S_SA_2018A 02/14/2018 01:39:19 PM Committee Summary

Senator Aguilar, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-115 to the committee. The bill prohibits all medical providers from making referrals for services to entities controlled by the provider or an immediate family member.

Dave Altman, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Annie McCullough, representing the Colorado Bar Association, testified against the bill.

John Conklin, representing the Colorado Medical Society, testified against the bill.

Ms. McCullough and Mr. Conklin responded to committee member questions. Senator Aguilar responded to this discussion.

Committee discussion with Senator Aguilar continued.

Mr. Altman responded to committee member questions.

Chris Vanderveen, representing 9News, testified on the bill. He responded to committee member comments.

Richard Orf, representing the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified against the bill.

Joshua Ewing, representing the Colorado Hospital Association, testified against the bill.

Mr. Ewing responded to questions from Senator Aguilar. Committee discussion continued.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.  Senator Aguilar wrapped up her presentation of the bill and requested the bill be laid over to May 11, 2018 (this motion has the effect of postponing the bill indefinitely).

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.



Senator Fields, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-058 to the committee.  The bill changes the statute of limitations for the failure to report child abuse or neglect.

The committee heard testimony on the bill on February 5, 2018.



Senator Fields discussed amendment L.005 [Attachment A].

Committee members commented on the bill.

Senator Todd, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-114 to the committee. The bill encourages school districts and charter schools to adopt suicide prevention policies and creates the Student Suicide Prevention Grant Program. The committee heard testimony on the bill on February 12, 2018.

Senator Todd discussed amendments L.001, L.002, and L.003  [Attachments B, C, and D].

Committee members commented on the bill.

Senator Todd responded to comments from the committee and wrapped up her presentation of the bill.

Anna Gerstle, Legislative Council Staff, responded to committee member questions about the bill's fiscal note.

Committee members commented on the bill.

Senator Crowder and Senator Coram, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 18-108 to the committee. The bill allows for the renewal of Senate Bill 13-251 documents and allows an applicant to use their social security number.

The committee heard testimony on the bill on February 7, 2018.



The committee discussed the bill and amendment L.001 [Attachment E].



The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

Senator Kefalas, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-153 to the committee. The bill increases the responsibilities of the Office of Suicide Prevention in the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. The committee heard testimony on the bill on February 12, 2018. Senator Kefalas presented amendment L.001 [Attachment F] and discussed the bill.

Senator Williams, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-089 to the committee. The bill expands the criminal act of hazing. The committee heard testimony on the bill on February 12, 2018.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

Senator Lambert and Senator Jahn, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 18-040 to the committee. The bill establishes a pilot program for a supervised injection facility for injection drug users, and enacts several other harm reduction measures concerning clean syringe exchange and opiate antagonists.

Senators Lambert and Jahn discussed amendment L.002 [Attachment G], a strike-below amendment. Committee members received a comparison of the introduced bill and amendment L.002 [Attachment H, a fact sheet about the bill [Attachment I], and a page of written testimony [Attachment J].

Therese Mashak, representing herself, testified against the bill. She responded to committee member questions.

Jose Esquibel, representing the Colorado Attorney General's Office, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Rob Valuck, representing the Colorado Consortium for Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention, testified in support of the bill and amendment L.002.

Joelle Fairchild, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Rebecca Wesselman, representing GRASP (Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing), testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Esquibel responded to committee member questions.

Dr. Christopher Unrein, representing the Colorado Medical Society, the Colorado Society of Osteopathic Medicine, and the Colorado Chapter of the American College of Emergency Physicians, testified in support of the bill.

Albus Brooks, Denver City Council President, testified in support of the bill.

Alexandra Tooley, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Rebecca Chavez, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Dr. Unrein responded to committee member questions.

DeEtte Kozlow, representing Bobby's House, testified in support of the bill.

Lindsey Myers, representing the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, testified in support of the bill, as amended by L.002.

Barbara Brohl, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Cheryl Wilson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Ms. Brohl answered committee members' questions.

Emilia Long, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Trina Faatz, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Dan Scales, representing Scales Pharmacy, testified in support of the bill.

Michael Miller, representing Young People in Recovery, testified in support of the bill.

Danielle Gauna, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Amanda Bent, representing Drug Policy Alliance, testified in support of the bill.

Kiyoka Tamesue, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Lisa Raville, representing the Harm Reduction Action Center, testified in support of the bill. She responded to committee member questions.

