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

S_FIN_2019A 03/14/2019 01:09:14 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Date 03/14/2019
Attendance
Gonzales X
Lundeen X
Tate X
Todd X
Woodward X
Lee X
Court X
X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call
Time 01:09:14 PM to 07:35:51 PM
Place Old State Library
This Meeting was called to order by Senator Court
This Report was prepared by Matt Bishop
Hearing Items Action Taken
SB19-167 Referred to Senate Appropriations
SB19-173 Referred to Senate Appropriations
SB19-178 Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
HB19-1127 Referred to Senate Appropriations
Sunset Reviews: Marijuana Program and Codes

01:09:16 PM

Senator Court opened the meeting with announcements about the schedule.



SB19-167 - Referred to Senate Appropriations


01:10:29 PM  

Senator Danielson, bill sponsor, introduced Senate Bill 19-167.  The bill creates a new license plate honoring Colorado firefighters.  The bill sponsor responded to a question from the committee regarding who would be eligible to obtain the new license plate.

01:14:46 PM  

Deputy Chief Scott Rogers, Colorado Professional Fire Fighters Foundation, testified in support of the bill.  Chief Rogers responded to questions from the committee regarding license plate eligibility and another plate available for firefighters.



01:24:27 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 19-167 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Lee
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen Yes
Tate Yes
Todd Yes
Woodward Yes
Lee Yes
Court Yes
Final YES: 7   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



01:24:29 PM

The committee recessed.



SB19-173 - Referred to Senate Appropriations

02:53:23 PM  

The committee reconvened.

02:53:29 PM  

Senators Donovan and Pettersen, bill sponsors, introduced Senate Bill 19-173.  The bill creates a board to investigate proposals for nontraditional retirement savings schemes.  Senator Pettersen distributed three written testimonies in support of the bill (Attachments A, B, and C).  The bill sponsors responded to a question from the committee regarding feasibility of the board's work.

03:05:29 PM  

Dave Young, State Treasurer, testified in support of the bill.  Treasurer Young responded to a question from the committee regarding the board's process.

03:14:12 PM  

Rich Jones, Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Jones responded to questions from the committee regarding public investment in individuals' retirements.

03:24:32 PM  

Melanie Layton, Colorado Bankers Association, gave neutral testimony on the bill.  Ms. Layton responded to questions from the committee about the Colorado Bankers Association's position, what outcomes may be favored by banks, and how other states have structured retirement programs.  Senator Pettersen also responded.  Ms. Layton responded to a further question from the committee regarding the bill's fiscal note.

03:37:09 PM  

Joseph Giulitto, National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors, testified in support of the bill.  Ed Shackelford, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Shackelford distributed two handouts (Attachments D and E).  Pete Turner, Illegal Pete's and Good Business Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

03:52:13 PM  

Mr. Turner responded to questions from the committee and the bill sponsor regarding costs associated with how Illegal Pete's selected a retirement plan to offer its employees, hypothetical costs to employers as a result of the bill, the impact of a savings plan on staff retention, and the impact of a savings plan on employees.

04:05:02 PM  

Kelli Fritts, Colorado AARP, testified in support of the bill.  Bob Brocker, Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Brocker shared a chart (Attachment F).  Ken Jacobs, Good Business Colorado and Impact Investors, testified in support of the bill.

04:16:58 PM  

Elliot Goldbaum, Colorado Fiscal Institute, testified in support of the bill.

04:21:09 PM  

Senator Donovan distributed a written testimony in support of the bill (Attachment G).

04:22:09 PM  

Senator Donovan responded to a proposal from the committee that an interim committee be tasked with the planning work rather than a board.  Committee discussion ensued.

04:26:02 PM  

Committee members made closing comments on the bill.

04:33:54 PM  

The bill sponsors made closing comments on the bill.



04:34:45 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 19-173 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Lee
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen No
Tate No
Todd Yes
Woodward No
Lee Yes
Court Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 3   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB19-178 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar


04:35:18 PM  

Senator Foote, bill sponsor, introduced Senate Bill 19-178.  The bill repeals and reenacts the Adoption Assistance Program in the Department of Human Services to codify rules and makes modifications.

04:40:44 PM  

Stephanie Villafuerte, Child Protection Ombudsman, testified in support of the bill.  Ms. Villafuerte described the office's investigation report (Attachment H, https://www.coloradocpo.org/wp-content/uploads/CPO-Investigation-Report-2016-2074-December-13-2017.pdf) and responded to a question from the committee regarding the office's work.

04:49:52 PM  

Lauren Arnold, The Adoption Exchange, testified in support of the bill.  Jill Crewes, The Adoption Exchange, testified in support of the bill.  Connie Vigil, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.  Ms. Vigil and Ms. Arnold responded to a question from the committee regarding types and amounts of payments associated with foster care and adoption.

