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A Senate committee will consider Thursday a bill that would allow Colorado residents to register their motor vehicles for two-year periods.
SB 70 provides that the two-year registration option could not be made available for any vehicle that is due for an emissions test during that two-year period.
The bill is sponsored by Sen. Bill Cadman, R-Colorado Springs.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Joint Constitution Committee to Hear From DU Panel Thursday
The new Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Reform will hear a presentation from the authors of a University of Denver report calling for changes to the state's initiative process Thursday morning.
The DU report, issued Jan. 3, recommends that the General Assembly enact tougher standards for getting a proposed change to the state constitution on the ballot and protect statutory initiatives from legislative change for ten years.
The report also calls for creation of a "Constitutional Revision Commission" to study ways in which the state's legal charter could be simplified.
Members of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Reform are chair Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, vice-chair Rep. Al White, R-Hayden, Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, and Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood.
The panel held its first meeting Tuesday.
The DU report, issued Jan. 3, recommends that the General Assembly enact tougher standards for getting a proposed change to the state constitution on the ballot and protect statutory initiatives from legislative change for ten years.
The report also calls for creation of a "Constitutional Revision Commission" to study ways in which the state's legal charter could be simplified.
Members of the Joint Select Committee on Constitutional Reform are chair Sen. Abel Tapia, D-Pueblo, vice-chair Rep. Al White, R-Hayden, Sen. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, Rep. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango, and Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood.
The panel held its first meeting Tuesday.
Speaker Romanoff Announces New Committee Assignments
In the aftermath of the resignation of former Rep. Michael Garcia and the appointment of Rep. Karen Middleton, D-Aurora, to replace him, speaker Andrew Romanoff shuffled Democratic committee assignments Wednesday.
Middleton was assigned to the Education and State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committees. She replaces Rep. Edward Casso, D-Commerce City, on the education panel and Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, on the State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.
Casso moves over to the Business Affairs & Labor Committee, where he replaces Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver.
Ferrandino moves to the Finance Committee.
Carroll, having recently been elected assistant majority leader, will remain only on the Judiciary Committee. He will keep his post as chair of that committee.
In addition, Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins, switch committee assignments. Scanlan goes from the Transportation & Energy Committee to the Education Committee while Fischer moves from the education panel to Pueblo West Democrat Buffie McFadyen's transportation and energy panel.
Middleton was assigned to the Education and State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committees. She replaces Rep. Edward Casso, D-Commerce City, on the education panel and Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver, on the State, Veterans & Military Affairs Committee.
Casso moves over to the Business Affairs & Labor Committee, where he replaces Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver.
Ferrandino moves to the Finance Committee.
Carroll, having recently been elected assistant majority leader, will remain only on the Judiciary Committee. He will keep his post as chair of that committee.
In addition, Reps. Christine Scanlan, D-Dillon, and Randy Fischer, D-Fort Collins, switch committee assignments. Scanlan goes from the Transportation & Energy Committee to the Education Committee while Fischer moves from the education panel to Pueblo West Democrat Buffie McFadyen's transportation and energy panel.
House Passes Resolution Calling for all CO Children to Have Health Insurance Coverage by 2010
The House passed Wednesday a resolution establishing a goal of assuring access to health insurance coverage for all children in the state by 2010.
SJR 8, which had previously passed the Senate in slightly different form, is not law. It is simply an expression of the legislature's desire and of a goal.
Debate on the resolution was nevertheless lengthy and, at times, contentious.
Reps. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, and Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, eventually proposed an amendment changing the language of the resolution from words requiring the legislature to "pledge" universal coverage of children to the less demanding commitment only to try to do so.
That amendment passed with 51 "yes" votes, though it provoked opposition from a number of Democrats including speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, majority leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, and Health & Human Services Committee chair Anne McGihon, D-Denver.
Rep. Douglas Bruce of Colorado Springs was the only GOP member of the House to oppose the amendment.
The amendment soothed the controversy, as 61 members of the House voted "yes" on adoption of the resolution after it was approved.
The naysayers were Republican Reps. Douglas Bruce and Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs and Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud.
The Senate had previously amended the resolution to make clear that the goal of universal coverage of children should not create disincentives for people to obtain private health insurance.
After that amendment was adopted unanimously in the Senate the resolution passed in that chamber on a 27-7 vote.
The Senate "no" votes on the resolution were cast by Republican Sens. Greg Brophy of Wray, Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Ted Harvey of Highlands Ranch, Mike Kopp of Littleton, Joshua Penry of Grand Junction, Scott Renfroe of Greeley and David Schultheis of Colorado Springs.
SJR 8, which had previously passed the Senate in slightly different form, is not law. It is simply an expression of the legislature's desire and of a goal.
Debate on the resolution was nevertheless lengthy and, at times, contentious.
