Date: 02/20/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1291

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AFFAIRS AND LABOR

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved to refer House Bill 06-1291 to the CommitteePASS



05:39 PM -- House Bill 06-1291

Representative Knoedler, prime sponsor, explained House Bill 1291. He stated that the bill would exclude any person who works for a nonprofit association or corporation involved in youth sporting activities from the definition of employee, for workers' compensation purposes. The person must also earn less than $10,000 a year and be covered under a health insurance plan that is not provided by the association or corporation. Representative Knoedler stated that currently the National Council on Compensation Insurance, Inc. (NCCI) classifies these youth sports coaches as professional athletes because there is no classification for youth sports. He stated that it would take 3 years to change the classification at the national level, so he brought about this legislation in the meantime. Representative Knoedler talked about an amendment he had that would limit the bill to coaches of noncontact sports.

05:44 PM

Representative Carroll brought up the exclusion health plans have for work related injuries. Representative Knoedler responded. There was discussion about the legislation exempting an employee from the definition of employee and workers' compensation and the consequences that can occur from doing that. Representative Knoedler distributed a list of occupations that are also exempt from workers' compensation requirements (Attachment O).

05:52 PM -- Neil O'Toole, representing the Workers' Compensation Education Association, testified in opposition to the bill. He expressed his concerns with the bill and stated that under the bill, if a youth sports coach suffers a serious injury, and loses his or her primary job, then that coach has no coverage. Mr. O'Toole stated that he does agree with Representative Knoedler that a classification change needs to be made by the NCCI for a youth sports coach.

05:58 PM -- Jon DeStefano, representing Colorado Youth Soccer, testified in support of the bill. Mr. DeStefano explained the cost of workers' compensation to the youth sports organizations, and that there are rarely any serious injuries as a youth sports coach. He stated the coaches are coaching, not playing the actual sport with these children.


06:11 PM

There were some concerns about amendment L.001. Representative Knoedler stated that he did not want to offer the amendment as planned but rather would like to fix the amendment and bring it up on second reading.
BILL:HB06-1291
TIME: 06:14:21 PM
MOVED:Knoedler
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 06-1291 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 9-4.
SECONDED:Paccione
VOTE
Balmer
Yes
Borodkin
Yes
Butcher
Yes
Carroll M.
No
Coleman
No
Knoedler
Yes
Liston
Yes
McCluskey
Yes
Paccione
Yes
Penry
Yes
Welker
Yes
Cerbo
No
Marshall
No
Final YES: 9 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS



06:16 PM

The committee adjourned.