H_SA_2019A 04/25/2019 03:26:08 PM Committee Summary

Representative McLachlan, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 19-020. The bill requires the Center of Excellence for Advanced Technology Aerial Firefighting to study and, if feasible, implement a system to patrol the airspace above a wildland fire. It increases state expenditures in FY 2019-20 and may increase expenditures on an ongoing basis in future years depending on the outcome of the study.

Ben Miller, Colorado Division of Fire Prevention and Control in the Colorado Department of Public Safety, testified in support of the bill.

Kelly Sloan, Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association, testified in support of the bill.

Representative McLachlan made concluding remarks about the bill.

The committee recessed.

The committee came back to order.

Representative McCluskie presneted Senate Bill 19-180. The bill creates the eviction legal defense fund. Grants will be awarded from this fund to qualifying nonprofit organizations that will provide legal advice, counseling, and representation to indigent clients facing or at risk of eviction. Representative McCluskie answered questions from the committee.

Jack Regenbogen, Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill.

Aubrey Hasvold, Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, testified in support of the bill. She answered questions from the committee.

Mr. Regenbogen answered questions from the committee.

Esther Turcios, Colorado Fiscal Institute, testified in support of the bill.

Cesiah Guadarrama, 9 to 5 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Dawn Howard, Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support of the bill.

Lydia Waligorski, Violence Free Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She provided a handout to the committee (Attachment A).

Representative Melton distributed a letter in support of the bill from the Arc of Colorado (Attachment B).

Representative McCluskie made concluding remarks about the bill.

Committee members commented on Senate Bill 19-180.

Representative Hansen and Representative Ransom, co-prime bill sponsors, presented House Bill 19-1331. Under current law, the Evidence-based Practices Implementation for Capacity Program (EPIC) in the Department of Public Safety is required to assist agencies serving adults and juveniles in the development and implementation of evidence-based practices through a collaborative effort among the Department of Public Safety, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Human Services, and the Judicial Department. The bill removes the reference to these aforementioned departments under the collaboration requirement, thus allowing EPIC to collaborate with any entity. Representative Hansen answered questions from the committee.

Representative Ransom made concluding remarks about the bill.

The committee recessed.

The committee came back to order.

Representative Hansen, bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 19-096 and amendment L.006 (Attachment C). The bill requires the Air Quality Control Commission to promulgate rules requiring greenhouse gas-emitting entities to monitor and publicly report their emissions.  The Air Quality Control Division is required to update the statewide inventory of greenhouse gas emissions by sector, no less than every two years and forecast Colorado's greenhouse gas emissions for 2025. The committee discussed amendment L.006.

Jacob Smith, Colorado Communities for Climate Action, testified in support of the bill.

Richard Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill.

Chris Votoupal, Vessels Carbon Solutions, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Orf answered questions from the committee.

Mr. Smith answered questions from the committee.

George Twigg, Boulder County, testified in support of the bill.

Pam Kiely, Environmental Defense Fund, testified in support of the bill.

Representative Hansen further discussed amendment L.006. Committee members made comments.

Representative Hansen made concluding remarks about the bill.

The committee recessed.

The committee came back to order.

Representative Mullica and Representative Esgar, co-prime bill sponsors, presented Senate Bill 19-235. The bill requires the Department of Revenue, the Department of Heath Care Policy and Financing, and the Department of Human Services to electronically transfer records to the Department of State for the purpose of registering voters. Representative Mullica and Representative Esgar answered questions from the committee.

Chuck Broerman, El Paso County Clerk and Recorder, testified in opposition to the bill. He answered questions from the committee.

Secretary of State Jena Griswold testified in support of the bill.

Melissa Polk, Department of State, answered questions from the committee.

Kelly Byrne, America Votes, testified in support of the bill.

Martha Tierney, America Votes and the Colorado Democratic Party, testified in support of the bill.

Amanda Gonzalez, Colorado Common Cause, testified in support of the bill.

Lizzy Stephan, New Era Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

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

Representative Esgar and Representative Mullica made concluding remarks about the bill.