Skip to main content
Colorado General AssemblyToggle Main Menu
Agency NameToggle Agency Menu

H_PBH_2021A 05/18/2021 01:31:47 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC & BEHAVIORAL HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Date 05/18/2021
Attendance
Bradfield X
Cutter X
Geitner *
Gonzales-Gutierrez *
Jodeh *
Larson X
Ortiz X
Pelton X
Ricks *
Woog X
Young X
Sirota X
Michaelson Jenet X
Time 01:31:47 PM to 10:48:21 PM
Place HCR 0112
This Meeting was called to order by Michaelson Jenet
This Report was prepared by Alexa Kelly
Hearing Items Action Taken
SB21-118 Referred to House Appropriations
SB21-181 Referred to House Appropriations
HB21-1317 Amended, referred to House Finance

SB21-118 - Referred to House Appropriations


01:32:31 PM  
Representative Snyder,
bill sponsor, introduced and gave comments on SB21-118. The bill creates
the alternative response pilot program for counties to use when they receive
low-risk reports of mistreatment or self-neglect of an at-risk adult.  The
Department of Human Services (DHS) must select up to 15 counties to participate
in the pilot and provide training and technical assistance to those counties.
 Starting on or after January 1, 2022, participating county departments
of human services may use an alternative response to investigate low-risk
reports, rather than a full investigation requiring in-person interviews
and making a finding on the report.  Lastly, the DHS must contract
with a third party to evaluate the program’s effectiveness over a two
year period.  In 2025 and 2026, the DHS must report on the effectiveness
of the program in its SMART Act hearing.  
01:34:49 PM  
Representative Pelton, bill sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.
01:35:19 PM  
Coral Cosway, Alzheimer's Association of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Lori Metz, Larimer County & Colorado Counties Inc., testified in support of the bill. Bettina Morrow, Jefferson County Human Services Department and Colorado Counties Inc., testified in support of the bill. Jennifer Levin, The Arc of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Jeanette Hensley, Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill.
01:48:10 PM  
Kara Harvey, Colorado Department of Human Services, testified in support of the bill. Yolanda Webb, Colorado Department of Human Services, testified in support of the bill.
01:52:32 PM  
Representative Snyder and Representative Pelton gave final remarks on the bill.


01:55:06 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 21-118 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Pelton
Seconded Gonzales-Gutierrez
Bradfield Yes
Cutter Yes
Geitner Excused
Gonzales-Gutierrez Yes
Jodeh Yes
Larson Yes
Ortiz Yes
Pelton Yes
Ricks Yes
Woog Yes
Young Yes
Sirota Yes
Michaelson Jenet Yes
Final YES: 12   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB21-181 - Referred to House Appropriations


01:55:17 PM  

Representative Caraveo, bill sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on SB21-181. Under current law, the Office of Health Equity (the office) in the Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) administers the Health Disparities Grant Program. The grant program is funded from the Health Disparities Grant Program Fund, which receives a portion of annual cigarette and tobacco tax revenue.

This bill renames the program as the Health Disparities and Community Grant Program and expands its functions. The program’s grantmaking scope is broadened to address social determinants of health for underrepresented populations. In addition, the bill specifies that the program fund may receive appropriations from the General Assembly, and requires the office to develop grant application criteria for community organizations seeking grant funding.

Every two years, starting January 1, 2022, the office must issue a report on health disparities and inequalities in Colorado that includes an assessment of social determinants of health and recommends strategies to address inequities.

The office is advised by the 15-member Health Equity Commission, which consists of representatives of state agencies and members of the public with diverse backgrounds and expertise. The bill expands the makeup of the commission to 22 members by adding representatives of 7 state agencies. The commission is required to develop an equity strategic plan in response to the office’s first report. Each state agency is limited to twenty hours of staff time to develop and implement the plan.

01:57:09 PM  
Representative Herod, bill sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.
01:59:59 PM  
The bill sponsors answered questions from the committee.
02:03:33 PM  
Director Jill Hunsaker Ryan, Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, testified in support of the bill. Director Kim Bimestefer, representing Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, testified in support of the bill. Maggie Gomez, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Jean Nofles, AARP, testified in support of the bill. Rene Gonzalez, Colorado Access, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Gomez responded to questions from the committee.
02:30:28 PM  

Dr. Tamaan Osbourne-Roberts, Colorado Vaccine Equity Task Force, testified in support of the bill.

 

Submitted written testimony can be found in Attachment A.

02:42:02 PM  
Representative Caraveo gave final remarks on the bill.


02:43:38 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 21-181 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Sirota
Seconded Ricks
Bradfield No
Cutter Yes
Geitner Excused
Gonzales-Gutierrez Yes
Jodeh Yes
Larson No
Ortiz Yes
Pelton No
Ricks Yes
Woog No
Young Yes
Sirota Yes
Michaelson Jenet Yes
Final YES: 8   NO: 4   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB21-1317 - Amended, referred to House Finance


02:43:45 PM  
The committee took a brief recess.
02:44:15 PM  

Speaker Garnett, bill sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on HB21-1317.  The bill requires the Colorado school of public health to do a systematic review of the scientific research related to the physical and mental health effects of high-potency THC marijuana and concentrates. The bill creates a scientific review council (council) to review the report and make recommendations to the general assembly. Based on the research and findings, the Colorado school of public health shall produce a public education campaign for the general public, to be approved by the council, regarding the effect of high-potency THC marijuana on the developing brain and mental health.

