S_SA_2017A 03/20/2017 Committee Summary

01:32 PM -- SB17-138



Senator Tate, sponsor, reminded the committee of its February 22, 2017, hearing on Senate Bill 17-138, concerning the role of election watchers in connection with the conduct of elections.



Senator Tate presented amendment L.001 (Attachment A). Committee members discussed the amendment with Senator Tate.



17SenateState0320AttachA.pdf

01:39 PM



Senator Tate wrapped up his presentation of the bill.

01:40 PM -- SB17-209



Senator Priola, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 17-209 to the committee. This bill makes the following changes related to candidate access to the ballot and the filling of candidate vacancies:



• Designated election officials are prohibited from certifying a candidate for placement on the ballot if the official deems the candidate is unqualified based on residency requirements following a review of the candidate's residency information contained in the statewide voter registration system.

• The time-frame for circulating candidate petitions to designate party candidates at a primary election is changed to allow circulation starting on the first Monday in January and require them to be filed by the last day in February.

• The Department of State is authorized to create rules allowing for circulator affidavits with an error to be cured by providing a new, corrected affidavit within five days of receiving notice of the error.

• A party chairperson is authorized to provide notice of a vacancy committee meeting to committee members by email.

• Designated election officials are required to post notice of a candidate vacancy and the name of the replacement on their website and in each voter service and polling center.

• Statutes pertaining to the process for filling candidate vacancies before and after a primary election are reorganized.



Committee members discussed the bill with Senator Priola.



01:44 PM -- Suzanne Staiert, Deputy Secretary of State, testified in support of the bill.



01:48 PM -- Ben Schler, representing the Office of the Secretary of State, answered committee member questions on the bill.





01:55 PM



Ms. Staiert continued her testimony on the bill. Ms. Staiert and Mr. Schler responded to committee member questions.



02:04 PM -- Chris Murray, representing the Colorado Republican Committee, testified in support of the bill.









































02:06 PM



Senator Priola presented amendment L.001 (Attachment B). Committee members discussed the bill and amendment with Senator Priola.



17SenateState0320AttachB.pdf

02:11 PM -- HB17-1187



Senator Crowder, sponsor, presented House Bill 17-1187 to the committee. This bill refers a proposition to voters at the statewide election on November 7, 2017. Conditional on voter approval of the proposition, the bill changes the computation of the excess state revenues cap (Referendum C cap) for FY 2017-18 and all subsequent fiscal years. Under current law, the cap is grown annually by changes in the state's population and the Denver-Boulder-Greeley consumer price index. Beginning in FY 2017-18, the bill instead grows the cap annually by the average rate of annual change in state personal income for the five previous calendar years. Annual adjustments for debt service changes and the qualification or disqualification of state enterprises are retained under the bill.



Senator Crowder provided a handout to committee members (Attachment C).



17SenateState0320AttachC.pdf



02:17 PM -- Eleanor Cabell, representing Indivisible Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



02:21 PM -- Laura Richards, representing Indivisible Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She responded to questions from committee members.



02:25 PM -- Francesca Maes, representing the Colorado Cross-Disability Coalition, testified in support of the bill.



02:26 PM -- A.W. Schnellbacher, representing AARP Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



02:30 PM -- Becky Benedict, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



02:31 PM -- Ed Shackelford, representing himself, testified in support of the bill and provided two handouts to committee members (Attachments D and E).



17SenateState0320AttachD.pdf 17SenateState0320AttachE.pdf



02:35 PM -- Kevin McCarney, representing himself, testified against the bill.



02:38 PM -- Andrea Wilkins, representing the League of Women Voters of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



02:41 PM -- Scott Wasserman, representing the Bell Policy Center, testified in support of the bill. Committee members discussed the bill with Mr. Wasserman.























02:46 PM -- Chad Marturano, representing the University of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



02:50 PM -- Lynn Smith, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.



02:56 PM -- Marty Neilson, representing herself, testified against the bill and responded to committee member questions.



03:00 PM -- Carol Hedges, representing the Colorado Fiscal Institute, testified in support of the bill.



03:08 PM -- Mizraim Cordero, representing the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce and the Colorado Competitive Council, testified in support of the bill. Committee members discussed the bill with Mr. Cordero.





03:18 PM



Ms. Hedges responded to committee member questions.



03:20 PM -- Dianne Criswell, representing the Colorado Municipal League, testified in support of the bill.



03:23 PM -- Gini Pingenot, representing Colorado Counties, Inc., testified in support of the bill and provided a handout to committee members (Attachment F).



17SenateState0320AttachF.pdf



03:25 PM -- Evan Goulding, representing the Special Districts Association, testified in support of the bill.



03:29 PM -- Matt Cook, representing the Colorado Association of School Boards, testified in support of the bill and responded to committee member questions.





03:32 PM



Ms. Pingenot and Mr. Goulding responded to committee member questions.



03:44 PM -- Katherine Mulready, representing the Colorado Hospital Association, testified in support of the bill.



03:46 PM -- LaVonne Whelchel, representing Indivisible Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

























03:49 PM -- Bill Jaeger, representing the Colorado Children's Campaign, testified in support of the bill.



03:50 PM -- Matthew Miller, representing Indivisible Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



03:52 PM -- Michael McGuire, representing Indivisible Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



03:56 PM -- Penn Pfiffner, representing the TABOR Committee, testified against the bill and responded to committee member questions.





04:02 PM



Senator Crowder wrapped up his presentation of the bill.





04:04 PM



Ed DeCecco, Office of Legislative Legal Services, responded to questions about the bill.

04:13 PM



The committee adjourned.