Reps. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, and Kathleen Curry, D-Gunnison, eventually proposed an amendment changing the language of the resolution from words requiring the legislature to "pledge" universal coverage of children to the less demanding commitment only to try to do so.
That amendment passed with 51 "yes" votes, though it provoked opposition from a number of Democrats including speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, majority leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, and Health & Human Services Committee chair Anne McGihon, D-Denver.
Rep. Douglas Bruce of Colorado Springs was the only GOP member of the House to oppose the amendment.
The amendment soothed the controversy, as 61 members of the House voted "yes" on adoption of the resolution after it was approved.
The naysayers were Republican Reps. Douglas Bruce and Kent Lambert of Colorado Springs and Kevin Lundberg of Berthoud.
The Senate had previously amended the resolution to make clear that the goal of universal coverage of children should not create disincentives for people to obtain private health insurance.
After that amendment was adopted unanimously in the Senate the resolution passed in that chamber on a 27-7 vote.
The Senate "no" votes on the resolution were cast by Republican Sens. Greg Brophy of Wray, Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Ted Harvey of Highlands Ranch, Mike Kopp of Littleton, Joshua Penry of Grand Junction, Scott Renfroe of Greeley and David Schultheis of Colorado Springs.
Net Metering Bill on Way to Senate
The House gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would require rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities to grant credit on electric bills to customers that generate renewable energy.
HB 1160 passed with only one "no" vote, which came from Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs.
The bill requires municipal utilities that serve at least 5,000 customers and all rural electric cooperatives to offset customers' electricity use by the amount of power that customer generates, subject to certain caps.
The bill also sets standards by which rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities must decide whether to allow generators of "home-grown" energy to interconnect to the grid. It also requires residential and business generators to meet certain insurance requirements in order to interconnect.
HB 1160 is sponsored in the House by Rep. Judy Solano, D-Thornton, and in the Senate by Sens. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, and Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus.
HB 1160 passed with only one "no" vote, which came from Rep. Douglas Bruce, R-Colorado Springs.
The bill requires municipal utilities that serve at least 5,000 customers and all rural electric cooperatives to offset customers' electricity use by the amount of power that customer generates, subject to certain caps.
The bill also sets standards by which rural electric cooperatives and municipal utilities must decide whether to allow generators of "home-grown" energy to interconnect to the grid. It also requires residential and business generators to meet certain insurance requirements in order to interconnect.
HB 1160 is sponsored in the House by Rep. Judy Solano, D-Thornton, and in the Senate by Sens. Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, and Jim Isgar, D-Hesperus.
First Day for Rep. Karen Middleton (D-Aurora)
Democrat Karen Middleton, a former member of the state Board of Education, was sworn in Wednesday as the new representative from District 42.
Middleton, D-Aurora, becomes the 22nd female member of the House Democratic Caucus. She also becomes the 36th female member of the General Assembly, which means Colorado now leads the nation in percentage of serving state legislators who are women.
Middleton was appointed Sunday, Feb. 10 to a vacancy created when former Rep. Michael Garcia, D-Aurora, resigned after being accused of unwelcome sexual advances to a lobbyist.
Middleton, D-Aurora, becomes the 22nd female member of the House Democratic Caucus. She also becomes the 36th female member of the General Assembly, which means Colorado now leads the nation in percentage of serving state legislators who are women.
Middleton was appointed Sunday, Feb. 10 to a vacancy created when former Rep. Michael Garcia, D-Aurora, resigned after being accused of unwelcome sexual advances to a lobbyist.
Sunday Liquor Sales Bill Clears First Committee Hurdle
A bill that would allow Colorado liquor stores to be open on Sundays was approved by a Senate committee Wednesday afternoon, clearing its first hurdle on the path to law.
SB 82 is similar to bills that have been defeated in the legislature in prior years. This year, however, some previous opponents of Sunday liquor sales are backing the bill because they think it will strengthen independent liquor store owners' profitability if the General Assembly also enacts a separate bill that authorizes grocery stores to sell liquor.
Current law allows supermarkets to sell only 3.2 beer.
34 other states allow Sunday liquor sales.
The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 82 is sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver, and Rep. Cheri Jahn, D-Golden.
SB 82 is similar to bills that have been defeated in the legislature in prior years. This year, however, some previous opponents of Sunday liquor sales are backing the bill because they think it will strengthen independent liquor store owners' profitability if the General Assembly also enacts a separate bill that authorizes grocery stores to sell liquor.
Current law allows supermarkets to sell only 3.2 beer.
34 other states allow Sunday liquor sales.
The bill now moves to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
SB 82 is sponsored by Sen. Jennifer Veiga, D-Denver, and Rep. Cheri Jahn, D-Golden.
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