03:14:58 PM  
Representative Caraveo, bill sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.
03:15:11 PM  
The bill sponsors responded to questions from committee members.
03:24:39 PM  
Will Brown, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Jasmine Block, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Keegan Pyron, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Ben Howard, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Melissa Mouton, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Keith Hayes, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Representative Geitner made a comment to the panel.
03:38:59 PM  
Ben Cort, representing
himself, testified in support of the bill.  Chris Rogers, Colorado
Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Society and Colorado Psychiatric Society,
testified in support of the bill.  Lafonna Pacheco, representing herself,
testified in support of the bill.  Tamera Wollbrinck, Colorado Association
of School Nurses, testified in support of the bill.  Michelle Priola,
representing herself, testified in support of the bill.  Senator Kevin
Priola, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.  The
panel of witnesses responded to questions from the committee.
04:00:25 PM  
Dean Heizer, Marijuana Industry Group, testified to amend the bill. Chuck Smith, Colorado Leads, testified to amend the bill. The panel responded to questions from the committee.
04:05:12 PM  

Matt Cook, Colorado Association of School Boards, testified in support of the bill. Becca Monzares, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Tina Marquis, Boulder Valley School District, testified in support of the bill. Amie Baca-Oehlert, Colorado Education Association, testified in support of the bill. Bret Miles, Colorado Association of School Executives and Colorado Rural Schools Alliance, testified in support of the bill. Angelina Sierra-Sandoval, Colorado League of Charter Schools, testified in support of the bill.

04:19:35 PM  
Stacey Linn, CannAbility Foundation, testified to amend the bill. Robert Cohen, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Linn responded to questions from the committee.
04:25:44 PM  
Laura Stack, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. John Stack, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Amy Wiley, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Melissa Klein, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.
04:42:37 PM  
Renze Waddington, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Jonathan Holmgren, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Jaclyn Kovacevich, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. The testimony of Carly Wolf from NORML was read.
04:52:31 PM  
Laura Phillips, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Nicole Schurbon, Sierra High School, testified in support of the bill. Susan Mellow, Cheyenne Mountain Board of Education, testified in support of the bill. Haley Houtchens, Children’s Hospital Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Sam Wang, Children's Hospital Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Wang responded to questions from the committee.
05:04:36 PM  
LeeAnn Wiebe, Apothecary Extracts, testified to amend the bill. Marshall Marquardt, Apothecary Extracts, testified to amend the bill. Jason Warf, Southern Colorado Cannabis Council, testified in opposition to the bill. Kevin Gallagher, Colorado Cannabis Manufacturing Association, testified to amend the bill. Susannah Grossman, Green Dot Labs, testified to amend the bill.
05:17:55 PM  
Rhiannon Lewis, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Stacey Harrison, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Bronwen Skinner, representing
self, testified in support of the bill.  Laura Trujillo, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Alexander Buscher, representing
himself, testified to amend the bill.  Mimi Friedman, representing
herself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Jeremy Johnson, Harmony
Extracts, testified to amend the bill.  Hashim Coates, Black Brown
Red Badged, testified to amend the bill.  Bridget Seritt, Canna-Patient
Resource Connection, testified in opposition to the bill. The panel answered
questions from the committee.
05:43:38 PM  
Libby Stuyt, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Brad Roberts, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Ted Harms, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. The testimony of Dr. Sami Diab, Colorado Medical Society, was read to the committee. Dr. Lorrie Odom, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.
05:57:13 PM  
Amber Wann, representing herself, testified to amend the bill. Brad Wann, representing himself, testified to amend the bill. Nicholas Heeter, representing himself, testified to amend the bill. Francesca Maes, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Michelle Walker, representing herself, testified to amend the bill. Margaret Rose, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Representative Geitner gave comments to the panel.
06:13:05 PM  

Constance Boyd, representing herself, testified in a neutral position on the bill. Elise Luter, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Paula Waldhoff, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Anne Hassel, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

06:23:55 PM  
Brent McDonald, Apothecary
Extracts, testified to amend the bill.  Jeri Shepherd, Colorado NORML,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Bryan Ortega, representing himself,
testified in opposition to the bill.  James Teter, representing himself,
testified in opposition to the bill.
06:33:01 PM  
Trina Faatz, Reach Out for Change, testified in support of the bill. Duke Rumely, Sober AF Entertainment, testified in support of the bill. Tim Hebert, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.
06:42:12 PM  
Amy Bourlon-Hilterbran, American Medical Refugees and Cannamoms, testified in opposition to the bill. Austin Jarrett, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Matthew Alvarez, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.
06:49:46 PM  
Chris Lazarus, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Amy Gale, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Ge'Swan Swanson, representing
self, testified in support of the bill.  Dr. Shawn Morris, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Carol Hoeffler, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Richard Gribbon, representing
himself, testified in support of the bill.
07:02:36 PM  
Daniel Hope, Oil Well Industries, LLC., testified in opposition to the bill. Gabriel Sanchez, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:10:48 PM  

