House Committee on Health and Environment (03/20/2012)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENT

Date:	03/20/2012	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:35 PM to 03:25 PM	Bradford	X
		Brown	X
Place:	LSB A	Fields	X
		Joshi	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Kefalas	X
	Representative Summers	Kerr J.	X
		Massey	X
This Report was prepared by		McCann	X
	Amanda King	Peniston	X
		Schafer S.	X
		Young	X
		Acree	X
		Summers	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB12-022 SB12-091 HB12-1294		Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Laid Over

01:36 PM -- Senate Bill 12-022

Representative Massey presented Senate Bill 12-022, concerning maintaining child care assistance for working families. The bill creates a pilot program in the Department of Human Services to allow up to 10 counties to modify their Child Care Assistance Program to mitigate the "cliff effect." In regards to child care assistance, the cliff effect refers to a situation when working parents receiving assistance begin to earn income above the eligibility limit, and in turn, lose their eligibility for assistance, which can hinder their ability to continue to work or to afford child care costs. Specifically, the pilot program allows counties to continue providing extended child care assistance for up to two years after a person receiving assistance has exceeded the county eligibility limit. The pilot program allows counties to require parents receiving extended assistance to pay an increasing portion of the child care costs according to a schedule over the two-year period and allow for a gradual transition off of assistance over the two-year period. Representative Massey responded to questions about the timeframe outlined in the bill to extend the child care assistance to families, what currently occurs with regards to child care assistance for working families, and the occurrence of parents turning down promotions and raises in order to continue to qualify for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program.

01:41 PM -- Melody Maitland, The Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill. She provided several statements of support (Attachments A through C) to the committee. She explained the cliff effect and the occurrence of parents turning down promotions and raises in order to continue to qualify for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program. Ms. Maitland responded to questions about the bill, including how the pilot program would be paid for by counties and how the bill could impact the type of child care available to families. Representative Massey and the committee discussed how receiving child care assistance may impact the level of child care accessible to parents.

01:51 PM -- Rich Jones, The Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill.

01:51 PM -- Jennifer Landrum, Colorado Children's Campaign, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the costs of child care in Colorado and the cliff effect. Ms. Landrum responded to questions about the availability of data on the cliff effect, the potential impact the pilot program might have on providing assistance to additional families, the average number of children in the families receiving assistance under the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program, and whether parents are allowed to stay at home to care for their children.

02:01 PM -- Bridget Kaminetsky, 9 to 5 Colorado Chapter, testified in support of the bill. She discussed the situations that can occur when parents no longer qualify for the Colorado Child Care Assistance Program.

02:05 PM -- Pat Ratliff, County Counties, Inc., testified on the bill in a neutral position. She responded to questions about the flexibility and permissiveness of the pilot program. She discussed concerns about parents using unlicensed child care providers. She explained that county general fund moneys will be utilized for the pilot program. She responded to questions about wait lists for child care assistance. Representative Massey discussed the public-private partnerships that could be formed through the bill. Ms. Ratliff responded to a question about the ability of counties to allow parents to stay home to care for their children under various programs. Representative Massey discussed the benefits of employing parents.

02:14 PM -- Laurie Zeller, Women's Foundation of Colorado, testified in support of the bill and provided a written statement (Attachment D) to the committee. She responded to questions about the Women's Foundation of Colorado and the availability of data on the cliff effect.

02:19 PM

Representative Massey responded to questions about the funding for the pilot program. The committee discussed allowing parents to stay home to care for their children and the need to encourage people to achieve self-sufficiency.


BILL:	SB12-022
TIME:	02:21:48 PM
MOVED:	Massey
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 12-022 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 10-3.
SECONDED:	Kefalas
		VOTE
	Bradford	Yes
	Brown	No
	Fields	Yes
	Joshi	No
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Peniston	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Acree	No
	Summers	Yes

YES: 10 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:24 PM -- Senate Bill 12-091

Representative Bradford presented Senate Bill 12-091, concerning modifications to the provisions governing the practice of nursing home administration. The bill makes changes to the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators and the licensing process for nursing home administrators.

