C98735F090E37189872583C2007113F3 Hearing Summary

Senator Court made opening comments on the procedure for hearing the bill.  Committee discussion ensued regarding the rules for hearing bills.

Senator Williams and Senator Winter, bill sponsors, introduced Senate Bill 19-188.  The bill establishes the Family and Medical Leave Insurance Program (FAMLI).  The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee regarding the magnitude of leave that is appropriate, and the bill's impact on employers that currently offer paid leave programs with greater benefits.

Nina Anderson, Resources Services, testified remotely against the bill from Colorado Mesa University-Grand Junction.

Diane Schwenke, Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, testified remotely against the bill from Colorado Mesa University-Grand Junction.

Ms. Anderson gave further testimony on behalf of DBA Express Employment Professionals.  Ms. Anderson responded to a question from the committee regarding definitions in the bill.

Robert Brown, Montrose Chamber of Commerce, testified remotely against the bill from Colorado Mesa University-Montrose.  Mr. Brown responded to questions from the committee regarding the bill's impact on small businesses in rural areas.

Judith Marquez, 9to5 Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Marquez distributed a handout (Attachment A).

Jasmine White, 9to5 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Reverend Bill Kirton, Together Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  Rev. Kirton distributed a letter in support of the bill (Attachment B).

Alison Friedman Phillips, The Women's Foundation of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. White responded to questions from the committee regarding how the program created by the bill would have impacted her.  Senator Winter also responded to the questions.  Rev. Kirton responded to a question from the committee regarding who should qualify for the program.  Senator Winter also responded to the question.  Ms. White responded to a question from the committee regarding potential abuse of the program.  Senator Williams also responded to the question.

Dr. Sonal Patel, Pediatricians Care and Good Business Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Sarah Barnes, Colorado Children's Campaign, testified in support of the bill.

Julia Yager, Boulder County, testified in support of the bill.

Iman Jodeh, Interfaith Alliance of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Yager and Senator Winter responded to a question from the committee regarding counties' stances on the bill. Dr. Patel responded to a question from the committee regarding definitions in the bill.  Ms. Yager responded to questions from the committee regarding how Boulder County's paid leave program is funded, how the county decided to increase the paid leave it offers to its employees, the degree of wage replacement provided by the county's program, and how the bill would impact the county.

Kathleen Conti and Nancy Jackson, Arapahoe County Commissioners, testified against the bill.

Gini Pingenot, Colorado Counties Inc., testified against the bill.

Kevin Bommer, Colorado Municipal League, testified against the bill.

Ann Terry, Special Districts Association of Colorado, testified against the bill.

Ms. Pingenot, Mr. Bommer, and Ms. Terry responded to a question from the committee regarding the perspectives of their organizations' members on the bill.  Mr. Bommer responded to a question from the committee regarding stacking benefits.  Senator Winter also responded to how stacking is treated by the bill.  Senator Winter distributed a handout (Attachment C).  Discussion ensued.

Commissioners Conti and Jackson responded to a question from the committee regarding how the Arapahoe County Commissioners arrived at their position the bill.  Ms. Pingenot and Ms. Terry responded to questions regarding the effect on the rest of the state if counties were exempted.  Commissioner Conti also responded.

Stacey Campbell, Colorado Chamber of Commerce, testified against the bill.

Benjamin Hase, Employers Council, testified against the bill.

Calla Potts, Colorado Society for Human Resources Management, testified against the bill.

Rebecca Edlund, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Ms. Potts responded to a question from the committee related to definitions in the bill.  Mr. Hase also responded. Ms. Potts responded to question from the committee regarding her testimony.

Pam Feely, West Metro Fire Protection District, testified against the bill.

Michael Neil, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support of the bill.

Tracy duCharme, Small Business Majority, testified in support of the bill.

Sharon Hwang, The Wellness Center and Good Business Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Judy Amabile, Good Business Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Amabile and Ms. Hwang responded to committee questions.

Ms. duCharme also responded to committee questions.

Ms. duCharme, Ms. Amabile, and Ms. Hwang continued to respond to committee questions.

Neha Mahajan, Family Values @ Work, testified in support of the bill.

Jared Make, A Better Balance, testified in support of the bill.

Andrea Kuwik, Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill.

Chris Stiffler, Colorado Fiscal Institute, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Stiffler responded to clarifying questions from the committee.

Rachel Beck, Colorado Springs Chamber and EDC, testified against the bill.

Mizraim Cordero, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce, testified against of the bill.  Mr. Cordero distributed two written testimonies (Attachments D and E).

Kevin Hougen, Aurora Chamber of Commerce, testified against the bill.

Robert Golden, South Metro Denver Chamber of Commerce, testified against the bill.

