Metro North, CO News

March 3, 2023

For more information:
Steve Arnold
Communications Manager
720.259.2432
[email protected]

BGA Acts on 8 Bills, Changes Position on 1

Eight bills were on a busy March 2nd docket for the Metro North Chamber’s Business and Government Affairs (BGA) Committee. Also on the table was one position change, several bill updates, bills that have died, a look at a new package of Workforce Development bills and the latest on urban renewal and the hospital provider fee.

New Bill Action:
• HB-1128 – Extending Concurrent Enrollment Statewide, a measure that would open up concurrent enrollment for high school students to private institutions. MONITOR
• HB-1144 – Transparency of College Courses for High School Students, a bill promoted by the Community College system to ensure that parents have full knowledge of what dual enrollment institutional and pricing options they have. MONITOR
• HB-1267 – Colorado Veterans Service-to-Career Pilot Program, a pilot for military veterans that would take place in Colorado Springs. SUPPORT
• HB-1272 – Disconnection of Land from a Municipality. On parcels of 20 acres or more, should a city wish to disconnect services to said parcel, it would be required to formally notify the county of such action. The City of Morrison in Jefferson County is the focal point of this bill. MONITOR
• HB-1275 – Taxation of Corporate Income Sheltered in Tax Havens, a measure to go to the voters in November, it would enact the taxing of such offshore funds with the income to be directed to the State Education Fund (and to be exempt from TABOR). OPPOSE
• SB-055 – Rural Electric Cooperative Election Procedures, a bill dealing with the validity of ballots/sleeves/envelopes mailed in for Board elections and the monitoring of vote tabulation in such elections. SUPPORT
• SB-125 – Credit Union Governance, a bill addressing credit unions’ volunteer Boards that would change their charge from a supervisory to audit role and calls for the reasonable compensation of Board members. SUPPORT
• SB-130 – Methods to Collect Consumer Use Tax, a bill calling for out-of-state purchases to be taxed in Colorado. MONITOR

POSITION CHANGE:
SB-122 – More Oversight of the Department of Transportation, a bill initially opposed by BGA based on CDOT’s position. Since the bill’s introduction, CDOT has negotiated new bill language that has altered its opposition to the measure; the new BGA position is MONITOR.

BILL UPDATES:
SB-011 – Terminate Use of Faster Fees for Transit – this bill died in the House.
SB-016 – Reauthorization of the Scientific and Cultural Facilities District – this has passed the Senate, has BGA support and the Chamber has been asked to testify on the bill’s behalf in late March. The bill is a $37M transfer of funding from Tier I non-profits to Tier II’s and III’s.
SB-37 – Expanding Public Access to Digitally Stored Data under CORA (Colorado Open Records Act), this bill is dead for now, may return next year.
SB-50 – Retailer Hold harmless for Assigned Location Code – simplifies the process for retailers to act in good faith to correct location codes as needed. This is on its way to the Governor, was supported by BGA.
SB-58 – Colorado Farm to Consumer Sales (expanding the Cottage Foods Act) – an amendment was added that bumped up the income allotment per product to $50,000 then was removed (back to $10,000 per product). Another facet of the bill deals with the number of chickens allowed in any home business operation. The lobbyists’ sense is the bill will likely not go very far.
HB-1008 – Roadway Shoulder Access for Buses – a P3 bill that’s enroute to the Governor’s desk. HB-1191 – Bill of Rights for Persons Who Are Homeless – the bill was killed in committee.
HB-1231 – Restricting the Use of Red Light Cameras – BGA opposed this bill; it passed the House by a vote of 33-31 this week. A fight over this bill is expected in the Senate.
HB-1232 – Sunset DOR Private Letter Ruling and General Info Letter – on its way to the Governor, was supported by BGA.

BILLS THAT HAVE DIED
 HB-1071 – County Initiative Powers
HB-1092 – Authorize Retail Marijuana Special Event Permit
HB-1181 – Local Government Fracking Ban Liable Royalties
SB-011 – Terminate Use of FASTER Fee Revenue for Transit
SB-28 – Community Reinvestment Act
SB-37 – Public Access Digitally Stored Data Under CORA
SB-54 – Local Government Minimum Wage SB-59 – Authority of Local Governments to Promote Affordable Housing
SB-76 – Repeal Employment Verification Standards

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT A multi-bill package of workforce development measures was introduced in the wake of a Governor’s group traveling to Davo, Switzerland recently to study the Swiss technical education model. After discussion, BGA has asked that Phil Noble of Adams County Workforce Development speak to the group on March 16th, to be followed on March 30th by a visit from Andy Dorsey, President of Front Range Community College, who went on the Switzerland trek.
 
URBAN RENEWAL Lobbyist Steve Balcerovich said a new bill is coming within the next week, reportedly to address the TABOR question, will have hold harmless language and will take some of the issues from last year’s bill off the table.

HOSPITAL PROVIDER FEE Dan Welch, North Suburban Medical Center, told the group the State Attorney General this week said the concept of an enterprise fund causes no concern for her, an opinion that could possibly prompt a meeting between the Governor and Senate President Cadman. Lobbyist Kathy Oatis said the topic could also be pushed to next year’s legislature given the contentious, partisan divide it’s created.

The next BGA meeting is Wednesday, March 16, 2023 from 7:30 – 9 a.m. at the Metro North Chamber offices.