Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Date:03/01/2012
ATTENDANCE
Time:09:59 AM to 12:29 PM
Baumgardner
X
Casso
E
Place:HCR 0112
Court
X
Duran
X
This Meeting was called to order by
Joshi
X
Representative Kerr J.
Liston
X
Todd
X
This Report was prepared by
Coram
X
Bo Pogue
Kerr J.
X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Bills Addressed: Action Taken:
HB12-1234
HB12-1259
HB12-1298		Postponed Indefinitely
Committee Vote - Tie Vote
Postponed Indefinitely


09:59 AM -- House Bill 12-1234

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present. Representative Tyler, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 12-1234, concerning a right to participate in proceedings before the Public Utilities Commission (PUC) by customers of regulated businesses. Representative Tyler provided background on PUC proceedings, explained the effect of the bill, and discussed its merits. Representative Tyler explained what an intervenor is in PUC proceedings. Representative Tyler responded to questions regarding the intent of the bill, and the ability of individuals to testify before the PUC under current law.


10:12 AM

Representative Tyler responded to questions regarding customer representation before the PUC in its proceedings, and further explained the intent of the bill.


10:14 AM

The following persons testified regarding House Bill 12-1234:

10:15 AM -- Mr. Steve Pomerance, representing himself, testified in support of House Bill 12-1234. Mr. Pomerance discussed his work in helping to draft legislation to create the Office of Consumer Counsel, and explained the increased complexity of the issues addressed at PUC hearings. He discussed the value of having individuals testify before the PUC.

10:20 AM -- Ms. Mimsi Milton, representing herself, testified is support of the bill. Ms. Milton responded to questions regarding her input to the PUC in a proceeding.








10:22 AM -- Mr. Doug Dean, Director of the PUC, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Dean discussed the ways in which utility customers may submit input to the PUC, and explained the function of the Office of Consumer Counsel. He discussed the potential effect of the bill on the role of the Office of the Consumer Counsel, and the potentially negative effect of the bill on PUC case management. Mr. Dean discussed the bill's fiscal impact, and initiatives underway to increase avenues for customer input to the PUC. Mr. Dean responded to questions regarding the potential for the bill to lead to a slowing of the regulatory process at the PUC, and the length of a typical PUC case.


10:32 AM

Mr. Dean responded to questions about record-keeping for PUC proceedings, and the charge of the Office of Consumer Counsel under the bill. Discussion ensued regarding how individuals would intervene in PUC cases, and how their positions would harmonize with those of the Office of Consumer Counsel. Discussion followed regarding the fiscal impact of House Bill 12-1234. Mr. Dean responded to questions regarding trends in the number of intervenors involved in PUC proceedings.


10:41 AM

No amendments were offered to the bill. Representative Tyler provided closing remarks regarding the issues addressed by the bill, and requested that the bill be postponed indefinitely.
BILL:HB12-1234
TIME: 10:43:31 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Moved to postpone indefinitely House Bill 12-1234. The motion passed on a vote of 8-0.
SECONDED:Todd
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Casso
Excused
Court
Yes
Duran
Yes
Joshi
Yes
Liston
Yes
Todd
Yes
Coram
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS













10:44 AM -- House Bill 12-1259

Representative Miklosi, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 12-1259, concerning the right of person, including a veteran, to waive confidentiality requirements protecting personal work information obtained by the Department of Labor and Employment for unemployment benefit claims to permit the department to forward certain information to potential employers. Representative Miklosi provided background on veteran unemployment in Colorado, and explained the effect of the bill. Representative Miklosi responded to questions regarding the sharing of contact information under the bill. Discussion ensued regarding the bill's fiscal impact, and the frequency with which the Department of Labor and Employment updates its unemployment data. Representative Miklosi responded to questions regarding personal information disclosures by job seekers under current law.


10:54 AM

Representative Miklosi responded to questions regarding the functions of the Department of Labor and Employment in the area of assisting the unemployed with job searches. Representative Miklosi responded to further questions regarding the scope of the bill, and the need to retrain veterans who have just exited the military.


11:00 AM

The following persons testified regarding House Bill 12-1259:

11:00 AM -- Dr. William Doe, representing Veterans Green Jobs, testified in support of the bill. He discussed his organization's work in the area of veteran employment, and ways to address veteran unemployment. Dr. Doe explained how the bill would help to curb veteran unemployment by connecting job seekers with those seeking to train and employ people. Dr. Doe responded to questions regarding how his organization uses information gathered by the Department of Labor and Employment, and how organizations interact in their efforts to employ veterans. Dr. Doe responded to further questions regarding how state work force centers refer job seekers to organizations such as Veterans Green Jobs, and explained how younger veterans go about seeking employment.


11:11 AM

Discussion continued regarding how to connect younger veterans to jobs. Dr. Doe responded to questions about the potential for providing military service member contact information to the Department of Labor and Employment and to employers at the time of discharge from the service.

