House Committee on Health and Human Services (02/23/2009)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Date:	02/23/2009	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:57 PM to 05:35 PM	Acree	X
		Gerou	X
Place:	LSB A	Green	X
		Kefalas	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Kerr J.	X
	Representative Riesberg	McGihon	*
		Nikkel	X
This Report was prepared by		Primavera	X
	Kelly Stapleton	Swalm	X
		Gagliardi	X
		Riesberg	X
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
HB09-1282 SB09-055 SB09-079		Referred to Appropriations Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole

02:58 PM -- House Bill 09-1282

Representative Fischer presented House Bill 09-1282 which creates a 19-member Electric Device Recycling Task Force. The bill requires the task force to submit a report to the General Assembly with recommendations regarding the implementation of electronic device recycling program. The following witnesses testified.

03:19 PM -- Anne Peters, Grace Stone, Inc., testified in support of the bill. Ms. Peters stated that she has been involved in waste recycling for approximately 10 years. She provided information to the committee on some of the toxic materials that are contained in electronic equipment. She provided statistical data on the amount of e-waste, or electronic material waste, in Colorado. She stated that at least 15 states have established an electronic device recycling task force to create a sustainable electronic waste recycling program.

03:34 PM -- Margy Christianson, Waste Management, Inc. expressed some concern with the bill. She stated that she is concerned that the bill would assign liability to landfills if they accept a banned material, or that the landfill would have to play an enforcement role concerning the banned material. She stated that the bill puts a presumption of responsibility on the landfill. While they do support recycling, she stated she would like some more clarification in the bill regarding the responsibilities of a landfill.

03:41 PM -- Michael Wright, Guaranteed Recycling Experts, testified in support of the bill. He stated that he has been in the recycling business for about five years, specifically in the area of electronic device recycling. He stated that a significant portion of the electronic material can be recycled and reused in some other kind of manufacturing process. He stated that there is a concern about various recycling companies that ship their materials to third world countries where the materials are not properly recycled.

03:54 PM -- Dag Adamson, Lifespan Technology Recycling, testified in support of the bill. He spoke to the need for the bill stating that it will allow for all interested stakeholders to be involved. He stated that the task force will learn from best practices in other states and create the best program in Colorado.

04:04 PM -- Dan Matsch, Eco-Cycle, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Matsch stated Eco-Cycle recycles over a million pounds of electronic waste a year. He stated that a task force would be beneficial to bring many different stakeholders to the table and produce a comprehensive plan. Some committee members suggested that the composition of the task force contain more representation from local government and those directly involved in recycling, and less representation from state legislators.

04:18 PM -- Tess Heffernan, Legislative Policy Manager, City of Fort Collins, testified in support of the bill. She spoke to an ordinance in Fort Collins that prohibits dumping e-waste into the city's landfill. She stated that the ordinance has been received well by the community and that there is clearly support for e-waste recycling. She encouraged passage of the bill to promote a statewide initiative.

04:24 PM -- Marjorie Griek, Colorado Association for Recycling, testified in support of the bill. She stated that there are a lot of issues and questions surrounding e-waste recycling. She stated that the task force will provide a chance for stakeholders to weigh in and discuss these issues.

04:29 PM

Representative Fischer provided a wrap-up to the bill.


BILL:	HB09-1282
TIME:	04:32:13 PM
MOVED:	McGihon
MOTION:	Moved to refer House Bill 09-1282 to the Committee on Appropriations. The motion passed on a 11-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Green
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Yes
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 11 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

04:40 PM

The committee took a brief recess.

04:46 PM -- Senate Bill 09-055

Representative Judd presented Senate Bill 09-55. Representative Judd stated that the services provided by family resource centers, which were established in 1993, are a collaboration between the state and community providers. He stated that the bill extends services to include family support and education, allows the centers to receive funding from the Colorado Works Strategic Use Fund, and extends the program indefinitely.

04:50 PM -- Mark Kling, Executive Director, Family Resource Center Association, testified in support of the bill. Three handout describing the program were provided to the committee (Attachments A, B, and C). He stated that family resource centers aims at helping families become self-sufficient. He noted that the program collaborates with many other programs.

04:53 PM -- Becky Meyer, Family Resource Center Association, offered to answer committee questions.

04:53 PM -- Kathy Kennedy, Family Resource Center Association, testified that the centers are able to tailor the services to the communities in which they are located. Mr. Kling responded to questions from Representative Primavera regarding the availability of family resource centers statewide. In response to a question from Representative Green, Mr. Kling described the services that are offered by family resource centers.

04:57 PM -- Pat Ratliff, Colorado Counties Inc., testified in support of the bill, and explained that the bill will permit family resource centers to apply for Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funds.

04:58 PM -- Kerri Hansen, Family Resource Center Association, described the services that she received from the family resource center in Yuma, Colorado.

05:01 PM -- Cheryl Nix, client of the Fremont County Family Resource Center, stated that she utilized three different services from the family resource center after he husband was deployed to Iraq. She stated that the center is an asset to the community.

05:05 PM -- Nate Gorman, Colorado Adult Educational Professional Association, spoke in support of the bill. He spoke to the collaborative effort that his organization has with various family resource centers. He stated that the bill will further encourage that collaboration.


BILL:	SB09-055
TIME:	05:06:41 PM
MOVED:	Gagliardi
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-055 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Kerr J.
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

05:08 PM -- Senate Bill 09-079

Representatives Acree and Kefalas presented Senate Bill 09-079 which allows confidential intermediaries to access confidential dependency and neglect records. The bill also allows former foster children over the age of 18 to use the confidential intermediary program to search for an adult birth sibling. Representative Acree stated that Colorado is a closed state meaning that adoption proceedings are sealed and confidential. She stated that bill will help former foster children find their siblings.

05:15 PM -- Sara Ehrlich, Office of the Child's Representative, spoke in support of the bill.

05:16 PM -- Roberta Long-Twymen, League of Women Voters, spoke in support of the bill.

05:17 PM -- Leslie Zetterstrom, Director, Colorado Confidential Intermediary Services, testified in support of the bill. She clarified that the bill does not allow individuals to look at confidential information, that any request must go through her office. Committee members had several questions of the witness for clarification purposes.

05:29 PM -- Theresa Spahn, Office of the Child's Representative, responded to committee questions.

05:32 PM

Representatives Kefalas and Acree provided a wrap-up to the bill.


BILL:	SB09-079
TIME:	05:32:37 PM
MOVED:	Acree
MOTION:	Moved to refer Senate Bill 09-079 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a 10-0 roll call vote.
SECONDED:	Kefalas
		VOTE
	Acree	Yes
	Gerou	Yes
	Green	Yes
	Kefalas	Yes
	Kerr J.	Yes
	McGihon	Excused
	Nikkel	Yes
	Primavera	Yes
	Swalm	Yes
	Gagliardi	Yes
	Riesberg	Yes

Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

05:34 PM

The committee adjourned.