S_JUD_2020A 02/26/2020 01:33:29 PM Committee Summary

Senator Lee made opening remarks and laid over Senate Bill 20-169, concerning housing mentors in youthful offender facility, until March 2, 2020. 

Senator Gardner, co-prime sponsor, explained House Bill 20-1148, concerning punishments related to offenses committed against a deceased human body.  He distributed a fact sheet about the bill (Attachment A) and a memo about abuse of corpse laws in other states (Attachment B). 

The following people testified remotely from Colorado Mesa University in Montrose:

Debra Schum, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.  She discussed body brokering. 

Erin Smith, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.  She discussed body brokering and the Sunset Mesa Funeral Home.

Christine Bergraff, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She discussed a personal experience at Sunset Mesa Funeral Home.  

Alena Holloman, representing herself, testified in favor of the measure.

Rick Neuendorf, representing himself, spoke in favor of the bill. He expressed concerns about the lack of regulation concerning body brockering in Colorado. He read a statement from his daughter in support of the bill, Chrissy Hartman.

Debra Schum returned to the table and spoke on behalf of Jennifer Mitchell, another victim of the Sunset Mesa Funeral Home. 

The following people testified remotely from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction. 

Judy Cressler, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She discussed body brokering. 

Edna Benson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. 

Lisa Wabel, representing herself, testified in favor of the measure.

Senator Gardner acknowledged the witnesses.  Senator Fields, co-prime sponsor, joined the committee and thanked the witnesses for sharing difficult stories. 

Jennifer Wilmeth, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Arnold Hanuman, representing Colorado District Attorneys' Council, testified in support of the measure. He answered questions from the committee about statutes of limitations. 

Senators Gardner and Fields made closing remarks. 

Senator Gardner, sponsor, explained House Bill 20-1014, concerning unconsented use of donor gamete in fertility treatment.   He distributed a newspaper article about a Grand Junction doctor accused of using sperm to inseminate patients (Attachment C).  He also distributed Amendment L. 004 (Attachment D) and explained that it was a technical one to include other medical personnel. 

Amanda Gall, representing the Colorado District Attorneys' Council, answered questions from the committee about the need for this bill.

Cheryl Emmons, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She shared a personal story about her experience with artificial insemination. 

Maia Emmons-Boring, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. She discussed DNA testing and infertility fraud. 

Jennifer Wilmeth, representing herself, spoke in favor of the bill. She discussed being a victim of fertility fraud.

Erin Vanek, representing the Colorado LGBT Bar Association, testified in support of the bill. She provided a copy of her testimony (Attachment E). 

Senator Lee referenced a letter from Eve Wiley in support of the bill for the record (Attachment F). 

Senator Gardner made closing remarks.

Senator Winter, sponsor, explained HB20-1009, concerning suppressing court records of eviction proceedings.   She answered questions from the committee about the application of the bill and verbal remarks by a landlord. 

Jack Regenbogen, representing Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified in support of the bill. He disccused the differences between evictions that were filed versus those that were ordered.  He noted that the Colorado Apartment Association was instrumental in crafting this leglslation.

Kinsey Hasstedt, representing Enterprise Community Partners, testified in support of the bill. She discussed evictions and high housing prices and distinguished between filings and judgment orders.

Katie Wolf, representing Violence Free Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She discussed domestic violence and evictions.

Melanie Kesner, representing Interfaith Alliance Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She discussed racial, economic justice, and evictions. 

Miriam Estrada, representing Mental Health Colorado, testified in support of the bill. She discussed mental health, housing and evictions.

Kayla Frawley, representing Raise Colorado, testified in favor of the measure. She discussed the impacts of eviction on families.

Lisa Sadar, representing Pioneer Spirit Properties, testified in support of the bill. She discussed background checks and evictions.

Committee discussion followed about people with children, poverty, and evictions. 

Senator Winter made closing remarks.