Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Date:04/26/2010
ATTENDANCE
Time:08:33 AM to 08:53 AM
Balmer
*
Boyd
*
Place:HCR 0112
Gardner C.
X
Gibbs
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Hodge
X
Representative Carroll T.
Kerr A.
X
Kopp
X
This Report was prepared by
May
X
Christie Lee
Middleton
X
Morse
X
Penry
E
Scanlan
*
Scheffel
X
Spence
X
Stephens
E
Weissmann
E
Shaffer B.
X
Carroll T.
E
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
Review of Interim Study Proposal
Amendment to Legislative Council Rule XIV		-
-


08:33 AM -- Review of Interim Study Proposal

President Shaffer called the committee to order. He read the procedures for considering an interim committee. The President asked for a motion regarding the number of interim committees to fund during the 2010 interim. He stated that if the motion is to fund no interim committees and it passes, he would not have the sponsor of Senate Joint Resolution 10-044 come up and explain the study (Attachment A).

100426AttachA.pdf

08:37 AM

Senator Boyd discussed an amendment she was planning to run exempting the Economic Opportunity Poverty Reduction Task Force from House Bill 10-1354 concerning interim committees. Representative Middleton asked for clarification regarding which committees require funding and which do not.







08:39 AM

Mike Mauer, Director, Legislative Council Staff, explained that Senate Joint Resolution 10-044 is tied to the new process in House Bill 10-1354 and would only come in to effect if that bill passes. Senator Boyd asked about amending House Bill 10-1354. The President asked Mr. Mauer to explain the difference between the types of committees that meet during the interim. Mr. Mauer explained that there are statutory interim committees, interim studies created for one interim, and then there are the others that are created outside the system and do not provide per diem or expenses to members and have no staff.
BILL:Review of Interim Study Proposal
TIME: 08:37:12 AM
MOVED:Kopp
MOTION:Moved to fund no interim committees in the 2010 interim. The motion passed 13-2.
SECONDED:Gardner C.
VOTE
Balmer
Yes
Boyd
No
Gardner C.
Yes
Gibbs
Yes
Hodge
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kopp
Yes
May
Yes
Middleton
Yes
Morse
Yes
Penry
Excused
Scanlan
Yes
Scheffel
Yes
Spence
No
Stephens
Excused
Weissmann
Excused
Shaffer B.
Yes
Carroll T.
Yes
Final YES: 13 NO: 2 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS





08:42 AM -- Amendment to Legislative Council Rule XIV

Mike Mauer, Director, Legislative Council Staff, distributed Legislative Council Rule XIV to the committee (Attachment B). He explained that the rule guides the production of the blue book by Legislative Council Staff and talked about the requirement that the staff publish legal notices in the Denver Post to solicit involvement from proponents, opponents, and interested persons. Mr. Mauer explained that his office has never received any feedback from the posting in the newspaper and asked that the committee approve an amendment to the rule so the Legislative Council Staff can use modern technology, such as the Internet and e-mail to solicit involvement from proponents, opponents, and interested persons.

100426AttachB.pdf
BILL:Amendment to Legislative Council Rule XIV
TIME: 08:44:40 AM
MOVED:Morse
MOTION:Move to amend Legislative Council Rule XIV (1) (a) to read "Solicitation of involvement from proponents, opponents, and interested persons on measures for which analyses will be drafted." The motion passed 16-0.
SECONDED:Carroll T.
VOTE
Balmer
Yes
Boyd
Yes
Gardner C.
Yes
Gibbs
Yes
Hodge
Yes
Kerr A.
Yes
Kopp
Yes
May
Yes
Middleton
Yes
Morse
Yes
Penry
Excused
Scanlan
Yes
Scheffel
Yes
Spence
Yes
Stephens
Yes
Weissmann
Excused
Shaffer B.
Yes
Carroll T.
Yes
Not Final YES: 16 NO: 0 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS









08:47 AM

Before the committee adjourned, Representative Middleton asked for clarification on interim meetings and the difference between interim committees, task forces, and unfunded committees and whether they are all being discouraged. President Shaffer explained that even if there are no funds associated with some committees and task forces, it is still discouraged and a burden on staff. Representative C. Gardner asked whether committees funded by gifts, grants, and donations are also discouraged. President Shaffer responded, stating he was unaware of such a committee being proposed for the 2010 interim. Representative C. Gardner explained the bill to which he was referring. Representative Middleton requested that these various situations be explained in writing in order to inform members who did not listen to the meeting. Senator Boyd asked about committees that use gifts, grants, and donations and independent staff. President Shaffer responded that although this is an option, it is discouraged because staff and legislators still end up being involved. He explained the issues involved in conducting an interim study with gifts, grants, and donations. Mr. Mauer commented on the issue and explain that independent staff do not always understand the interim process and then issues, such as drafting bills, eventually get brought to staff's attention problems may arise. Senator Kopp explained that hearings can be held informally with only legislators and no staff. Senator Spence asked what types of committees will still be meeting during the interim. Mr. Mauer explained that legislative oversight committees will still be meeting during the interim, including the Legislative Audit Committee, Legislative Council and Executive Committees, Joint Budget Committee, Capital Development Committee, and the Committee on Legal Services. Senator Hodge asked about the Water Resources Review Committee. Mr. Mauer explained that House Bill 10-1354 creates a new process for interim committees to be formed and to meet and even if committees are exempted in that bill, and that the Executive Committee has a bill that it will introduce to suspend all interim committee meetings this interim.

08:53 AM

The committee adjourned.