Senate Committee on Finance (03/26/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE

Date:	03/26/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	11:33 AM to 12:17 PM	Brophy	*
		Heath	X
Place:	SCR 354	Isgar	X
		King K.	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Scheffel	*
	Senator Sandoval	Hudak	*
		Sandoval	X
This Report was prepared by
	Elizabeth Hanson
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Conf 09-Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Board HB09-1164 HB09-1294		Favorably Refer to the Full Senate Referred to Appropriations Pass Unamended- Consent Calendar

11:34 AM -- Confirmation of Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority Board of Directors

Ms. Beth Lamberson Warren and Mr. Kent Veio, appointees to the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority Board of Directors, provided their background and interest in serving on the board. Copies of the appointees' applications and resumes are included as Attachment A. Ms. Warren stated that she represents rural and nonprofit sectors and enjoys her work with the committee. Mr. Veio began by stating he was reappointed to serve on the committee. He also provided background information about the role of the board.

(Attachment A can be viewed at State Archives)


BILL:	Confirmation of Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority Board of Directors
TIME:	11:38:11 AM
MOVED:	Isgar
MOTION:	Refer the appointments of Ms. Beth Lamberson Warren and Mr. Kent C. Veio to the Colorado Educational and Cultural Facilities Authority Board of Directors to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation. The motion passed 4-0, with 3 excused.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Excused
	Heath	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Excused
	Hudak	Excused
	Sandoval	Yes

Final YES: 4 NO: 0 EXC: 3 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

11:39 AM -- House Bill 09-1164

Senator Kester, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1164. The bill, which was amended by the Senate Transportation Committee, adds a $25 surcharge to the fees charged for a new or replacement Breast Cancer Awareness license plate. For individuals that are renewing the plate, the surcharge is optional. Senator Kester stated that the bill passed unanimously out of the Senate Transportation committee, and explained that it would assist low income women who suffer from breast and cervical cancer.

The following persons testified on the bill:

11:41 AM -- Ms. Jeanette Oxelson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She stated that she currently does not have health insurance and suffers from breast cancer. Ms. Oxelson explained that after finding a lump in her breast, she had to wait for a mammogram. She also explained that she can no longer obtain Medicaid coverage because the clinic that screened her for breast cancer is not under Medicaid's system. Ms. Oxelson responded to questions from the committee about Cover Colorado and insurance coverage.

11:44 AM -- Ms. Dana Ozwonkowski, representing the American Cancer Society, testified in support of the bill. She testified that women are falling victim to insurance coverage loopholes because of the clinics where they receive breast cancer screenings. She also said the bill attempts to provide a stable revenue stream and does not require General Fund appropriations. The revenue raised by the surcharge, she said, would be placed into an account. She explained that the revenue would be used by the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing to treat women who fall through the treatment loophole only when the department deemed the funding sustainable to accommodate the additional case load. She also stated that the surcharge is not required for everyone purchasing a license plate. Ms. Ozwonkowski provided the committee with information about surveys conducted by the American Cancer Society about the breast cancer plates, and said the bill would help to assist women who need it.

11:56 AM -- Ms. Carol Hickman, representing herself, testified against the bill. She distributed a handout to the committee, which is included as Attachment B. Ms. Hickman explained that she was the original creator of the breast cancer plate, and she provided background to the committee about several concerns about the bill. She stated that it is difficult to determine what portion of the license plate fees would go towards funding treatment for breast and cervical cancer. Ms. Hickman stated that current financial models show that it could take several years for this funding to be available. She also said that the debate about the breast cancer plate exposes a larger policy issue related to Medicaid and cannot be addressed by the bill. Ms. Hickman expressed concerns about the precedent the surcharge would create and discussed other examples of special license plates used in Colorado.

12:08 PM

Ms. Hickman continued testifying about the bill. She also expressed the concerns of other individuals who could not be present at the meeting.

12:09 PM

Senator Sandoval closed public testimony. Senator Kester shared additional thoughts about the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1164
TIME:	12:11:12 PM
MOVED:	Brophy
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1164 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed 6-1.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Heath	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
	King K.	No
	Scheffel	Yes
	Hudak	Yes
	Sandoval	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

12:13 PM -- House Bill 09-1294

Senator Schwartz, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1294. The bill extends the voluntary checkoff on the Colorado income tax form that benefits the Nongame Endangered Wildlife Fund from tax year 2009 through tax year 2011. Senator Schwartz said that it was the first checkoff that was included on the Colorado income tax form. She explained that the checkoff has been in effect for 11 years and has raised about $4.5 million.

The following person testified on the bill:

12:14 PM -- Mr. Tom Remington, representing the Colorado Division of Wildlife, testified in support of the bill. He provided the committee with background about the species that benefit from the fund.

12:16 PM

Senator Sandoval closed public testimony.


BILL:	HB09-1294
TIME:	12:16:18 PM
MOVED:	King K.
MOTION:	Refer House Bill 09-1294 to the Committee of the Whole, with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. The motion passed 7-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Heath	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
	King K.	Yes
	Scheffel	Yes
	Hudak	Yes
	Sandoval	Yes

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

12:17 PM

The committee recessed.