H_TRA_2018A 02/28/2018 01:30:49 PM Committee Summary

Reps. Michaelson Jenet and Winter introduced Senate Bill 18-046. The bill allows a nonprofit organization that requires a donation for its special license plate to increase the required minimum donation by $10. Beginning July 1, 2019, organizations that receive donations for special license plates may increase the required donation annually to adjust for inflation.

Mr. Tony Anderson, representing the Colorado Department of Revenue, came to the table to answer committee questions.

Reps. Winter and Michaelson Jenet gave some closing remarks.

Reps. McLachlan and Caitlin introduced House Bill 18-1099. Under current law, the Broadband Deployment Board in the Department of Regulatory Agencies must allow an incumbent telecommunications provider in an unserved area the right of first refusal when another provider applies for grant funding from the board to deploy broadband in the incumbent's area. The bill requires the board to include in its criteria for first right of refusal that the incumbent prove that its speed and cost is equal to or less than the applicant's. Reps. McLachlan and Caitlin answered several committee questions.

Mr. Norm Steen, representing Teller County and Colorado Counties, Inc., testfied in support of the bill. He distributed a handout to the committee [Attachment A].

Mr. Ben Tisdel, representing Ouray County, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Pete Kirchhof, representing the Colorado Telecommunications Association, testified against the bill.

Ms. Virginia Harman, representing the Delta-Montrose Electric Association/Elevate, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Jeffrey Hurd, representing the Delta-Montrose Electric Association/Elevate, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Miriam Gillow-Wiles, representing the Southwest Council of Governments, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Ken Fellman, representing the Colorado Communications and Utility Alliance, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Liz Peetz, representing the Colorado Association of Realtors, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Kevin Bommer, representing the Colorado Municipal League, testified in support of the bill. He distributed a handout to the committee [Attachment B].

Mr. Bommer answered several committee questions.

Reps. McLachlan and Caitlin gave some closing remarks.

Mr. Brian Tobias, representing the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), came to the table to discuss the DORA sunset review of the certification of conservation easement holders and the Conservation Easement Oversight Commission. Committee members recived a copy of Mr. Tobias' report [Attachment C] and a handout [Attachment D]. He discussed the scope of his review, the contents of the report, and the report's recommendations. He answered several committee questions.

 

Attachment C

Mr. Mark Weston, representing DORA, came to the table to answer committee questions. Mr. Tobias also continued to answer committee questions.

Mr. Erik Glenn, representing the Colorado Cattlemen’s Agricultural Land Trust and the Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts; Mr. Matt Moorhead, representing the Nature Conservancy; and Mr. Larry Kewter, representing himself, came to the table together to answer committee questions.

Ms. Jillane Hixson, representing herself, the Guire Family, and Land Owners United, discussed her experiences with conservation easements. She distributed three handouts [Attachment E, F, & G].

Committee discussion with Ms. Hixson continued.

Mr. Weston returned to the table to answer committee questions.

Mr. David Anderson, representing Colorado State University (CSU), came to the table to explain a project CSU is working on to map all easements in Colorado.

Mr. Andrew Seidl and Mr. Michael Meneffee, representing CSU and COMAP, came to the table to answer committee questions.

Mr. Tobias returned to the table to answer several additional questions.

Mr. Gregg Fraser, Legislative Legal Services, came to the table to describe the sunset draft bills [Attachment H and I].

Mr. Tobias returned to answer committee questions.

Mr. Gregg Fraser, Legislative Legal Services, discussed draft bill 18-0394, amendment #1 [Attachment J], and amendment #2 [Attachment K].