House Committee on Finance (03/14/2012)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:	03/14/2012	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:42 PM to 05:14 PM	Acree	X
		Beezley	X
Place:	LSB A	Conti	X
		Holbert	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Hullinghorst	X
	Representative DelGrosso	Kagan	X
		Kefalas	X
This Report was prepared by		Labuda	X
	Ron Kirk	McCann	X
		Pabon	X
		Swalm	X
		Swerdfeger	X
		DelGrosso	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB12-1318 HB12-1326 HB12-1253		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to Appropriations Postponed Indefinitely

01:45 PM -- House Bill 12-1318 - Concerning Controlled Maintenance Funding

Representative Brown, prime sponsor, explained that House Bill 12-1318 requires the state architect to develop, subject to annual review and approval by the Capital Development Committee, guidelines in order to establish when a state-owned, general-funded building or other physical facility is eligible for controlled maintenance funding.

After a brief committee discussion, staff was asked to respond to committee questions.

The following person testified:
.
04:08 PM -- Ms. Esther van Mourik, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to committee questions.


BILL:	HB12-1318
TIME:	01:50:26 PM
MOVED:	Kagan
MOTION:	Moved Amendment L.001 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Acree
		VOTE
	Acree
	Beezley
	Conti
	Holbert
	Hullinghorst
	Kagan
	Kefalas
	Labuda
	McCann
	Pabon
	Swalm
	Swerdfeger
	DelGrosso

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


BILL:	HB12-1318
TIME:	01:51:13 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 12-1318, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 13-0.
SECONDED:	Pabon
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Beezley	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Holbert	Yes
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Swerdfeger	Yes
	DelGrosso	Yes

Final YES: 13 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

01:53 PM -- House Bill 12-1326 - Concerning the Old Age Pension Fund

Representative Kefalas and Representative Acree, prime sponsors, explained the provisions of the bill. Representative Acree began by saying that House Bill 12-1326 encourages the State Board of Human Services to raise the standard allowance under the Old Age Pension (OAP) Program from $699 per month to $725 per month and sets the family income limit for seniors to be eligible for services through the Dental Assistance Program in the Department of Public Health and Environment (DPHE) at 135 percent of the federal poverty level (FPL).

The committee discussed the federal poverty level and asked that testimony address questions about qualifying for the OAP benefits.

The following persons testified:

02:13 PM -- Ms. Eileen Doherty, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the legislation. Ms. Doherty discussed the income qualifying guidelines for the Old Age Pension Program.

02:30 PM -- Ms. Betty Proctor, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Proctor noted that the additional benefits in the bill would help the most needy in Colorado.

02:39 PM -- Mr. Art Smith, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and discussed his fixed income limitations. He noted that the increased benefits in the bill would help pay for medical expenses.

02:39 PM -- Mr. Sheryle Hutter, representing the Colorado Cross Disability Coalition, testified in support of the legislation.


BILL:	HB12-1326
TIME:	02:41:23 PM
MOVED:	Acree
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 12-1326 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a vote of 12-1.
SECONDED:	Kefalas
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Beezley	No
	Conti	Yes
	Holbert	Yes
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Swerdfeger	Yes
	DelGrosso	Yes

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

02:45 PM -- House Bill 12-1253 - Concerning the PTC Grant Program

Representative Kefalas, prime sponsor, explained that House Bill 12-1253 expands the Department of Revenue's Property Tax/Rent/Heat Rebate (PTC) program, on a one-time basis, for tax year 2013. He continued by noting that income eligibility requirements are modified to provide property tax and heat and fuel assistance grants for eligible filers with incomes up to $28,000 for an individual and $32,000 for a husband and wife filing jointly. He closed by saying that for eligible individuals with incomes over $10,040 and eligible joint filers with incomes over $13,932, the bill provides a $300 maximum rebate for both property tax/rent assistance and heat and fuel assistance. Representative Kefalas distributed a packet of materials to the committee (Attachment B).

Attachment B can be viewed at State Archives.

The committee briefly discussed the program and asked that testimony be heard.

The following persons testified:

03:27 PM -- Mr. Henry Sobanet, Governor's Office of State Planning and Budgeting, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Sobanet discussed the potential number of seniors who could participate under the bill.

03:46 PM -- Mr. Michael Hoover, representing himself, and the Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hoover noted that he uses money from the rebate program for medication.

03:54 PM -- Ms. Patricia Stoehr, representing Meals On Wheels at Volunteers of America, testified in support of the legislation.

04:02 PM -- Mr. Herb Homan, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the legislation. Mr. Homan discussed the history of the program.

04:12 PM -- Ms. Eileen Doherty, representing the Colorado Gerontological Society, testified in support of the bill and discussed the income levels of the recipients of the program.

04:17 PM -- Ms. Kerry Blacker, representing Catholic Charities, testified in support of the bill and explained the need for the program to assist seniors in Colorado.

04:21 PM -- Mr. Johnny Kroll, representing Colorado Developmental Disabilities Council, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kroll discussed the importance of the program to assist senior citizens and people with disabilities.

04:31 PM -- Ms. Sheryle Hutter, representing the Colorado Cross Disabilities Coalition, testified in support of the legislation.

04:33 PM -- Mr. Sam Dominy, representing the Colorado Alliance for Retired Americans, testified in support of the legislation.

04:38 PM -- Mr.Terry Scanlon, representing the Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute, testified in support of the bill.


BILL:	HB12-1253
TIME:	04:43:40 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Moved Amendment L.003 (Attachment C). The motion failed on a vote of 6-7.
SECONDED:	Hullinghorst
		VOTE
	Acree	No
	Beezley	No
	Conti	No
	Holbert	No
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Swerdfeger	No
	DelGrosso	No

YES: 6 NO: 7 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB12-1253
TIME:	04:48:09 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Moved Amendment L.001 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Labuda
		VOTE
	Acree
	Beezley
	Conti
	Holbert
	Hullinghorst
	Kagan
	Kefalas
	Labuda
	McCann
	Pabon
	Swalm
	Swerdfeger
	DelGrosso

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


BILL:	HB12-1253
TIME:	04:49:48 PM
MOVED:	Kefalas
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 12-1253, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion failed on a vote of 6-7.
SECONDED:	McCann
		VOTE
	Acree	No
	Beezley	No
	Conti	No
	Holbert	No
	Hullinghorst	Yes
	Kagan	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Labuda	Yes
	McCann	Yes
	Pabon	Yes
	Swalm	No
	Swerdfeger	No
	DelGrosso	No

YES: 6 NO: 7 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	HB12-1253
TIME:	05:13:14 PM
MOVED:	Swalm
MOTION:	Moved to postpone House Bill 12-1253 indefinitely. The motion passed on a vote of 7-6.
SECONDED:	Holbert
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Beezley	Yes
	Conti	Yes
	Holbert	Yes
	Hullinghorst	No
	Kagan	No
	Kefalas	No
	Labuda	No
	McCann	No
	Pabon	No
	Swalm	Yes
	Swerdfeger	Yes
	DelGrosso	Yes

Final YES: 7 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

05:14 PM

The committee adjourned.