House Committee on Transportation & Energy (04/07/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY

Date:	04/07/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	01:34 PM to 06:26 PM	Baumgardner	X
		Fischer	X
Place:	HCR 0107	Frangas	X
		King S.	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Looper	X
	Representative McFadyen	McNulty	*
		Merrifield	*
This Report was prepared by		Primavera	X
	Kurt Morrison	Vaad	X
		Green	X
		McFadyen	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
SB09-094 HB09-1323 SB09-133		Amended, Referred to the Committee of the Whole Amended, Referred to Appropriations Amended, Referred to Appropriations

01:34 PM -- Senate Bill 09-094

Representative McFadyen called the meeting to order. A quorum was present. Representative Levy, prime sponsor of Senate Bill 09-094, discussed the merits of the bill. The bill would create the Transit and Rail Division within the Department of Transportation to further integrate transit and rail into the statewide transportation system. Representative Levy provided copies of L.003 to the committee (Attachment A). Representative Levy responded to questions from committee members.

01:40 PM

Representative McFadyen asked for witnesses to testify regarding the bill.

01:40 PM -- Ms. Jennifer Finch, representing the Department of Transportation, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Finch responded to questions from committee members. Representative Vaad discussed past transit efforts within the Department of Transportation.

01:50 PM

Representative Primavera asked about the bill's proposed advisory group and the inclusion of individuals with disabilities.

01:53 PM -- Mr. Lee Kemp, representing the Regional Transportation District (RTD), testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kemp responded to questions from committee members.

01:55 PM -- Mr. Gerry Todd, representing the Citizens' Think Tank on Growing a Legacy Economy, testified in support of the committee.

01:59 PM -- Ms. Ann Rajewski, representing the Colorado Association of Transit Agencies (CASTA), testified in support of the bill.

02:00 PM -- Mr. Mark Radtke, representing the Colorado Municipal League, and Mr. Chris Mendez, representing Colorado Counties, Inc., both testified in support of the bill. Mr. Radtke and Mr. Mendez responded to questions from committee members.

02:07 PM -- Dr. Flo Raitano, representing the Interstate 70 Coalition, testified in support of the bill.

02:09 PM

Representative McNulty stated concerns regarding the fiscal note and potential new full time employees in the division.

02:10 PM -- Ms. Finch responded to Representative McNulty, providing information on how the new division would be staffed.


BILL:	SB09-094
TIME:	02:12:36 PM
MOVED:	McNulty
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.003 (Attachment A). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Baumgardner
	Fischer
	Frangas
	King S.
	Looper
	McNulty
	Merrifield
	Primavera
	Vaad
	Green
	McFadyen

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB09-094
TIME:	02:20:00 PM
MOVED:	McNulty
MOTION:	Moved an amendment to Senate Bill 09-094 to limit the Transit and Rail Division to five full time employees (FTE) unless legislative authorization for additional FTE is provided by the General Assembly. The motion failed on a 5-6 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Looper
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Fischer	No
	Frangas	No
	King S.	Yes
	Looper	Yes
	McNulty	Yes
	Merrifield	No
	Primavera	No
	Vaad	Yes
	Green	No
	McFadyen	No

Not Final YES: 5 NO: 6 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: FAIL


BILL:	SB09-094
TIME:	02:25:07 PM
MOVED:	Green
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-094, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 6-5 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Merrifield
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	No
	Fischer	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	King S.	No
	Looper	No
	McNulty	No
	Merrifield	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Vaad	No
	Green	Yes
	McFadyen	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:31 PM -- House Bill 09-1323

Representative Levy, prime sponsor of House Bill 09-1323, discussed the merits of the bill. The bill would require rural electric associations that are serving at least 100,000 customers to implement demand-side management programs. Representative Levy provided a handout and copies of Amendments L.001 and L.002 to the committee (Attachments B, C, and D). Representative Levy responded to questions from committee members.

02:43 PM

Representative King discussed concerns that coal technology is not treated equally under energy-related legislation.

02:49 PM

Representative Green asked for witnesses to testify regarding the bill.

02:50 PM -- Senator Bill Schroeder, representing the Intermountain Rural Electric Association (IREA), testified in opposition to the bill. Senator Schroeder provided handouts to the committee (Attachments E, F, and G). Senator Schroeder discussed renewable energy programs offered by IREA and responded to questions from committee members.

03:04 PM

Representative McNulty asked Senator Schroeder to discuss the cost of the bill.

03:15 PM

Representative Looper discussed current efforts by the Governor's Energy Office to provide energy efficiency programs and related costs.

03:24 PM

Representative King asked Senator Schroeder to discuss costs and the IREA customer base.

03:28 PM -- Mr. Dennis Sykes, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Sykes provided copies of his testimony to the committee members (Attachment H). Mr. Sykes responded to questions from committee members.