Nick Colglazier, Colorado Competitive Council, testified against the bill.

Mr. Hougen, Mr. Cordero, Mr. Golden, and Mr. Colglazier responded to a question from the committee regarding paid leave currently offered by businesses in Colorado.

Mr. Cordero and Mr. Colglazier responded to a question from the committee regarding how businesses would be impacted by the bill.  Mr. Hougen responded to a question related to business taxes.  Ms. Beck responded to a question from the bill sponsors.

Senator Winter made clarifying comments.  Mr. Hougen, Mr. Colglazier, and Mr. Golden responded to a question from the committee regarding informal leave arrangements.  Mr. Colglazier and Mr. Cordero responded to a question regarding different contribution rates for the private and public sectors in the bill.

David Scott, Encore Electric, testified against the bill.

Sean Kaiser, Morning Story Restaurants, testified against the bill.

Cory Steele, Eagle Claw, testified against the bill.

Angie Howes, Colorado Retail Council, testified against the bill.

Sonia Riggs, Colorado Restaurant Association, testified against the bill.

Mr. Kaiser and Ms. Riggs responded to a question from the committee regarding the impact of paid leave on restaurants.  Mr. Steele responded to a question from the committee regarding alternatives to paid leave.

Suzanne Buchanan, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Amelia Lobo, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Rebecca V, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Jennifer Greenfield, University of Denver Graduate School of Social Work, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Greenfield responded to questions from the committee regarding the efficacy of different paid leave schemes, the cost to establish the program created by the bill, definitions in the bill, and examples of exemptions in other states that have adopted paid family leave schemes.

Dr. Greenfield responded to further questions from the committee.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

Terri Resley, MomsRising, testified in support of the bill.

Natalie Henderson, MomsRising, testified in support of the bill.

Erin Bennett Leighton, MomsRising, testified in support of the bill.

Kris Garcia, 9to5 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Jenifer Waller-Dean, Colorado Bankers Association, testified against the bill.

Tony Gagliardi, National Federation of Independent Business, testified against the bill.

Chris Linsmayer, Colorado Ski Country USA, testified against the bill.

Loren Furman, Colorado Chamber of Commerce, testified against the bill.

Sean Redmond, United States Chamber of Commerce, testified against the bill.

Ms. Furman responded to questions from the committee regarding the fiscal impact of similar programs in other states, informal paid leave arrangements, and risk management.  Mr. Linsmayer responded to a question from the committee regarding paid leave for seasonal employment.

Richard Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified against the bill.

Barry Walter Sr., Barry E. Walter Sr. Company, testified against the bill.

Kelly Felix, Employer's Resources of Colorado, testified against the bill.

Marti Cardi, Matrix Absence Management, testified against the bill.  Ms. Cardi distributed a handout (Attachment F).

Alan Lewis, Natural Grocers, testified against the bill.  Mr. Lewis distributed a handout (Attachment G).

Jim Hall, American Council of Life Insurers, testified against the bill.

Gloria Higgins, Executives Partnering to Invest in Children, gave neutral testimony on the bill.

Adam Alleman, Denver Game Lounge, testified in support of the bill.

Jordan Pryczynski, Good Business Colorado, read written testimony from Pete Turner, of Illegal Pete's, in support of the bill.

Karla Gonzales Garcia, Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights, testified in support of the bill.

Rachel Ellis, Plaintiff Employment Lawyers Association and Colorado Women's Bar Association, testified in support of the bill.

Kathy White, Colorado Fiscal Institute, testified in support of the bill.  Ms. White responded to a question from the committee regarding her testimony.

Ms. Ellis responded to questions from the committee regarding definitions in federal law.  Ms. White responded to questions from the committee regarding the bill's fiscal impact.  Mr. Pryczynski responded to questions from the committee regarding his organization.

Kayla Frawley, Clayton Early Learning, testified in support of the bill.

Cameron Vigil, Young Invincibles, testified in support of the bill.

Beth Fonfara, 9to5 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Ashley Panelli, 9to5 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Hunter Railey, Small Business Majority, testified in support of the bill.

Lydia Waligorski, Violence Free Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Mez Charney, Good Business Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Debbie Olander, United Food & Commercial Workers Local 7, testified in support of the bill.

Harry Hempy, League of Women Voters, testified in support of the bill.

Debra Brown, Good Business Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Thomas Perille, Democrats for Life of Colorado, testified in support of the bill and provided a written copy of his testimony (Attachment H).

Ms. Brown responded to a question from the committee regarding the impact of the bill on small businesses.

The attached written testimony was also sumbitted during the meeting (Attachment I).  Senator Court announced that the bill would be laid over for action only.