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S_SA_2023A 04/27/2023 06:42:26 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON STATE, VETERANS, & MILITARY AFFAIRS
Date 04/27/2023
Attendance
Baisley *
Gonzales *
Liston X
Sullivan X
Coleman X
Time 06:42:26 PM to 08:20:44 PM
Place Old Supreme Court
This Meeting was called to order by Coleman
This Report was prepared by Hamza Syed
Hearing Items Action Taken
SB23-301 Postponed Indefinitely
SB23-300 Postponed Indefinitely
SB23-302 Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
HB23-1088 Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
HB23-1056 Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
HB23-1237 Referred to Senate Appropriations
HB23-1245 Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole
HB23-1259 Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole
HB23-1270 Referred to Senate Appropriations
HB23-1271 Referred to the Committee of the Whole
HB23-1278 Referred to the Committee of the Whole

SB23-301 - Postponed Indefinitely
06:45:19 PM  
Senator Bridges,
bill sponsor, presented Senate Bill 23-301. The bill establishes a ranked
choice voting system for presidential primary elections and makes additional
changes.
06:46:42 PM  
The sponsor asked
for the bill to be postponed indefinitely, the committee made closing remarks.
Written testimony can be found in Attachment F.


06:47:25 PM
 Motion Postpone Senate Bill 23-301 indefinitely.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Gonzales Excused
Liston No
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 1   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB23-300 - Postponed Indefinitely
06:47:38 PM  
Senator Pelton, bill
sponsor, presented Senate Bill 23-300. The bill updates statutory references
pertaining to pension plans administered by the Fire and Police Pension
Association for firefighters and police officers. Senator Pelton requested
the bill be postponed indefinitely.


06:48:40 PM
 Motion Postpone Senate Bill 23-300 indefinitely.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Gonzales Excused
Liston Yes
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB23-302 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
06:48:50 PM  
Senators Hinrichsen and Pelton, bill sponsors, presented Senate Bill 23-302. The bill modifies the Veterans’ Service-to-Career Program in the Department of Labor and Employment.
06:50:51 PM  
The sponsors presented
amendment L.001 (Attachment A).
06:51:44 PM  
The committee discussed the amendment.


06:53:07 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment A)
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley
Gonzales Excused
Liston
Sullivan
Coleman
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
06:53:31 PM  
The bill sponsors gave closing remarks.


06:54:17 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-302, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Gonzales Excused
Liston Yes
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1088 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
06:54:27 PM  
Senator Hinrichsen, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 23-1088. The bill creates a program in the Behavioral Health Administration to reimburse mental health care providers for up to four sessions with veterans who have exhausted their federal veterans administration mental health benefits.
06:56:07 PM  
A panel of witnesses
testified on the bill.



Parker White,
representing Department of Military and Veterans Affairs/Air National Guard,
testified to amend the bill.



Mindy Montague,
representing Colorado Department of Human Services, testified to amend
the bill.



Director Kevin
Neimond, representing Coloraod Department of Human Services, testified
to amend the bill.
07:03:19 PM  
The sponsor presented
amendments L.004 (Attachment B) and L.006 (Attachment C).


07:04:32 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment B)
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley
Gonzales Excused
Liston
Sullivan
Coleman
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


07:05:46 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment C)
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley
Gonzales Excused
Liston
Sullivan
Coleman
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
07:06:11 PM  
The bill sponsor gave final remarks.


07:06:54 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1088, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Gonzales Yes
Liston Yes
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 5   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1056 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
07:07:51 PM  
The committee moved
House Bill 23-1056. The bill modernizes record keeping of state publications
by expanding the definition of “records” to include digital media and
eliminates a requirement that the State Archives receive physical copies
of agency publications.


07:08:16 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1056 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Gonzales Yes
Liston Yes
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 5   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1237 - Referred to Senate Appropriations
07:08:31 PM  
Senator Exum and
Will, bill sponsors, presented House Bill 23-1237. The bill requires the
University of Colorado’s Natural Hazards Center to conduct a study on
the implementation of emergency alerts in minority languages.
07:22:48 PM  
A panel of witnesses
testified on the bill.