Jennifer Cunningham, CO National Alliance on Mental Illness, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Kenneth Finn, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Karen Randall, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Erik Messamore, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. District Attorney Michael Dougherty, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. The witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

07:26:10 PM  
Dr. Cinnamon Bidwell,
representing herself, testified to amend the bill.  John Ramsay, representing
himself, testified in opposition to the bill.  The panel responded
to questions from the committee.
07:39:48 PM  
Victoria Robinson,
representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Lauren Schoepp,
representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Crystal Beattie,
representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Ashley
Weber, Colorado NORML, testified in an amend position on the bill.
07:53:46 PM  
Aubree Adamd, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Richard Leddon, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Dr. Lisa Scatena, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  Kim Poletti, representing
herself, testified in support of the bill.  
08:10:49 PM  

Justin Zeiba, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Benjamin Olen, LEIFA , testified in opposition to the bill. Alex Gadsden, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Robert Haley, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.

08:21:13 PM  

John Faught, The Kempe Foundation, testified in support of the bill. Danielle Felder's, Girls and Boys Club of Colorado, testimony was read by a third party. Andrea Stojsavljevic, Healthier Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Faught responded to questions.

08:31:33 PM  

Hailey Dennis, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.  Courtney Brown, City of Colorado Springs, testified in support of the bill. Avani Dilger, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Brown responded to a question from the committee.

08:38:56 PM  
Megan Harlow, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Joseph Fitzpatrick, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Julie Richardson, representing herself, testified in opposition of the bill. Victoria Lachapelle, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.
08:49:10 PM  
Travis Barker, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Michael Morris, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Summer Morris, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.
08:55:12 PM  
Nadia Halstead, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Catherine Antley, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. The testimony of Annette Moore was read into the record. Hazel Gibson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.
09:05:59 PM  
Riley Cooper, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Julie Dreifaldt, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Jennifer Yates, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Hagan Archer, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.
09:12:37 PM  
Andrew Waterhouse, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Amanda Hepner, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Matthew Cerrato, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Andrea Freygang, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.
09:25:10 PM  
Charles Peddie, Gatsby Holdings LLC., testified in opposition to the bill. Melissa Scully, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.
09:31:30 PM  
Lisa Dowdy-Tarter, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.
09:35:42 PM  
Gabrielle Kotik, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.
09:39:22 PM  
Chandra Wilkins, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Sylvan Gerish, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.
09:44:43 PM  
Stuart Knight, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Tom Scudder, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Randy Tuck, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.
09:55:00 PM  
Aaron Bluse, Modern Medicine LLC - Altitude Organic Medicine, testified in opposition to the bill. Richard Ramirez, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Autumn Brooks, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Travis Sheridan, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Tim Howard, Superior Board of Trustees, testified in support of the bill. Allison Bayley, Boulder County Public Health, testified in support of the bill.
10:14:27 PM  
Ben Savage, representing himself, testified in opposition of the bill. Jamie Stephenson, representing himself, testified to amend the bill. Louis Zerobnick, #plantTHeCure, testified in opposition to the bill.
10:23:54 PM  
Diane Carlson, Smart
Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Dawn Reinfeld, Blue Rising
Together, testified in support of the bill.

 

Submitted written testimony can be found in Attachment B.
10:28:57 PM  

Speaker Garnett introduced and spoke on amendment L.001 (Attachment C).

10:30:48 PM  
Committee members made comments on the amendment.


10:32:07 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment C)
Moved Geitner
Seconded Gonzales-Gutierrez
Bradfield
Cutter
Geitner
Gonzales-Gutierrez
Jodeh
Larson
Ortiz
Pelton
Ricks
Woog
Young
Sirota
Michaelson Jenet
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
10:32:08 PM  
Representative Caraveo and Speaker Garnett gave final comments on the bill.
10:38:57 PM  
Committee members made closing comments on the bill.


10:48:04 PM
Motion Refer House Bill 21-1317, as amended, to the Committee on Finance.
Moved Geitner
Seconded Sirota
Bradfield Yes
Cutter Yes
Geitner Yes
Gonzales-Gutierrez Yes
Jodeh Yes
Larson Yes
Ortiz Yes
Pelton Yes
Ricks Yes
Woog Yes
Young Yes
Sirota Yes
Michaelson Jenet Yes
Final YES: 13   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


10:48:21 PM   The committee adjourned.






Colorado legislature email addresses ending in @state.co.us are no longer active. Please replace @state.co.us with @coleg.gov for Colorado legislature email addresses.  Details