Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:02/16/2006
ATTENDANCE
Time:09:47 AM to 10:52 AM
Brophy
X
Shaffer
X
Place:SCR 354
Taylor
*
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:
SB06-182
SB06-129
SB06-188		Amended, Referred to Appropriations
Amended, Referred to Appropriations
Amended, Referred to Appropriations


09:47 AM -- Senate Bill 06-182

Senator Sandoval, chair, called the meeting to order. Senator Tapia, prime sponsor, explained the provisions SB 06-182, a Joint Budget Committee (JBC) bill that requires certain fees, surcharges, taxes, fines, penalties, and claims collected by the Judicial Branch to be deposited into the Judicial Stabilization Cash Fund instead of the General Fund. A JBC staff summary of the bill was distributed to the committee (Attachment A). Senator Tapia indicated that some Judicial Department fees have always been deposited into the General Fund. The committee discussed the impact of the reduction in General Fund revenue on the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF).

The following people testified on the bill:

09:55 AM -- Mr. Jerry Marroney, Judicial Department, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the Judicial Department's efforts to come up with a 5 year funding plan for the Department and explained how the judicial system is understaffed. He also noted how the bill would give the JBC discretion under the 6 percent spending limit and provide the Judicial Department more budgetary discretion.

The committee discussed the need to adequately fund the Judicial Department but acknowledged that it competes with the funding needs of other departments.

Senator Tapia explained that the bill would assure that money generated in fees collected by Judicial Department would be used by the Department and not for other General Fund purposes. He indicated that the JBC is trying to develop a more sensible budget so that money that is generated from certain activities be used to fund related functions. Senator Tupa discussed his concerns with 2006 budget legislation that contradict each other. Senator Tapia discussed his bill that would remove HUTF funding of ports of entry, which would free up money for highway spending.



10:21 AM

Senator Tapia closed by asking for support of the bill and by stating that the bill would help stabilize the Judicial Department's budget and provide increased budget flexibility under the 6 percent spending limit.
BILL:SB06-182
TIME: 10:22:40 AM
MOVED:Shaffer
MOTION:Motion to add an appropriations clause to SB 06-182. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Brophy
Shaffer
Taylor
Teck
Tupa
Veiga
Sandoval
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-182
TIME: 10:21:58 AM
MOVED:Shaffer
MOTION:Motion to refer SB 06-182, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 6 - 1 vote.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Brophy
No
Shaffer
Yes
Taylor
Yes
Teck
Yes
Tupa
Yes
Veiga
Yes
Sandoval
Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS
















10:24 AM -- Senate Bill 06-129

Senator Keller, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of SB 06-129, a JBC bill that, with Amendment L.001 (Attachment B), requires the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to use the cash system of accounting for all non-administrative expenditures that qualify for federal matching funds through Medicaid, except the Indigent Care Program. A JBC staff summary of the bill was distributed to the committee (Attachment C).

The following people testified on the bill:

10:25 AM -- Ms. Lisa Esgar, Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, discussed cash accounting for Medicaid related programs. She indicated that the Indigent Care Program does not use cash accounting because it is largely funded from cash funds exempt, not the General Fund. Senator Teck questioned whether all non-administrative expenditures that qualify for federal matching funds through Medicaid should use cash accounting.

10:28 AM -- Ms. Melodie Beck, JBC staff, discussed the reasons for excluding the Indigent Care Program from cash accounting. The JBC is attempting to maximize General Fund savings and to change the law to reflect current practices without expanding the use of cash accounting.

Senator Keller closed by asking for support for the bill.
BILL:SB06-129
TIME: 10:32:39 AM
MOVED:Veiga
MOTION:Motion to adopt L.001 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Brophy
Shaffer
Taylor
Teck
Tupa
Veiga
Sandoval
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

















BILL:SB06-129
TIME: 10:32:43 AM
MOVED:Veiga
MOTION:Motion to refer SB 06-129, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. 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


10:36 AM -- Senate Bill 06-188

Senator Evans, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of SB 06-188 which clarifies the information that must be included in an effective financing statement (EFS) as it relates to the implementation of the federal Food Security Act of 1985. The bill allows the Secretary of State, as the central filing officer for secured EFS transactions, to determine EFS filing requirements and requires the Secretary of State to distribute the master list containing active EFS filings electronically. He stated that the bill would make it easier for farmers and ranchers to sell their products and would update and make the EFS filing system more secure. A summary of the bill was distributed to the committee (Attachment D).

The following people testified on the bill:

10:38 AM -- Ms. Barbara Walker, Independent Bankers of Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill.

10:39 AM -- Mr. Charles Calvin, Colorado Bar Association, spoke in favor of the bill. He explained the purpose of the bill and indicated that it would increase financial protections and reduce the difficulties of transactions involving produce in the state. In response to Senator Brophy, he indicated that sensitive financial and personal information will not be made public under the bill.

10:46 AM -- Mr. Keith Whitelaw, Secretary of State's Office, spoke in favor of the bill and explained how a task force had developed the bill over about a year. He indicated that the bill was intended to make secured transactions relating to the federal Food Security Act of 1985 easier.

Senator Evans explained the need for Amendment L.003 (Attachment E).












BILL:SB06-188
TIME: 10:50:40 AM
MOVED:Teck
MOTION:Motion to adopt L.003 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Brophy
Shaffer
Taylor
Teck
Tupa
Veiga
Sandoval
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection
BILL:SB06-188
TIME: 10:51:46 AM
MOVED:Teck
MOTION:Motion to refer SB 06-188, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. 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


10:52 AM

The committee recessed.