11:17 AM -- Mr. James Bobick, representing the United Veterans Committee, testified in support of House Bill 12-1259. Mr. Bobick explained how the bill will facilitate connections between potential employers and employees. Mr. Bobick responded to questions regarding the role of the Department of Labor and Employment in assisting veterans with job searches under the bill. Mr. Bobick responded to further questions regarding the bill's function in connecting potential employers and employees. Discussion returned to the role of the Department of Labor and Employment under the bill. Discussion followed regarding the fiscal impact of the bill.










11:27 AM

Representative Miklosi responded to questions regarding the position of the Department of Labor and Employment on the bill. Representative Todd discussed ways to streamline the process of connecting employers with qualified employees, and explained how House Bill 12-1259 will assist in this streamlining. Discussion ensued regarding avenues currently available to job seekers for finding employment, and the importance of ensuring the welfare of employees. Various committee members expressed their positions on the bill.
BILL:HB12-1259
TIME: 11:28:31 AM
MOVED:Todd
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 12-1259 to the Committee on Appropriations with a favorable recommendation. The motion failed on a vote of 3-5.
SECONDED:Court
VOTE
Baumgardner
No
Casso
Excused
Court
Yes
Duran
Yes
Joshi
No
Liston
No
Todd
Yes
Coram
No
Kerr J.
No
YES: 3 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL
























BILL:HB12-1259
TIME: 11:44:16 AM
MOVED:Baumgardner
MOTION:Moved to postpone indefinitely House Bill 12-1259. The motion failed on a 4-4 vote.
SECONDED:Kerr J.
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Casso
Excused
Court
No
Duran
No
Joshi
Yes
Liston
No
Todd
No
Coram
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
YES: 4 NO: 4 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: TIE


11:45 AM

The committee recessed.


11:53 AM -- House Bill 12-1298

The committee returned to order. Representative Singer, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 12-1298, concerning the ability of a person who has reached sixteen years of age but who will not be eighteen years of age by the date of the next election to preregister to vote, and, in connection therewith, allowing a preregistered person to change his or her information on the Secretary of State's official web site. Representative Singer explained the effect of the bill, and discussed the benefits of voter preregistration. He also discussed the effect of voter preregistration in other states. Discussion ensued regarding the potential impact of the bill in the area of civics education for young Coloradans. Discussion followed regarding the ability to preregister to vote if one is to turn 18 before an election under current law. Representative Singer responded to questions regarding the position of county clerks on the bill, and the number of 17-year-olds that currently preregister to vote in Colorado. Representative Singer responded to further questions regarding how those preregistered to vote would be accounted for in the voter rolls.
















12:04 PM

The following persons testified regarding House Bill 12-1298:

12:05 PM -- Mr. Rich Coolidge, representing the Secretary of State, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Coolidge explained how those who preregister to vote often fail to update their information when they become eligible to vote. Mr. Coolidge responded to questions regarding how to account for those who have preregistered to vote and have subsequently registered to vote in another jurisdiction. Mr. Coolidge responded to further questions regarding the steps to be taken by a county clerk in delivering a ballot to a preregistered voter under the bill. Discussion returned to the potential impact of the bill as a civics education tool.

12:11 PM -- Ms. Carol Tone, representing the League of Women Voters, testified in support of House Bill 12-1298. Ms. Tone discussed the importance of encouraging political participation, and explained how the bill would promote such participation in young populations. Discussion ensued regarding the potential for creating an electronic notification system for communicating with those preregistered to vote.

12:14 PM -- Ms. Faith Gross, representing the Legal Center for People with Disabilities and Older People, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Gross explained how the bill would benefit the disabled population.

12:16 PM -- Mr. Shawn Griffith, representing New Era Colorado, testified in support of House Bill 12-1298. Mr. Griffith discussed voter preregistration for 17-year-olds in Colorado, and explained how connecting voter preregistration with acquiring a driver's license would promote civic participation.

12:19 PM -- Ms. Brittany Petterson, representing New Era Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Petterson discussed low voter registration among 18-24 year olds, and the improvement in civic participation that would occur under the bill. Ms. Petterson explained that most young adults do not relocate when they turn 18.


12:21 PM

No amendments were offered to the bill. Representative Singer provided closing remarks in support of House Bill 12-1298. Discussion ensued regarding civics education in schools, and the benefits of the bill in this area. Representative Singer responded to questions regarding initiatives to increase voter registration among young persons.




















BILL:HB12-1298
TIME: 12:27:44 PM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 12-1298 to the Committee on Appropriations with a favorable recommendation. The motion failed on a vote of 3-5.
SECONDED:Duran
VOTE
Baumgardner
No
Casso
Excused
Court
Yes
Duran
Yes
Joshi
No
Liston
No
Todd
Yes
Coram
No
Kerr J.
No
YES: 3 NO: 5 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL
BILL:HB12-1298
TIME: 12:28:19 PM
MOVED:Joshi
MOTION:Moved to postpone indefinitely House Bill 12-1298. The motion passed on a vote of 5-3.
SECONDED:Coram
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Casso
Excused
Court
No
Duran
No
Joshi
Yes
Liston
Yes
Todd
No
Coram
Yes
Kerr J.
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 3 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


12:29 PM

The committee adjourned.