carry out its objectives to make it easier and less costly to do business with the Public Utilities Commission, and to increase customer satisfaction with enforcement and intervention activities listed in Attachment C.

01:58 PM

The committee discussed that certain laws are not given equal weight and enforcement and talked about whether DORA could have an internal system to make sure statutory mandates are enforced rather than leading to a performance audit. Ms. Hoerner stated that there is a system in place with regards to deliverables. There was committee discussion about the Motorist Insurance Identification Database.

02:04 PM -- Presentation from the Department of Labor and Employment

Rick Grice, Maryanne Whiteside, and Dick Piper, Department of Labor and Employment, distributed a handout entitled "Colorado Department of Labor and Employment" (Attachment E). Mr. Grice discussed the Division of Employment and Training and what the office does. He explained the fall of the Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund balance over the last few years. There was discussion that followed about whether the trust fund balance is adequate to cover the unemployment costs. Mr. Grice stated it is adequate to cover the projected unemployment rate, but not for another disaster such as September 11. He explained that the department is responsible to go after overpayments and fraud cases. Mr. Grice explained the department's Workforce Centers, and how many employees were placed in a job as a result of the Workforce Centers. He stated 60,000 people were placed into jobs. Mr. Grice responded to additional questions about the Workforce Centers.

02:18 PM

Maryanne Whiteside, Division of Workers' Compensation, gave a brief description of the various responsibilities of the division: customer service, statistical and policy research, medical service delivery, insurance coverage, premium cost containment, and special funds. Ms. Whiteside went through the missions and goals of the division. Representative Butcher asked for clarification on the reduction of medical costs: is it from prevention or the reduction of medical care quality. Ms. Whiteside explained that in Colorado there has been a decline in the number of cases reported. She discussed the fee schedule for medical bills.

02:27 PM

Representative Butcher asked for clarification on the savings shown in the handout from the Major Medical and Subsequent Injury Fund listed in the handout (Attachment E). Ms. Whiteside stated the savings are due to the fact that both the funds no longer exist.

02:31 PM

Committee discussion followed about the number of written wage claims that come into the office, and the number of actual investigations that followed those claims. Also, what the percent is of claims that result in a recovery. There was a committee discussion with regards to whether the Division of Labor is giving legal advice to certain law firms. The committee requested someone from the department return at a later date to discuss that issue.



02:40 PM

Mr. Grice stated that it is not his intention to favor the worker over the employer, and that treatment is fair and balanced. Dick Piper, Head of the Division of Oil and Public Safety, gave a brief overview of the programs overseen by the Division: boiler inspection program, liquified petroleum gas program, explosives program, carnivals and amusement parks, public schools program, field inspection program, and the petroleum storage tank fund section. There was committee discussion that followed about the removal of petroleum tanks. Mr. Piper stated that that program was completed successfully. He added that there is no requirement to remove old tanks due to their age, only a requirement to remove them if the tank is no longer used.

02:52 PM -- Presentation from the Department of Personnel and Administration

Jeff Wells, Executive Director, Department of Personnel and Administration, explained the make up of the office and distributed a handout (Attachment F). He stated he is most impressed with the Department's funding of the state's contribution to health insurance. He spoke briefly about the 2.63 percent salary increase which is an average, and not a per person and the performance based pay. Mr. Wells responded to questions from the committee pertaining to salary funding and health insurance. Mr. Wells briefly discussed the Division of Finance and Procurement.

03:06 PM -- Mr. Wells talked about recent developments in the Division of Central Services: energy savings, integrated document solutions, and fleet management (sell used state vehicles on ebay). There was committee discussion about the statewide e-mail system that is being developed and the state's phone system.

03:17 PM

The Joint Committee adjourned.