S_BLT_2016A 04/13/2016 02:00:40 PM Committee Summary

02:01 PM -- Confirmation of Assessment Appeals - Board Of



MaryKay Kelley, Sondra Mercier, Ann Louesa Maricle, Gregg Near, Diane DeVries, James Meurer, appointees to the Board of Assessment Appeals, came to the table. The appointment letter may be found in Attachment A. Their resumes and applications are available at the State Archives.



160413 AttachA.pdf





The appointees introduced themselves and discussed their experience and the work of the board. They responded to questions from the committee.

02:13 PM -- SB 16-183



Senator Scheffel and Senator Kerr introduced Senate Bill 16-183, concerning clarifying the portion of 911 calls subject to regulation by the Public Utilities Commission (PUC). This bill clarifies that the PUC in the Department of Regulatory Agencies has no regulatory authority over the originating service providers of basic emergency service. The bill defines basic emergency service as the aggregation and transport of a 911 call by a basic emergency service provider to a public safety answering point, such as a 911 call center, regardless of the technology used to provide the service. Senator Scheffel and Senator Kerr made introductory remarks about the bill. They responded to questions from the committee.



02:42 PM -- Michael Nelson, Comcast NBC Universal, spoke in support of the bill. He provided a handout to the committee (Attachment B). He responded to questions from the committee.



160413 AttachB.pdf



02:59 PM -- Bill Levis, AARP, spoke in opposition to the bill.



03:06 PM -- Steve Clapham, Colorado Professional Firefighters, spoke in opposition to the bill.



03:08 PM -- Joseph Ribeiro, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.











03:20 PM -- Jennifer Kirkland, Colorado NENA/APCO, spoke in opposition to the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.



03:25 PM -- Bruce Romero, Colorado 911 Resource Center, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



03:37 PM



Senator Scheffel and Mr. Romero responded to questions from the committee.



03:39 PM -- Scott Rose, Lakewood Police Department, spoke in opposition to the bill.



03:42 PM -- Norris Croom, Douglas County 911, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



03:47 PM -- Chris Truty, Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association and Special District Association, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



03:52 PM -- Katie Dahl, Colorado Common Cause, spoke in opposition to the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.



04:03 PM -- Meghan Dollar, Colorado Municipal League, spoke in opposition to the bill. She responded to questions from the committee.



04:08 PM -- Joseph Benkert, Boulder 911, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.





04:28 PM -- Bruce Hartman, Gilpin County Sheriff, County Sheriffs of Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



04:31 PM -- Chris Johnson, County Sheriffs of Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill.



04:35 PM -- Lynn Smith, AARP, spoke in opposition to the bill.



04:37 PM -- Pete Kirschhof, Colorado Telecom Association, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



04:56 PM -- Milt Doumit, Verizon, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



05:11 PM -- Roberta Robinette, AT&T, spoke in support of the bill.



05:17 PM -- Jennifer Berman, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions from the committee.





05:22 PM



The sponsors distributed amendment L.001 (Attachment C) to the committee. Senator Kerr explained the purpose of the amendment.



160413 AttachC.pdf

05:23 PM



Senator Kerr made closing comments on the merits of the bill.



05:30 PM



Senator Scheffel made closing comments on the merits of the bill.





05:36 PM



Committee members made closing comments on the merits of the bill.

05:50 PM



The committee recessed.



05:54 PM -- HB 16-1048



The committee came back to order. Senator Lundberg introduced House Bill 16-1048, concerning expanding the scope of the Business Enterprise Program (BEP). This bill, as amended by the House Business Affairs and Labor Committee, establishes a working group in the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) consisting of various stakeholders and representatives from state agencies concerning the BEP. Specifically, the working group is required to study ways to expand opportunities for BEP vendors at the Department of Corrections, the Department of Natural Resources, institutions of higher education, and the Colorado State Fair. The working group will also consider the possibility of the BEP vendors expanding beyond food service and vending facilities. The working group is required to prepare a report and make recommendations to the relevant committees of the General Assembly by January 1, 2017. The bill also allows the CDLE to issue licenses to BEP vendors to operate businesses other than vending facilities.



05:57 PM -- Brad Basta, Business Enterprise Program, spoke in support of the bill.



06:00 PM -- Doug Haas, Business Enterprise Program, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



06:02 PM -- Dan Burke, National Federation of the Blind, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.











06:09 PM



Senator Lundberg responded to questions from the committee.

06:15 PM



The committee recessed.



06:18 PM -- SB 16-179



The committee came back to order. Senator Heath and Senator Roberts introduced Senate Bill 16-179, concerning Unemployment Insurance Classification. This bill directs the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) to develop guidance on and establish a position to serve as a resource for employers on the proper classification of workers for unemployment insurance purposes, audit findings, and option for appealing or curing an audit. Guidance is to include the factors used by CDLE to determine classification of workers and the process by which an employer or individual may submit further information in response to a determination by CDLE prior to an appeal.



06:25 PM -- Patrick Teegarden, CDLE, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



06:27 PM -- Jeff Fitzgerald, CDLE, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to questions from the committee.



06:42 PM -- Loren Furman, Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry, spoke in support of the bill.



06:44 PM -- Kathy White, Colorado Fiscal Institute, spoke in support of the bill.











06:46 PM -- Tony Gagliardi, National Federation of Independent Business, spoke in support of the bill.



06:49 PM -- Greg Fulton, Colorado Motor Carriers Association, spoke in support of the bill. He responded to comments from the committee.



06:54 PM -- Jeff Fitzgerald, CDLE, returned to the table to respond to questions from the committee.

07:02 PM



The committee adjourned.