H_SA_2017A 03/15/2017 Committee Summary

01:33 PM -- SB17-158



Representative Nordberg, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 17-158. The bill modifies the composition of the 16-member Colorado Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) Board of Trustees to:



• eliminate one State Division trustee position;

• eliminate two School Division trustee positions;

• require at least one elected member from both the State and School Divisions to be at least 20 years from retirement eligibility; and

• add three additional pension experts, appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Senate, who are not PERA members, inactive members, or retirees to replace the eliminated elected member trustee positions.



No more than three of the now six pension experts may be from the same political party.



01:37 PM -- Joshua Sharf, Independence Institute, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Sharf answered questions from the committee.



01:45 PM -- Tim O'Brien, Colorado PERA, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. O'Brien answered questions from the committee.



01:53 PM -- Rudy Zitti, Americans for Prosperity, testified in support of the bill.



01:58 PM -- Phyllis Zamarripa, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.





















01:59 PM -- Fred Trujillo, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.



02:00 PM -- Eileen Bond, Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in opposition to the bill.



02:03 PM -- Mark Ruzzin, Boulder County, testified in opposition to the bill.



02:05 PM -- Lynea Hansen, Secure PERA, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Hansen answered questions from the committee.





02:11 PM



Representative Nordberg made concluding remarks about the bill. Committee members made comments about the bill.

02:16 PM -- SB17-120



Representative Liston, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 17-120. The bill establishes a United States citizenship requirement for a peace officer or a certified peace officer, including those working as an adult or juvenile probation officer. Exemptions from the citizenship requirements are provided until July 1, 2022, for the following:



• a person who is a legal permanent resident and employed by a law enforcement agency as a peace officer or certified peace officer; and

• a person who is a legal permanent resident and a certified peace officer who is not employed.



On and after July 1, 2022, unless it extends the date for compliance for a specific certified peace officer who is in the process of attaining citizenship, the Peace Officers Standards and Training (POST) Board is required to revoke the certification of any peace officer who fails to the meet the citizenship requirement created under this bill. The bill's citizenship requirements do not apply to honorably discharged veterans of the United States military.



Representative Liston answered questions from the committee.



03:00 PM -- Mike Phibbs, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, testified in opposition to the bill.



03:03 PM -- Peg Ackerman, County Sheriffs of Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Ackerman answered questions from the committee.

























03:06 PM



Mr. Phibbs and Ms. Ackerman answered questions from the committee.



03:09 PM -- Benjamin Schefrin, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Schefrin answered questions from the committee.



03:18 PM -- Kyle Huelsman, Colorado Immigrant Rights Coalition, testified in opposition to the bill.



03:21 PM -- Tiaja Pierre, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill.



03:24 PM -- Ronald Pierre, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.





03:28 PM



Representative Liston made concluding remarks about the bill. Committee members made comments about the bill.

03:41 PM -- SB17-055



Representative Everett, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 17-055. The bill prohibits an employer from requiring employee membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment and from requiring employees to pay dues or fees to a labor organization, charity, or other third party. Standing agreements that violate these prohibitions are made void. The bill also defines all-union agreements as unfair labor practices. Violations by employers are considered unclassified misdemeanors and are subject to civil and criminal penalties of a fine up to $1,000, imprisonment in county jail for up to 90 days, or both. Civil remedies include all damages and attorney fees resulting from the violation. The Attorney General or the district attorney of each judicial district is responsible for investigating complaints and taking actions to enforce the statute. Federal employers and employees, as well as those covered by the Railway Labor Act, are exempt from the bill.



03:44 PM -- Greg Mourad, National Right to Work Committee, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Mourad answered questions from the committee.



03:50 PM -- Tom Sullivan, American Postal Workers Union, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Sullivan answered questions from the committee.



03:56 PM -- Patti Kurgan, Americans for Prosperity, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Kurgan answered questions from the committee.





























04:05 PM



Representative Everett made comments to the committee. Ms. Kurgan answered additional questions from the committee.



04:08 PM -- Tom Tuttle, United Association (UA) Local 208 Pipefitters, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Tuttle answered questions from the committee.



04:13 PM -- Mike Donahue, National Federation of Independent Business, testified in support of the bill. He provided a handout to the committee (Attachment A). Mr. Donahue answered questions from the committee.



17HouseState0315AttachA.pdf



04:19 PM -- Nick Colglazier, Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and Colorado Competitive Council, testified in opposition to the bill. He provided a handout to the committee (Attachment B). Mr. Colglazier answered questions from the committee.



17HouseState0315AttachB.pdf



04:25 PM -- Mark Latimer, Associated Builders and Contractors, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Latimer answered questions from the committee.



04:30 PM -- Naomi Perera, representing herself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Perera provided a handout to the committee (Attachment C).



17HouseState0315AttachC.pdf



04:36 PM -- David Nefzger, United Steel Workers and Steelworkers Organization of Active Retirees, testified in opposition to the bill.



04:41 PM -- Charles Perko, United Steel Workers District 12/Local 3267, testified in opposition to the bill.



04:44 PM -- Adam Stewart, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Stewart answered questions from the committee.



04:47 PM -- Jason Brown, IBEW Local 68, testified in opposition to the bill.



















04:51 PM -- Jeff Cotton, UA Local 208 Pipefitters, testified in opposition to the bill.



04:54 PM -- Kay Holderness, UA Local 208 Pipefitters, testified in opposition to the bill.



04:59 PM -- Brandon Allen, UA Local 3 Plumbers, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:02 PM -- Fred Brethauer, UA Local 208 Pipefitters, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:07 PM -- Eric Berthelette, UA Local 3 Plumbers, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:13 PM -- Cheryl Hutchison, American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:16 PM -- Jim Hansen, Teamsters, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:22 PM -- Steven Casteel, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:24 PM -- Mike Williams, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:27 PM -- Jon Alvino, International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, and Transportation Workers 9, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:29 PM -- Ed Augden, Colorado Alliance for Retired Americans, testified in opposition to the bill. He provided a handout to the committee (Attachment D).



17HouseState0315AttachD.pdf



05:33 PM -- Mary Broderick, IBEW Local 68, testified in opposition to the bill. She provided several letters in opposition to the bill (Attachment E) and to the committee.



Attachment E can be viewed at Legislative Council.



05:40 PM



Representative Everett answered questions from the committee.



05:44 PM -- Kenneth Gavito, IBEW Local 68, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:46 PM -- David Flint Grossett, IBEW 68, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:49 PM -- Paul Pearson, Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen - Colorado Legislative Board, testified in opposition to the bill.





















05:52 PM -- Renee Johnson, United Steel Workers, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:55 PM -- Vicki Evans, Communication Workers of America, testified in opposition to the bill.



05:56 PM -- Kenneth Griffin, IBEW 12, testified in opposition to the bill.



06:00 PM -- Jeremy Ross, IBEW, testified in opposition to the bill.





06:02 PM



A letter from Peter Drake in opposition to the bill was submitted to the committee (Attachment F).



17HouseState0315AttachF.pdf



06:03 PM



Representative Everett made concluding remarks about the bill. Committee members made comments about the bill.

06:20 PM



The committee adjourned.