Date: 01/13/2009
Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB09-1050
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
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10:13 AM -- House Bill 09-1050 - Concerning An Income Tax Checkoff for Colorado Easter Seals
Representative Soper, prime sponsor, explained the provisions of the bill. He noted that House Bill 09-1050 extends the income tax checkoff benefitting the Colorado Easter Seals Fund from tax year 2009 through tax year 2011. The bill also changes the name of the fund to the Easter Seals Colorado Disability Fund. He closed by saying that contributions from donors are used for programs that serve people of all ages with all types of disabilities.
The following persons testified:
10:22 AM -- Mr. Michael Taliercio, testified in support of the legislation and distributed a presentation handout (Attachment B). Mr. Taliercio began by discussing the circumstances that resulted in his father Vince, becoming disabled. During his father's recovery, Easter Seals was the only service that our family was able to find that offered occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy in one location. Mr. Taliercio closed by noting that the services that are provided to the disabled through Easter Seals make good economic sense to continue because they provide low-cost quality services to people who would otherwise not have access to health care services.
10:26 AM -- Ms. Lynn Robinson, Easter Seals Colorado, distributed a packet of materials on Easter Seals to the committee members and testified in support of the bill (Attachment C). Ms. Robinson briefly discussed the programs and services that Colorado Easter Seals offers to its clients. She noted that the name change in the bill is intended to make tax contributors more aware that the services that Easter Seals provide are to the disabled. She closed by encouraging the committee to support the legislation.
Staff distributed a memorandum to the committee entitled "Update on Checkoff Colorado" (Attachment D) and a schedule of checkoff programs on the state income tax form (Attachment E). Ron Kirk, Legislative Council Staff, discussed the administration of the program through the state's income tax system and discussed past donations for the Easter Seals program. Collections for the first two years the program was on the form averaged $48,000. Staff continued to respond to questions about the program and the committee discussed amendments to House Bill 09-1050 that would potentially exempt the program from the $75,000 contribution threshold.
After a brief committee discussion, Representative Judd, Chairman, laid over House Bill 09-1050 to Wednesday, January 14, 2009, to allow the prime sponsor time to have amendments drafted.
10:48 AM
Adjourn.