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H_THL_2023A 02/07/2023 01:30:41 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION, HOUSING & LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Date 02/07/2023
Attendance
Boesenecker X
Catlin X
Dickson X
Frizell X
Lindsay *
Mabrey *
Mauro *
Parenti X
Vigil X
Wilson X
Winter T. X
Lindstedt X
Froelich X
Time 01:30:41 PM to 07:54:09 PM
Place LSB A
This Meeting was called to order by Froelich
This Report was prepared by April Bernard
Hearing Items Action Taken
Panel Presentation Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association Committee Discussion Only
HB23-1023 Referred to the Committee of the Whole
HB23-1065 Amended, referred to House Appropriations
HB23-1090 Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole

Panel Presentation Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, and American Short Line & Regional Railroad Association - Committee Discussion Only
01:31:24 PM  
Andy Williams, Executive
Director of Public Affairs representing the BNSF Railway, provided information
about the railroad.  Mr. Williams provided an overview of the railroad
and Colorado and talked about different classes of railroads.  Mr.
Williams said that Union Pacific and BNSF serve the western half of the
United States.  He indicated that they operate in 46 states with 92,000
route miles.

Nathan Anderson, representing the Union Pacific Railroad, provided information
about the railroad.  

Mike Ogborn, representing the American Shortline Railroad, provided information
about the railroad.  
01:34:28 PM  
Mr. Ogborn talked
about the 12 freight and three excursion short line railroads in Colorado.
 He said that in Colorado there are 2,545 miles of rail lines and
mentioned that short lines are the first and last mile.  Mr. Ogborn
shared that there are 150 employees operating in Colorado.  

The railroad representatives
talked about their work with other transportation agencies, including the
Front Range Passenger Rail District.
01:38:51 PM  
Mr. Williams talked
about the contribution that the railroad makes in Colorado, for example
there are 2,259 employees in the state and the railroad pays $310.2 million
annually for payroll in the state.  He mentioned that the railroad
transported 264,100 car loads of freight in 2022.  Mr. Williams talked
about commodities that the railroad moved in 2022, including coal, minerals,
glass, stone, freight containers, and lumber and wood products.  
01:41:55 PM  
Mr. Williams talked
about safety, including a decrease in train accidents, injuries, and collisions
at crossings.  There was a discussion about the movement of freight
with less fuel.
01:46:08 PM  
The panelists responded to questions from committee members.
01:55:14 PM  
The panelists continued to respond to questions from committee members.



HB23-1023 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole
01:56:08 PM  
Representatives Lindstedt and Wilson, co-prime sponsors, talked about House Bill 23-1023 concerning the dollar amount of a special district contract that requires notice for bids. The bill changes the notice threshold for contracts from $60,000 to $120,000 and includes an adjustment for inflation every five years.
01:59:20 PM  
The bill sponsors responded to questions from committee members.
01:59:51 PM  
Michael Valdez, representing
Special District Association of Colorado, was available to answer committee
questions.  John Chmil, representing the Special District Association
of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.
02:01:43 PM  
The witnesses responded to questions from committee members.
02:04:53 PM  
The bill sponsors made closing remarks.


02:11:21 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1023 to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Lindstedt
Seconded Wilson
Boesenecker Yes
Catlin Yes
Dickson Yes
Frizell Yes
Lindsay Yes
Mabrey Yes
Mauro Yes
Parenti Yes
Vigil Yes
Wilson Yes
Winter T. Yes
Lindstedt Yes
Froelich Yes
Final YES: 13   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1065 - Amended, referred to House Appropriations
02:11:36 PM  
The committee took a brief recess.
02:11:55 PM  
The committee came back to order.
02:14:08 PM  
Representatives Parenti and Story, co-prime sponsors, outlined House Bill 23-1065 concerning the scope of the Independent Ethics Commission's jurisdiction over ethics complaints against local government officials and employees. Local governments include municipalities, counties, special districts, or school districts.
02:19:13 PM  
The bill sponsors responded to questions from committee members.
02:25:54 PM  
The bill sponsors
explained amendment L.002 (Attachment A).
02:35:56 PM  
The bill sponsors responded to questions from committee members.
02:47:05 PM  
The bill sponsors continued to respond to questions from committee members.
02:47:19 PM  
Dr. Dar-Lon Chang, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. JD Lobue, representing Coloradans for Metro District Reform, testified in support of the bill. Mr. John Henderson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr Dino Ioannides, representing the Independent Ethics Commission, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Gail Bell, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Brian Matise, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
02:54:02 PM  
The witnesses responded to questions from committee members.
03:17:42 PM  
The witnesses continued to respond to questions from committee members.
03:18:12 PM  
Mr. Steve Douglas,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Jim
Gibson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Charles
 Wolfersberger, representing several homeowner controlled metro districts,
testified in support of the bill.  Mrs. Fayre Ruszczyk, representing
Coloradans for Metro District Reform, testified in support of the bill.
 Uploaded public comments are inluded as Attachment B.  Uploaded
text public comment is included as Attachment C.
03:25:17 PM  
The witnesses responded to questions from committee members.
03:42:36 PM  
The bill sponsors provided information about amendment L.002 (Attachment A).
03:43:24 PM  
Jed Franklin, representing the Office of Legislative Legal Services, testified about the bill.