Jack Johnson,
representing Disability Law Colorado, testified in support of the bill.




Garry Briese,
representing Colorado State Fire Chiefs, testified in support of the bill.




Nick Robles, representing
Boulder County and Colorado Counties Acting Together, testified in support
of the bill.
07:22:55 PM  
The bill sponsors gave final remarks.


07:23:31 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1237 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley No
Gonzales Yes
Liston Yes
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 1   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1245 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole
07:23:43 PM  
Senator Priola, bill
sponsor, presented House Bill 23-1245. The bill establishes campaign contribution
limits for municipal elections and modifies reporting, open records, and
file retention requirements related to municipal campaigns.
07:24:56 PM  
The committee asked questions to the sponsor.
07:25:16 PM  
Heather Stauffer, representing Colorado Municipal League, testified in opposition to the bill. The committee asked questions to the witness.
07:36:46 PM  
A panel of witnesses
testified on the bill.



Elizabeth Steele,
representing Colorado Common Cause, testified in support of the bill.



Peggy Leech, representing
League of Women Voters of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.



The committee
asked questions to the panel.
07:40:24 PM  
The bill sponsor
presented amendment L.012 (Attachment D).


07:41:08 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.012 (Attachment D)
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley
Gonzales
Liston
Sullivan
Coleman
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


07:41:59 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1245, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley No
Gonzales Yes
Liston No
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1259 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole
07:44:43 PM  
Senator Simpson, bill sponsor, presented House Bill 23-1259. The bill allows local public bodies to cure executive session violations of the Open Meetings Law before the violation can be challenged in court.
07:45:00 PM  
The bill sponsor
presented amendment L.006 (Attachment E).
07:46:10 PM  
A panel of witnesses
testified on the bill.



Steve Zansberg,
representing Colorado Freedom of Information Coalition, testified in opposition
to the bill.



Elizabeth Steele,
representing Colorado Common Cause, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:52:19 PM  
A panel of witnesses
testified on the bill.



Michelle Murphy,
representing Colorado Rural Schools Alliance, testified in support of the
bill.



Autumn Brooks,
representing Clear Creek School District Re-1, testified in support of
the bill.



Dianne Criswell,
representing Special District Association of Colorado, testified in support
of the bill.



The committee
asked questions to the panel.


08:02:30 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment E)
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley
Gonzales
Liston
Sullivan
Coleman
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:02:53 PM  
The bill sponsor gave final remarks.


08:03:32 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1259, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Sullivan
Seconded
Baisley Yes
Gonzales No
Liston Yes
Sullivan No
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1270 - Referred to Senate Appropriations
08:04:50 PM  
Senator Gonzalez, bill sponsor, presented House BIll 23-1270. The bill creates the Urgent Incident Response Cash Fund in the Department of Public Safety.
08:05:48 PM  
Director Kevin Klein, representing Colorado Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management - Colorado Department of Public Safety, testified in support of the bill.


08:08:45 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1270 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Gonzales
Seconded
Baisley No
Gonzales Yes
Liston No
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1271 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole
08:08:55 PM  
Senator Gonzalez,
bill sponsor, presented House Bill 23-1271. The bill establishes the first
Friday in February as “Lunar New Year Day,” an observed state holiday.
The committee asked questions to the sponsor.


08:11:38 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1271 to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Gonzales
Seconded
Baisley No
Gonzales Yes
Liston No
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB23-1278 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole
08:11:49 PM  
Senator Gonzalez,
bill sponsor, presented House Bill 23-1278. The bill indefinitely allows
the use virtual methods to fulfil the requirement of appearing in-person
for a prospective marriage or civil union. The committee asked questions
to the sponsor.
08:16:06 PM  
Molly Fitzpatrick, representing Boulder County Clerk and Recorder, testified in support of the bill.


08:20:21 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 23-1278 to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Gonzales
Seconded
Baisley No
Gonzales Yes
Liston No
Sullivan Yes
Coleman Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


08:20:44 PM   The committee adjourned.






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