H_LG_2016A 05/04/2016 01:34:01 PM Committee Summary

01:34 PM -- HB16-1461



Representative Pabon presented and summarized House Bill 16-1461 concerning tenancies one month to a year. Under current law, for a tenancy of between one and six months, either the tenant or landlord may terminate the tenancy within 7 days notice, and a landlord must provide 7 days notice of an increase in rent. The bill extends the notice to 28 days for both termination and rent increases for tenancies between one and six months.



Representative Pabon answered questions form the committee regarding the provisions under the bill.





01:42 PM



Representative Pabon continued to answer questions form the committee.



01:50 PM -- Claire Levy, representing the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, spoke in favor of the bill. She distributed a handout on housing problems that demands notice (Attachment A) and a handout on state-by-state analysis of notice for rent increases (Attachment B).



16HouseLocal0504AttachA.pdf 16HouseLocal0504AttachB.pdf























Ms. Levy answered questions from the committee regarding current law regarding evictions. She also answered questions from the committee regarding written agreements for tenancies.



02:01 PM -- Jayla Sanchez-Warren, Denver Regional Council of Governments, spoke in support of the bill. She discussed issues related to affordable housing.



02:08 PM -- Ed Shackelford, Colorado Senior Law, spoke in favor of the bill.



Representative Pabon provided closing comments on the bill.



The committee members provided closing comments on the bill.

02:19 PM -- HB16-1464



Representative Pabon presented and summarized House Bill 16-1464 concerning civil action for taking newspapers. This bill grants newspaper publishers, advertisers, and readers the right to pursue civil action against a person who steals newspapers or who interferes with newspaper distribution. In any civil action brought under the bill, a prevailing plaintiff is entitled to actual damages; a prevailing publisher is entitled to a civil penalty of ten dollars for each newspaper obtained illegally; and the prevailing party is entitled to attorneys fees and costs.



Representative Pabon answered questions form the committee regarding property rights and the taking of newspapers.





02:29 PM



Representative Pabon continued to answer questions from the committee regarding current civil action for the taking of newspapers.



02:33 PM -- Greg Romberg, Colorado Press Association, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the civil action that would be allowed under the bill concerning the taking of newspapers.



Mr. Romberg answered questions regarding civil liability.



02:46 PM -- Jerry Berry, Office of Legislative Legal Services, answered questions from the committee regarding the definition of newspapers under current law.



Representative Pabon answered questions from the committee regarding civil liability for free newspapers.



Mr. Berry answered questions regarding rules regarding an original purpose of a bill and the definition of a newspaper.





02:56 PM



The committee members discussed the criminal elements association with the taking of newspapers.



Representative Klingenschmitt distributed and summarized amendment L.002 (Attachment C).



16HouseLocal0504AttachC.pdf

The committee members provided closing comments on the bill.

03:07 PM -- SB16-097



Representative Coram presented and summarized Senate Bill 16-097 concerning use mineral severance revenue for local governments. Beginning January 1, 2016, this bill places restrictions on transferring money from various mineral related cash funds to the General Fund. Specifically, the bill prohibits transfers to the General Fund from the following cash funds (collectively referred to in the bill as the mineral severance fund): the Higher Education Federal Mineral Lease Revenues Fund; the Higher Education Maintenance and Reserve Fund; the Local Government Permanent Fund; the Local Government Mineral Impact Fund; and the Local Government Severance Tax Fund. The bill prohibits the Governor from restricting the use of money in any of these funds to save money for a future transfer to the General Fund. The bill also limits the Governor's and the Joint Budget Committee's ability to use money in these funds for purposes not authorized in current law or that does not benefit the political subdivisions impacted by the severance of minerals.



Representative Coram answered questions from the committee regarding the transferring of severance tax money.































03:17 PM



Representative Coram continued to answer questions from the committee.



03:20 PM -- Mark Ruzzin, representing Boulder County, spoke in opposition to the bill.



03:26 PM -- Kevin Bommer, Colorado Municipal League, spoke in favor of the bill. He discussed the impact to local governments regarding the transfer of severance tax dollars.



03:39 PM -- Richard Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in favor of the bill.



03:41 PM -- Gini Pingenot, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in favor of the bill. She answered questions from the committee regarding the legislative declaration in the bill and the restriction on the use of severance taxes.



03:47 PM -- Evan Goulding, Special District Association, spoke in favor of the bill.



03:53 PM -- Stan Dempsey, Colorado Petroleum Association, was neutral on the bill. He discussed the distribution of severance tax dollars.



Representative Coram provided closing comments on the bill.











































































04:03 PM



The committee members provided closing comments on the bill.

04:10 PM



The committee adjourned.