03:46:19 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment A).
Moved Parenti
Seconded Vigil
Boesenecker
Catlin
Dickson
Frizell
Lindsay
Mabrey
Mauro
Parenti
Vigil
Wilson
Winter T.
Lindstedt
Froelich
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
03:46:20 PM  
The bill sponsors made closing remarks.
03:49:31 PM  
Committee members made closing remarks.


03:51:06 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1065, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Parenti
Seconded Lindstedt
Boesenecker Yes
Catlin No
Dickson Yes
Frizell No
Lindsay Yes
Mabrey Yes
Mauro Yes
Parenti Yes
Vigil Yes
Wilson No
Winter T. No
Lindstedt Yes
Froelich Yes
Final YES: 9   NO: 4   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1090 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole

03:51:14 PM  
The committee took a brief recess.
03:51:37 PM  
The committee came
back to order.
04:02:28 PM  
Representative Weissman,
prime sponsor, introduced and explained House Bill 23-1090 concerning a
prohibition on the purchase of debt issued by a metropolitan district by
any entity where a district director has a conflict of interest.  Representative
Weisman provided a handout (Attachment D).
04:06:20 PM  
The bill sponsor responded to questions from committee members.
04:21:44 PM  
Brian Matise, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.  Tim Leonard, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Leonard provided
a handout packet (Attachment E).  Mr.  Steve  Douglas, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.
04:32:16 PM  
The witnesses responded to questions from committee members.
04:51:53 PM  
Mrs. Kristi Pollard, representing Metro District Education Coalition, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Kevin Walker, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Keith Simon, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Robert Rogers, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.
05:06:07 PM  
The witness panel responded to questions from committee members.
05:14:36 PM  
The witness panel
continued to respond to questions from committee members.
05:29:16 PM  
The witness panel continued to respond to questions from committee members.
05:29:37 PM  
Kyle Thomas, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ted Leighty, representing Colorado Association of Home Builders, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Jennifer Tanaka, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Lawrence Jacobson, representing Westside Investment Partners, testified in opposition to the bill.
06:00:22 PM  
The witness panel responded to questions from committee members.
06:12:23 PM  
The witness panel continued to respond to questions from committee members.
06:24:09 PM  
Charles Wolfersberger, representing several homeowner controlled metro districts, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Fayre Ruszczyk, representing Coloradans for Metro District Reform, testified in support of the bill. Karen Morgan, representing Green Mountain Water and Sanitation District, testified in support of the bill. Mr. John Henderson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
06:37:37 PM  
The witness panel
responded to questions from committee members.
06:55:40 PM  
The witness panel continued to respond to questions from committee members.
06:56:31 PM  
Mr. Mark Witkiewicz, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Maryann McGeady, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Sarah Mercer, representing Sterling Ranch, testified in opposition to the bill. Stephanie Stanley, representing the Special District Association of Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:12:50 PM  
Mr Dave Davia, representing Homeownership Opportunity Alliance, testified in opposition to the bill. Mrs. Andrea Cole, representing Dominion Water & Sanitation District, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. David Dazlich, representing Colorado Springs Chamber & Economic Development Corporation, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:18:02 PM  
Gene Osborne, representing
themself as a small developer, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:22:28 PM  
The witness panel responded to questions from committee members.
07:25:22 PM  
Mr. Jim Gibson, representing
themself, testified in support of the bill.  Uploaded document testimony
is included as Attachment F.  Uploaded text testimony is included
as Attachment G.
07:28:08 PM  
Mr. Gibson responded to questions from committee members.
07:38:25 PM  
Mr. Gibson continued to respond to questions from committee members.
07:41:58 PM  
The bill sponsor
explained amendment L.002 (Attachment H).
07:43:35 PM  
The bill sponsor responded to questions from committee members.


07:45:56 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment H).
Moved Mabrey
Seconded Dickson
Boesenecker Yes
Catlin No
Dickson Yes
Frizell No
Lindsay Yes
Mabrey Yes
Mauro Excused
Parenti Yes
Vigil Yes
Wilson No
Winter T. No
Lindstedt Yes
Froelich Yes
YES: 8   NO: 4   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS
07:46:17 PM  
The bill sponsor made closing remarks.
07:51:46 PM  
Committee members made closing remarks.


07:53:32 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1090, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Vigil
Seconded Parenti
Boesenecker Yes
Catlin No
Dickson Yes
Frizell No
Lindsay Yes
Mabrey Yes
Mauro Excused
Parenti Yes
Vigil Yes
Wilson No
Winter T. No
Lindstedt No
Froelich Yes
Final YES: 7   NO: 5   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


07:54:09 PM   The committee adjourned.






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