05:06:09 PM  

Carla Bennett, Colorado League of Women Voters, testified in support of the bill.  Deborah Cave, Colorado Coalition of Adoptive Families, testified in support of the bill.

05:13:01 PM  

Senator Foote distributed a clarifying Amendment (Attachment I).



05:14:57 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment I)
Moved Lee
Seconded
Gonzales
Lundeen
Tate
Todd
Woodward
Lee
Court
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:14:58 PM  

The bill sponsor responded to a question from the committee about differences between this bill and a similar bill introduced last year.

05:16:14 PM  

Senator Foote made closing comments on the bill.



05:17:42 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 19-178, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Lee
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen Yes
Tate Yes
Todd Yes
Woodward Yes
Lee Yes
Court Yes
Final YES: 7   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB19-1127 - Referred to Senate Appropriations


05:18:03 PM  

Senator Fields, bill sponsor, introduced House Bill 19-1127. The bill allows the lieutenant governor to serve concurrently as the director of the Office of Saving People Money on Health Care without giving up the former role, and altering the joint role's compensation.  Senator Fenberg, bill sponsor, made further comments.  The bill sponsors responded to a question regarding the fiscal note.  Aaron Carpenter, Legislative Council Staff, further clarified the fiscal note.  Mr. Carpenter responded to a clarifying question from the committee regarding the fiscal note.

05:28:34 PM  

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee regarding potential legal issues between these roles, staff requirements for the new office, and the source of funding for the bill.

05:33:59 PM  

David DeNovellis, Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF), testified in support of the bill.  Mr. DeNovellis responded to questions from the committee regarding the bill's fiscal impact on HCPF.

05:39:54 PM  

The bill sponsors made closing comments on the bill.

05:41:41 PM  

Committee members made closing comments on the bill.



05:42:49 PM
Motion Refer House Bill 19-1127 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Lee
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen No
Tate No
Todd Yes
Woodward Excused
Lee Yes
Court Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 2   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



Sunset Reviews: Marijuana Program and Codes -


05:43:24 PM  

The committee recessed.

05:43:44 PM  

The committee reconvened.

05:56:59 PM  

Brian Tobias, Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), described the department's recommendations for the medical marijuana program.

06:08:06 PM  

Mr. Tobias presented DORA's recommendations on the medical and retail marijuana codes.

06:35:49 PM  

Mr. Tobias responded to questions from the committee.

06:35:50 PM  

Senator Court announced that testimony would be taken on both sunset reviews together.

06:37:24 PM  

Max Montrose, Trichome Institute, gave neutral testimony on both sunset reviews.

06:45:32 PM  

Martha Montemayor, Cannabis Clinicians Colorado, testified in support of the recommendations.

06:52:32 PM  

Henny Lasley, Smart Colorado, testified in support of the recommendations.

06:58:05 PM  

Michael Eymer, Colorado Cannabis Tours, testified on the recommendations.

07:02:43 PM  

Dean Heizer, LivWell Enlightened Health, testified in support of the recommendations.

07:05:28 PM  

Kevin Gallagher, Colorado Cannabis Manufacturers Association, testified on the recommendations.  Mr. Gallagher distributed a handout describing his organization's positions and priorities (Attachment J).

07:10:19 PM  

Kjersten Forseth, Colorado AFL-CIO, testified on the recommendations.

07:12:28 PM  

Shawn Coleman, Drug Policy Alliance, testified on the recommendations.

07:16:53 PM  

Kristi Kelly, Marijuana Industry Group, testified on the recommendations.

07:21:52 PM  

Richard Pfeffer, BGood Ventures LLC, testified on the recommendations.  Mr. Pfeffer responded to a clarifying question from the committee.



07:30:56 PM
Motion The Office of Legislative Legal Services will draft a bill to take up the Department of Regulatory Agencies' recommendations on the Medical and Retail Marijuana Codes.
Moved Gonzales
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen Excused
Tate Excused
Todd Yes
Woodward Yes
Lee Yes
Court Yes
YES: 5   NO: 0   EXC: 2   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


07:32:12 PM
Motion Add Senator Gonzales and Senator Fenberg as sponsors of the proposed bill.
Moved Gonzales
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen Excused
Tate Excused
Todd Yes
Woodward Yes
Lee Yes
Court Yes
YES: 5   NO: 0   EXC: 2   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS
07:33:01 PM  

Michael Dohr, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to procedural questions from the committee.



07:34:50 PM
Motion The Office of Legislative Legal Services will draft a bill to take up the Department of Regulatory Agencies' recommendations for the Medical Marijuana Program.
Moved Gonzales
Seconded
Gonzales Yes
Lundeen Excused
Tate Excused
Todd Yes
Woodward Yes
Lee Yes
Court Yes
Final YES: 5   NO: 0   EXC: 2   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS
07:34:51 PM  

Senator Gonzales was assigned as the sponsor of the bill regarding the Medical Marijuana Program.


07:35:51 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