Bill Summary for Bill Number HB06-1363

Date: 03/15/2006

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB06-1363

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Votes: View-->	Action Taken:
Adopt L.002 (Attachment A). The motion passed wit Adopt L.003 (Attachment B). The motion passed 11- Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Fi	Pass Without Objection PASS PASS

11:01 AM -- House Bill 06-1363

Representative Benefield, sponsor, presented the bill creating the Colorado Student Delinquency Prevention Program within the Tony Grampsas Youth Services Program. She distributed amendment L.002 to committee members (Attachment A). Representatives Stafford and Benefield discussed the bill's fee, a $75 felony and misdemeanor surcharge. Representative Benefield discussed drops in juvenile crime rates when after-school programs were offered in Baltimore and Canada. Representative Stafford suggested amending the bill to require notification regarding the purpose of the fee to persons who are charged the $75 surcharge. Representative Berens discussed other similar surcharges on persons who commit traffic offenses. Representative Riesberg discussed surcharges that apply to other crimes. Representative Benefield discussed traffic misdemeanors (e.g., driving 30 MPH or more over the speed limit and driving with a suspended license). Representatives Lundberg and Benefield discussed eliminating less effective programs to create funding for more effective programs.

The following persons testified.

11:16 AM -- Gregory Staritzky, citizen, spoke in opposition to the bill and in particular the surcharge. He questioned the need for supervision of youth. Representative Stafford discussed the effects of surcharges on the poor. Mr. Staritzky answered questions about the responsibility of criminals to pay for their crimes. He described the bill's surcharge as "creative appropriating." He stated his support for paying for after-school programs with General Fund monies.

11:30 AM -- Chief Ron Sloan, Colorado Chiefs of Police Association, spoke in support of the bill. He stated the chiefs of police strongly support programs focused on prevention of crime and delinquency. He stated that jails around the state are bursting at the seams. He described the importance of programs that emphasize prevention, particularly evidenced-based programs ("blueprint programs"). He cited success rates of such programs that are as high as 80 percent. Representative Stafford discussed penalty options for persons who are convicted of crimes. Chief Sloan answered questions about funding for prevention programs in other states.

11:39 AM -- Larisa Harvey, Boys and Girls Club of Metro Denver, discussed programs offered through the Boys and Girls Club. Youth of the Year, in particular, provides opportunities for independence, access to technology, and college admission. Representative Benefield stated her bill would support Boys and Girls Club's programs.

11:43 AM -- Dave Thomas, Colorado District Attorney's Council, stated the council has not yet taken a position on the bill. Certain individual DAs have expressed their support for the bill to him however. Mr. Thomas stated youth programs have been decimated in recent years because of lack of funding. He addressed the bill's provisions regarding the court's discretion to waiver the $75 surcharge. He stated court surcharges are prioritized in statute.

11:49 AM -- Brandon Bleu, Denver Scores, spoke in support of the bill. He stated Denver Scores does not receive any government funding. Currently, there are waiting lists to join Denver Scores at every school that participates in the program.

11:52 AM -- Michele Seipp, Lafayette Public Library and the Colorado Association of Libraries, she spoke in support of adding public libraries as entities that are eligible for the bill's program funding. She described "teen spaces" in libraries that specifically target youth. Some libraries have teen advisory boards to help the libraries improve youth services. Representative Benefield discussed the definition of programs eligible for funding under the Tony Grampsas Program.

11:57 AM -- Jennifer Huffman, Denver Public Library and Colorado Association of Libraries, spoke in support of the bill. She described programs the Denver libraries offers, including after-school programs for at-risk children. The programs focus on such activities as arts and crafts. One of the programs, "After School is Cool," would particularly benefit from the bill's passage.

12:00 PM -- Phillip Chung, Colorado After-school Network, stated the bill is an important and significant opportunity to support after-school programs. He described the high proportion (33 percent or 48th of the 50 states) of Colorado youth that are not supervised during after-school hours. He answered questions about the availability of federal dollars for after-school programs.

12:08 PM

Representative Benefield discussed L.002. She stated the amendment will allow the bill's provision to apply to all children.


BILL:	HB06-1363
TIME:	12:11:35 PM
MOVED:	Boyd
MOTION:	Adopt L.002 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Kerr
		VOTE
	Berens
	Cloer
	Green
	Kerr
	Lundberg
	McGihon
	Riesberg
	Soper
	Stafford
	Sullivan
	Weissmann
	Frangas
	Boyd
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

12:17 PM

Representative Stafford proposed a verbal amendment to the bill. The language of her amendment was subsequently presented in L.003 (Attachment B). Representative Cloer and Benefield discussed possible changes to the bill's fiscal note.


BILL:	HB06-1363
TIME:	12:20:22 PM
MOVED:	Stafford
MOTION:	Adopt L.003 (Attachment B). The motion passed 11-2.
SECONDED:	Kerr
		VOTE
	Berens	Yes
	Cloer	No
	Green	Yes
	Kerr	Yes
	Lundberg	Yes
	McGihon	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes
	Soper	No
	Stafford	Yes
	Sullivan	Yes
	Weissmann	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	Boyd	Yes
Not Final YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:23 PM

Committee members commented on the bill.


BILL:	HB06-1363
TIME:	12:26:36 PM
MOVED:	Stafford
MOTION:	Refer the bill, as amended, to the Committee on Finance. The bill passed 11-2.
SECONDED:	Kerr
		VOTE
	Berens	Yes
	Cloer	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kerr	Yes
	Lundberg	No
	McGihon	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes
	Soper	Yes
	Stafford	Yes
	Sullivan	Yes
	Weissmann	No
	Frangas	Yes
	Boyd	Yes
Final YES: 11 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS