Date: 02/05/2009

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB09-1153

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Moved a conceptual amendment to prepared amendment
Moved prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment A), as
Moved to refer House Bill 09-1153, as amended, to 		Pass Without Objection
Pass Without Objection
PASS



10:10 AM -- House Bill 09-1153

The committee was called to order. A quorum was present. Representative May, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 09-1153, concerning the requirements applicable to the formation of an issue committee under Colorado law governing campaign finance. Representative May presented background on the reason why he decided to run the bill, and explained the effect of the bill. Representative May responded to questions regarding whether he had discussed the bill with the Election Reform Commission, and how the monetary threshold in the bill was chosen.


10:16 AM

The following persons testified regarding House Bill 09-1153:


10:16 AM -- Mr. Richard Coolidge and Ms. Christi Heppard, representing the Secretary of State, testified in favor of the bill. Ms. Heppard explained the bill's provisions, and how the bill affects issue committees. Ms. Heppard also addressed the monetary threshold question, and explained that the Election Reform Commission is concentrating its efforts on the administration of elections. Mr. Coolidge explained a provision of the bill that exempts municipal annexations from certain disclosure requirements. Discussion ensued regarding a forthcoming amendment to the bill.


10:24 AM -- Ms. Jenny Flanagan, representing Common Cause, testified in opposition to House Bill 09-1153. Ms. Flanagan explained that her organization supports certain portions of the bill, but is opposed to the provision in the bill exempting municipal annexations from disclosure, and may support the bill if the provision is amended.


10:27 AM -- Mr. Geoff Blue, representing Attorney General Suthers, testified in favor of the bill. Mr. Blue explained how the bill clarifies certain provisions put in the State Constitution by ballot initiative. Mr. Blue clarified that the Attorney General is not taking a position on the annexation provision. Mr. Blue responded to questions regarding the amount of money that could be spent on an issue before certain disclosure provisions addressed by the bill are triggered. Mr. Maurie Knaizer, representing the Attorney General's Office, provided clarification regarding this monetary threshold.

10:33 AM

Mr. Bob Lackner, Legislative Legal Services Staff, explained the effect of prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment A). Mr. Lackner responded to questions regarding a change in the deadline within which an issue committee must register with the Secretary of State when it exceeds the contribution threshold which triggers recognition as an issue committee. Ms. Heppard provided clarification on the deadline, and discussion ensued regarding the issue. Clerk Pam Anderson, Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder, provided input regarding the opinion of county and municipal clerks and recorders on the deadline issue. Clerk Anderson responded to questions regarding whether three days is a sufficient registration deadline. Discussion ensued regarding certain filing deadlines for political candidates and other political committees, and the sufficiency of the registration deadline contained in amendment L.001.
BILL:HB09-1153
TIME: 10:33:01 AM
MOVED:Court
MOTION:Moved prepared amendment L.001 (Attachment A), as amended. The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Labuda
VOTE
Casso
Court
Hullinghorst
Lambert
Massey
McCann
Miklosi
Murray
Nikkel
Labuda
Todd
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection

090205AttachA.pdf

10:43 AM

Representative Massey proposed a conceptual amendment to prepared amendment L.001 to increase the deadline for an issue committee to register when accepting expenditures. Discussion ensued regarding this idea.
BILL:HB09-1153
TIME: 10:43:40 AM
MOVED:Massey
MOTION:Moved a conceptual amendment to prepared amendment L.001, page 1, line 4, strike "three" and substitute "ten". The motion passed without objection.
SECONDED:Court
VOTE
Casso
Court
Hullinghorst
Lambert
Massey
McCann
Miklosi
Murray
Nikkel
Labuda
Todd
Not Final YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection





10:45 AM

Discussion ensued regarding the spending threshold for applying campaign finance law to a politically active organization, and the benefits of excluding certain municipal annexation issues from campaign finance law. Ms. Flanagan returned to provide clarification regarding Common Cause's position on the provision in House Bill 09-1153 that exempts municipal annexations from certain filing requirements. Discussion followed regarding the timing associated with the filing requirements, and the potential to amend the bill before second reading. Discussion turned to the subject of protected speech as it pertains to the bill, and the potential for speech to be chilled without the bill's annexation exemption.


10:55 AM

Representative May responded to questions regarding the effect of removing the annexation exemption on a particular annexing situation in Parker.


BILL:HB09-1153
TIME: 10:56:17 AM
MOVED:Massey
MOTION:Moved to refer House Bill 09-1153, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole with favorable recommendation. The motion passed on a 10-0-1 roll call vote.
SECONDED:Labuda
VOTE
Casso
Yes
Court
Yes
Hullinghorst
Excused
Lambert
Yes
Massey
Yes
McCann
Yes
Miklosi
Yes
Murray
Yes
Nikkel
Yes
Labuda
Yes
Todd
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS