Metro North, CO News

February 17, 2023

For more information:
Steve Arnold
Communications Manager
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BGA Reviews 16 bills, Takes Positions on 10; Rep. Faith Winter is Special Guest

The Metro North Chamber’s Business and Government Affairs (BGA) Committee had a busy morning at its February 17th meeting, reviewing 16 bills and acting on 10 of them.

The meeting began with Representative Faith Winter (D), H.D. 35, who reviewed bills she’s introduced, is working on or are of interest to the BGA:
• HB-035 – soon to be introduced, would create a small business enterprise program in the Office of Economic Education. The intent is to provide access by small businesses to state contract information, in addition to training for small businesses on utilizing the database.
• Transportation : 1. HB-1008 – Roadway Shoulder Access for Buses – a bill Rep. Winter co-sponsored, providing CDOT access to commercial vehicles (buses) on shoulders of Hwy. 36. The measure passed the Transportation and Energy Committee 46-19; buses can drive a maximum of 15 mph faster than traffic and shoulder usage is at the discretion of the driver. 2. Transbonds II – a 228 transfer discussion that ties into the hospital provider fee debate.
• Family First Employer Award – Rep. Winter thanked the Chamber for its support of the measure.
 • Interstate Physician Licensure – doctors could practice in other states via a compact scenario.
• Transponder bill – centers on Hwy. 36 HOV lane transponders and their cost (it’s a transponders-for-free bill). The system currently doesn’t function on E470 or other arteries.
 • Pay equity bills – various bills are in the works on this issue. The bills then acted upon by BGA include:
 • HB-1114 – Repeal Duplicate Reporting Requirements – SUPPORT Would eliminate current employment verification standards that include requiring employers to verify the legal work status of each employee and requiring employers to submit documentation of their compliance with federal employment verification requirements.
 • HB-1191 – Bill of Rights for Persons Who Are Homeless – OPPOSE Creates the “Colorado Right to Rest Act” which establishes basic rights for homeless persons.
• HB-1231 – Restricting The Use of Red Light Cameras – OPPOSE Prohibits the use of automated vehicle identification systems designed to detect disobedience to a traffic signal on collector roads and local streets.
• HB-1232 – Sunset DOR Private Letter Ruling & General Information Letter - SUPPORT Continues the requirement of the Department of Revenue to issue information letters until 9/1/23; also specifies that DOR must track the total state full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel positions necessary and the hours dedicated by each FTE for the issuance, declination, modification or revocation of all information letters or private letter rulings.
 • HB-1256 – South Platte Water Storage Study – SUPPORT Section 1 requires the CO Water Conservation Board to conduct/commission a hydrology study of the South Platte river basin to determine, for each of the previous 20 years, the amount of water delivered to Nebraska in excess of the amount required under the South Platte River Compact. Section 2 transfers $250,000 from the severance tax perpetual base fund to the CO Water Conservation Board construction fund on 7/1/16. • SB-036 – Surety Requirement for Appealing Tax bills Claimed Due – SUPPORT Repeals the taxpayer appeals requirement for everything but an appeal of a final determination by the executive director for frivolous submissions.
• SB-097 – Use mineral Severance Revenue for Local Governments – OPPOSE Prohibits transfers to the general fund from the following (mineral severance) funds: higher education federal mineral lease revenues fund, higher education maintenance and reserve fund, local government permanent fund, local government mineral impact fund or local government severance tax fund.
• SB-100 – County Road & Bridge Tax Reduction Requirement – SUPPORT Prohibits a county from reducing the rate of the property tax unless it notifies all municipalities located within the county of its intent to do so.
• SB-122 – More Oversight of the Department of Transportation – OPPOSE Requires additional oversight of the DOT.
• SB-124 – Machine Tools Sales Tax Exempt Recovered Materials – SUPPORT Purchased of machinery or machine tools to be used in CO directly and predominantly in manufacturing tangible personal property are currently exempt from state sales and use tax. The bill would extend the exemption to machinery or machine tools purchased by a business to process recovered materials.

The next BGA meeting is Wednesday, March 2, 2023 from 7:30 – 9 a.m. at the Metro North Chamber offices.