Nick LaVuolo, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Nancy Steinfurth, representing Liver Health Connection, testified in support of the bill.

Blair Hubbard, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

James Gould, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Hillary Jorgensen, representing Healthier Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Chris Stock, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. He provided written testimony to the committee [Attachment K].

Senators Lambert and Jahn wrapped up their presentation of the bill.

Committee members commented on the bill.

The committee recessed.

The committee reconvened.

Senator Neville, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-097. The bill allows individuals 21 years or older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit.

Dawn Reinfeld, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Amy Chambers, representing Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, testified against the bill.

Jan Magid, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Helen Kamin, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Dan Murphy, representing Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and the National Association for Gun Rights, testified in support of the bill.

Daniel King, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

David Kopel, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Tina Francone, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Harold Koch, representing the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, testified against the bill.

Dr. Phyllis Updike, representing Colorado Faith Communities United to End Gun Violence (CFCU), testified against the bill. Committee members received a pamphlet from CFCU [Attachment L].

Patty Cordova read testimony from Rev. Wayne Laws, representing CFCU, against the bill.

Alana Smart, representing CFCU, testified against the bill.

Karin Asensio, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Keith Emerson, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Cheryl Wilson, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Ronald Dietz, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Ed Shackelford, representing himself, testified against the bill.  He provided handouts to committee members [Attachment M].

Robert Edmiston, representing the Firearms Coalition of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  He provided a packet of information to committee members [Attachment N].

Julie Meyers, representing CFCU, testified against the bill.

Eleanor Cabell, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Phil Ross, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Jean Grattet, representing the League of Women Voters of Colorado, testified against the bill.

LaVonne Whelchel, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Eileen McCarron, representing Colorado Ceasefire, testified against the bill. She also noted opposition to the bill from the Colorado Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Christine Jensen, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Jane Dougherty, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Gina McAfee, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Lee Katherine Goldstein, representing herself, testified against the bill.

Tom Sullivan, representing himself, testified against the bill.

Committee members received additional written testimony in support of the bill [Attachment O].

Senator Neville wrapped up his presentation of the bill.

Committee members commented on the bill.

Senator Cooke, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-156 to the committee. The bill reduces the frequency by which county financial and salary reports must be published. Senator Cooke presented amendment L.002 [Attachment P].

Bob Sweeney, representing the Colorado Press Association and the Greenwood Villager, testified against the bill. Committee members received a handout from the Colorado Press Association [Attachment Q].

Greg Romberg, representing the Colorado Press Association, testified against the bill.

Jefferson County Commissioner Tina Francone, representing Jefferson County, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Romberg and Mr. Sweeney responded to committee member questions.

Senator Cooke wrapped up his presentation of the bill.

Committee members commented on the bill.

Senator Aguilar, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-152 to the committee. The bill prohibits price gouging by pharmaceutical manufacturers and wholesalers and makes pharmaceutical price gouging a deceptive trade practice. Senator Aguilar provided a handout from the Bell Policy Center in support of the bill [Attachment R].

Brett Michelin, representing the Association for Accessible Medicine, testified against the bill. He responded to committee member questions.

Caitlin Westerson, representing the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, testified in support of the bill.

Bethany Pray, representing the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill.

David Navas, representing Healthier Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Brandt Wilkins, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Ed Shackelford, representing the Colorado Senior Lobby, testified in support of the bill. He provided a packet of information to committee members [Attachment S].

Senator Aguilar wrapped up her presentation of the bill. She presented amendment L.001 [Attachment T].

Senator Aguilar, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 18-155 to the committee. The bill requires certain hospitals to submit information on benefits received from their tax-exempt status and the community benefits they provide. Committee members received a fact sheet from Senator Aguilar about the bill [Attachment U].

Allison Neswood, representing the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill.

Debra Judy, representing the Colorado Consumer Health Initiative, testified in support of the bill. She provided a handout to committee members [Attachment V].

Amber Burkhart, representing the Colorado Hospital Association, testified against the bill.

John Bartholomew, representing the Colorado Department of Health Care Policy and Financing, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Bartholomew and Ms. Burkhart responded to committee member questions.

Joshua Ewing, representing the Colorado Hospital Association, came to the table to answer committee member questions.

Senator Aguilar and Ms. Burkhart discussed the bill.

Senator Aguilar wrapped up her presentation of the bill.

The committee considered Senate Bill 18-150, which allows a person on parole to preregister to vote and requires parole and probation officers to provide individuals with voter registration information.  The committee heard and voted on the bill on February 13, 2018.