Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs (03/15/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Date:	03/15/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:37 PM to 02:53 PM	Fitz-Gerald	X
		Johnson	*
Place:	SCR 353	Lamborn	E
		May R.	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Windels	X
	Senator Tupa	Groff	X
		Tupa	X
This Report was prepared by
	Leslie Herod
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB06-1148 HB06-1077 SB06-202		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole

01:37 PM -- Call to Order

Senator Tupa, chairman, called the committee to order.

01:37 PM -- House Bill 06-1148

Senator Tapia, prime sponsor, reviewed the provisions of House Bill 06-1148. Public testimony was heard on the bill on March 1, 2006. Senator Tapia distributed amendment L.005 (Attachment A).


BILL:	HB06-1148
TIME:	01:41:20 PM
MOVED:	Groff
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.005 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Fitz-Gerald
	Johnson
	Lamborn	Excused
	May R.
	Windels
	Groff
	Tupa
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB06-1148
TIME:	01:42:20 PM
MOVED:	Windels
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.004 (Attachment B). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Fitz-Gerald
	Johnson
	Lamborn	Excused
	May R.
	Windels
	Groff
	Tupa
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB06-1148
TIME:	01:43:42 PM
MOVED:	Groff
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 06-1148, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 5-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Fitz-Gerald	Yes
	Johnson	Yes
	Lamborn	Excused
	May R.	No
	Windels	Yes
	Groff	Yes
	Tupa	Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:44 PM -- House Bill 06-1077

Senator Veiga, prime sponsor, reviewed the provisions of House Bill 1077. Witness testimony was heard on the bill on March 1, 2006.


BILL:	HB06-1077
TIME:	01:49:07 PM
MOVED:	Groff
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 06-1077 to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 6-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Fitz-Gerald	Yes
	Johnson	Yes
	Lamborn	Excused
	May R.	Yes
	Windels	Yes
	Groff	Yes
	Tupa	Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:49 PM -- Senate Bill 06-202

Senator Traylor, prime sponsor, reviewed the provisions of Senate Bill 06-202, concerning the collection by the state of debts due to a governmental entity. This bill would allow governmental agencies the flexibility of determining when a debt is past due, and it allows the Department of Personnel and Administration to assess a collections fee.

01:56 PM -- Greg Mecham, representing the Central Collections Unit of the Department of Personnel and Administration, testified in favor of the bill. He spoke to the necessity of the bill, and described the fee structure. Senator May asked how the debt collectors are retained, and Mr. Mecham described the process of procuring a collection agency. Mr. Mecham explained that the current bid for collection agencies is 18 percent. Senator May spoke to the collection of debts owed to the state.

02:10 PM -- Jennifer Okes, representing the Department of Personnel and Administration, testified in support of the bill. She spoke to the legislative oversight of fee structuring. Ms. Okes testified that the department would like to be able to regulate the fees through the Department of Personnel and Administration Rules and Regulations. Senator Groff asked about the costs incurred by the department. Senator May asked if the state collects local and county debts. Ms. Okes responded that the primary focus is state agencies. Senator Groff asked how often cost is assessed.

02:29 PM -- Laura Udis, representing the Colorado Attorney General's Office, came to the table to answer questions from the committee. Senator Tupa asked about the intent of the language on page 6 lines 20-24, of the bill. Committee discussion ensued on the practices of debt and fee collections by the state.

02:42 PM

Senator Tupa spoke to having a fee cap written into statute.

02:47 PM -- Ms. Okes, returned to the table to clarify questions from the committee.

02:50 PM -- Ester van Mourik, Office of Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to suggest a technical amendment to amendment L.001 (Attachment C).


BILL:	SB06-202
TIME:	02:50:51 PM
MOVED:	Fitz-Gerald
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment C). Senator Fitz-Gerald amended her motion to included, "line 11, strike "ASSISTANT" and substitute "DESIGNEE" as a friendly amendment. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Fitz-Gerald
	Johnson
	Lamborn	Excused
	May R.
	Windels
	Groff
	Tupa
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB06-202
TIME:	02:53:04 PM
MOVED:	Fitz-Gerald
MOTION:	Refer Senate Bill 06-202, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 6-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Fitz-Gerald	Yes
	Johnson	Yes
	Lamborn	Excused
	May R.	Yes
	Windels	Yes
	Groff	Yes
	Tupa	Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:53 PM

The committee recessed.