03:37 PM -- Mr. John Lay, representing the Southeast Business Partnership, testified in opposition to the bill.

03:39 PM -- Mr. Geoffrey Hier, representing the Colorado Rural Electric Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Hier responded to questions from committee members.

03:50 PM

Representative King asked Mr. Hier to comment on consumer behavior resulting from cost increases.

03:53 PM -- Mr. Phillip Porter, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Porter provided copies of his testimony to the committee (Attachment E).

04:02 PM

Representative McNulty asked Mr. Porter to comment on the bill's impact upon low-income families.

04:09 PM

Representative King asked Mr. Porter to comment on the impact of fare increases upon low-income families.

04:17 PM -- Mr. Landon Gates, representing the Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Gates responded to questions from committee members.

04:20 PM -- Mr. Gene Dilworth, representing the Southwest Energy Efficiency Project, testified in support of the bill.

04:27 PM -- Mr. Gary Nakarado, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

04:34 PM -- Mr. Mike Chioda and Mr. Bill Blomberg, representing IREA Voices, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Chioda and Mr. Blomberg responded to questions from committee members.

04:45 PM

Mr. Blomberg discussed challenges for low-income families to afford energy costs.

04:55 PM

Representative McNulty responded to statements regarding IREA governance. Representative Green asked Mr. Chioda to comment on IREA board elections.

05:06 PM -- Mr. Erik Van Orden, representing Standard Renewable Energy, testified in support of the bill.

05:11 PM -- Mr. Tom Konrad, representing the Colorado Energy Renewal Society, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Konrad responded to questions from committee members.

05:20 PM -- Mr. Skip Arnold, representing Energy Outreach Colorado, testified regarding the bill.

05:23 PM -- Mr. Keith Hay, representing Environment Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hay discussed energy efficiency programs and their potential impact upon energy industries and consumers.

05:32 PM -- Mr. Gerry Todd, representing the Citizens' Think Tank on Growing a Legacy Economy, testified in support of the bill.

05:37 PM -- Mr. Neil Preister, representing himself, testified regarding the bill.

05:40 PM

The committee recessed.

05:44 PM

The committee returned to order.


BILL:	HB09-1323
TIME:	05:44:52 PM
MOVED:	Frangas
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.001 (Attachment C). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Fischer
		VOTE
	Baumgardner
	Fischer
	Frangas
	King S.
	Looper
	McNulty
	Merrifield
	Primavera
	Vaad
	Green
	McFadyen

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1323
TIME:	05:46:19 PM
MOVED:	Merrifield
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment D). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Baumgardner
	Fischer
	Frangas
	King S.
	Looper
	McNulty
	Merrifield
	Primavera
	Vaad
	Green
	McFadyen

Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	HB09-1323
TIME:	05:51:00 PM
MOVED:	Merrifield
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1323, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 6-5 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Fischer
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	No
	Fischer	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	King S.	No
	Looper	No
	McNulty	No
	Merrifield	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Vaad	No
	Green	Yes
	McFadyen	Yes

Final YES: 6 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

05:52 PM

The committee recessed.

06:01 PM -- Senate Bill 09-133

The committee returned to order. Representative Primavera, prime sponsor of Senate Bill 09-133, discussed the merits of the bill. The bill would increase the surcharges for any traffic violation that is credited to the Colorado Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund. Representative Primavera responded to questions from committee members and provided copies of Amendment L.002 to the committee members (Attachment J).

06:10 PM

Representative McFadyen asked for witnesses to testify regarding the bill.

06:11 PM -- Ms. Judy Dettmer, representing the Department of Human Services, testified regarding the bill.

06:14 PM -- Mr. Kenneth Hosack, representing the Traumatic Brain Injury Trust Fund, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Hosack responded to questions from committee members.

06:20 PM -- Mr. William Levis, representing the Brain Injury Association of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

06:23 PM

Representative McFadyen acknowledged that Ms. Nadine Lund could not be present to testify regarding the bill, but is supportive of the bill.


BILL:	SB09-133
TIME:	06:23:50 PM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Moved amendment L.002 (Attachment J). The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:	Frangas
		VOTE
	Baumgardner
	Fischer
	Frangas
	King S.
	Looper
	McNulty
	Merrifield
	Primavera
	Vaad
	Green
	McFadyen
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection


BILL:	SB09-133
TIME:	06:24:42 PM
MOVED:	Primavera
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-133, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 9-2 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Merrifield
		VOTE
	Baumgardner	Yes
	Fischer	Yes
	Frangas	Yes
	King S.	Yes
	Looper	Yes
	McNulty	No
	Merrifield	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Vaad	No
	Green	Yes
	McFadyen	Yes

Final YES: 9 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

06:26 PM

The committee adjourned.