02:25 PM -- Arlene Miles, Colorado Health Care Association, testified in support of the bill. She discussed issues occurring in the long-term care profession regarding the ability to employ qualified nursing home administrators in a timely manner. She discussed the federal regulations concerning nursing home administrators and the difficulties in licensing nursing home administrators in Colorado. Ms. Miles responded to questions about the role of directors of nursing in long-term care facilities and the training requirements outlined in the bill for the administrator-in-training program.

02:31 PM

Representative Bradford explained amendment L.009 (Attachment E), which addresses the appointments to the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators and the qualifications for nursing home administrators. The committee dialogued about the membership qualification for the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators.

02:37 PM

Ms. Miles returned to the table to respond to questions about amendment L.009 with regards to the composition of the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators.

02:40 PM

Mo Miskell, Department of Regulatory Agencies, responded to questions about the composition of the Board of Examiners of Nursing Home Administrators.


BILL:	SB12-091
TIME:	02:43:05 PM
MOVED:	Bradford
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.009 (Attachment E). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Brown
		VOTE
	Bradford
	Brown
	Fields	Excused
	Joshi
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Massey
	McCann
	Peniston
	Schafer S.
	Young
	Acree
	Summers

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

02:43 PM

Representative Bradford provided closing comments on the bill. Representative Summers discussed the bill.


BILL:	SB12-091
TIME:	02:44:11 PM
MOVED:	Bradford
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 12-091, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 12-0, with one member excused.
SECONDED:	Peniston
		VOTE
	Bradford	Yes
	Brown	Yes
	Fields	Excused
	Joshi	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	Massey	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Peniston	Yes
	Schafer S.	Yes
	Young	Yes
	Acree	Yes
	Summers	Yes

YES: 12 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:45 PM

The committee took a brief recess.

03:01 PM

Representative Summers called the committee back to order.

03:02 PM -- House Bill 12-1294

Representative Liston discussed the work with the stakeholders that has been done on House Bill 12-1294, concerning modifications to health facilities regulation, since the bill was last discussed by committee on Tuesday, March 13, 2012. He explained amendment L.022 (Attachment F), which requires the Department of Public Health and Environment and Department of Human Services to develop an implementation plan to coordinate and streamline processes and functions pertaining to the regulation of community residential homes and requires the departments to report their progress in meeting those requirements. Representative Liston discussed amendment L.025 (Attachment G), which is a technical amendment to include the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing in the collaborative process and reporting requirements created by amendment L.022, and to include industry representatives in the implementation plan process. Representative Liston responded to questions about amendments L.022 and L.025.


BILL:	HB12-1294
TIME:	03:09:22 PM
MOVED:	Summers
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.025 (Attachment G). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Brown
		VOTE
	Bradford
	Brown
	Fields
	Joshi
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Massey
	McCann
	Peniston
	Schafer S.
	Young
	Acree
	Summers

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

03:09 PM

The committee and Representative Liston dialogued about concerns that were previously raised about the bill and how some of the concerns are addressed by the proposed amendments. A memo concerning the fiscal assessment of proposed amendment L.022 (Attachment H) was distributed to the committee.


BILL:	HB12-1294
TIME:	03:17:48 PM
MOVED:	Summers
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.022 (Attachment F). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Brown
		VOTE
	Bradford
	Brown
	Fields
	Joshi
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Massey
	McCann
	Peniston
	Schafer S.
	Young
	Acree
	Summers

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

03:18 PM

Representative Liston explained amendment L.023 (Attachment I), which concerns deemed status for facilities. Representative Liston responded to questions about whether the proposed amendment impacts Programs of All-inclusive Care fro the Elderly (PACE) facilities.


BILL:	HB12-1294
TIME:	03:19:43 PM
MOVED:	Summers
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.023 (Attachment I). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Massey
		VOTE
	Bradford
	Brown
	Fields
	Joshi
	Kefalas
	Kerr J.
	Massey
	McCann
	Peniston
	Schafer S.
	Young
	Acree
	Summers

YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

03:20 PM

Representative Liston said an updated fiscal note is being prepared on the bill. Representative Summers discussed the potential overlap between House Bill 12-1294 and House Bill 12-1008. Representative Kefalas asked for a preamended version of the House Bill 12-1294. Representative Summers laid House Bill 12-1294 over until Thursday, March 22, 2012.

03:25 PM

The committee adjourned.