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A bill that would cap the fees that can be charged by municipalities for approval of solar energy systems was given preliminary approval by the Senate Thursday.
SB 117 would limit the amount that could be assessed to $300 for a residential permit and $1,000 for a non-residential permit. Currently, fees vary widely around the state. In Denver, the fee for approval of a solar energy system is $59, while in Aurora it is nearly $1,000.
Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, is the sponsor of the bill. He told fellow Senators during debate on the measure that fee caps would eliminate a large obstacle to the proliferation of solar energy generation facilities and more renewable energy use.
Proponents of the bill said in committee hearings that, in some cases under current law, the permit fees can be equivalent to ten percent of the total cost of the system.
An industry advocate argued in a recent Rocky Mountain News editorial column that high municipal solar permit fees can also offset several years worth of energy bill savings to the consumer.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Breastfeeding Accommodation Bill Approved by Committee
A bill requiring employers to set aside space for nursing mothers to breastfeed their infants, or pump milk for storage, was overwhelmingly approved by the House Business Affairs & Labor Committee Thursday.
HB 1276 would impose on private businesses a "reasonable accommodation" standard, requiring the employer to provide time and space for breastfeeding.
The proposed "Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Act" does not require employers to pay female employees for the time taken to nurse an infant or expel milk. The bill would allow employers to designate established break and meal interludes as periods available for nursing, so long as they are sufficiently numerous to be the necessary reasonable accommodation.
The bill also requires that the employer provide space other than a toilet stall for nursing purposes.
HB 1276 is sponsored by Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, and Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne.
HB 1276 would impose on private businesses a "reasonable accommodation" standard, requiring the employer to provide time and space for breastfeeding.
The proposed "Workplace Accommodations for Nursing Mothers Act" does not require employers to pay female employees for the time taken to nurse an infant or expel milk. The bill would allow employers to designate established break and meal interludes as periods available for nursing, so long as they are sufficiently numerous to be the necessary reasonable accommodation.
The bill also requires that the employer provide space other than a toilet stall for nursing purposes.
HB 1276 is sponsored by Rep. Andy Kerr, D-Lakewood, and Sen. Dan Gibbs, D-Silverthorne.
Dyslexia Assistance Bill Gets Okay From House Committee
A bill that would provide resources to help teachers identify dyslexic students, and to teach them to read, passed the House Education Committee Thursday.
HB 1223, sponsored by Rep. Michael Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, requires the state's Department of Education to provide technical assistance and training to school districts, local educational facilities and other school units.
“Effectively addressing dyslexia is one of the keys to reaching Governor Ritter’s goals of increasing the literacy rate and cutting our drop-out rate in half in the next 10 years,” Merrifield said in a news release issued by the House Democratic Caucus. “If we are serious about developing a well-educated workforce in Colorado for strong economic development in the 21st century, we must attend to the needs of our many dyslexic students.”
Merrifield also said that estimates indicate about 100,000 Colorado children are dyslexic, which adds up to about one of every five kids in each classroom.
The bill also applies to other conditions that cause children to have difficulty learning to read.
HB 1223, sponsored by Rep. Michael Merrifield, D-Colorado Springs, requires the state's Department of Education to provide technical assistance and training to school districts, local educational facilities and other school units.
“Effectively addressing dyslexia is one of the keys to reaching Governor Ritter’s goals of increasing the literacy rate and cutting our drop-out rate in half in the next 10 years,” Merrifield said in a news release issued by the House Democratic Caucus. “If we are serious about developing a well-educated workforce in Colorado for strong economic development in the 21st century, we must attend to the needs of our many dyslexic students.”
Merrifield also said that estimates indicate about 100,000 Colorado children are dyslexic, which adds up to about one of every five kids in each classroom.
The bill also applies to other conditions that cause children to have difficulty learning to read.
GOP English Proficiency Bill Gets Education Committee Approval
A Republican bill requiring all students in Colorado to demonstrate proficiency in written and spoken English before graduation from high school won endorsement by the Senate Education Committee Thursday.
SB 98 drew opposition from several Democrats on the committee, who argued that a forthcoming curriculum standards proposal would include English language requirements.
However, the bill's sponsor, Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, said he would withdraw his bill if that proposal does include standards requiring high school seniors to demonstrate the ability to speak and write English before graduation.
Two Democrats on the committee voted "yes." They were Sen. Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins, and Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora. Democrats Sue Windels of Arvada and Ron Tupa of Boulder were the only "no" votes.
SB 98 drew opposition from several Democrats on the committee, who argued that a forthcoming curriculum standards proposal would include English language requirements.
However, the bill's sponsor, Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, said he would withdraw his bill if that proposal does include standards requiring high school seniors to demonstrate the ability to speak and write English before graduation.
Two Democrats on the committee voted "yes." They were Sen. Bob Bacon, D-Fort Collins, and Sen. Suzanne Williams, D-Aurora. Democrats Sue Windels of Arvada and Ron Tupa of Boulder were the only "no" votes.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Teen Tobacco Use Ban Passes Senate
The Senate passed Wednesday a bill that would ban minors from possessing tobacco.
SB 88, which its sponsor calls the "Teen Tobacco Use Prevention Act," does not criminalize the possession or use of tobacco by children under the age of 18. Instead, the bill authorizes law enforcement officers to confiscate cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco or any other tobacco product found in a minor's possession.
The bill also forbids tobacco retailers and others from selling or otherwise providing minors with cigarettes or other tobacco products. Violation of those provisions is made a petty offense subject to a fine for each violation. The bill would require tobacco merchants to ask for identification before selling tobacco products.
SB 88 also preserves the right of Colorado municipalities to enact criminal prohibitions against possession of tobacco products by minors.
Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, sponsored the bill in the Senate, while the House sponsor is Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.
SB 88, which its sponsor calls the "Teen Tobacco Use Prevention Act," does not criminalize the possession or use of tobacco by children under the age of 18. Instead, the bill authorizes law enforcement officers to confiscate cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco or any other tobacco product found in a minor's possession.
The bill also forbids tobacco retailers and others from selling or otherwise providing minors with cigarettes or other tobacco products. Violation of those provisions is made a petty offense subject to a fine for each violation. The bill would require tobacco merchants to ask for identification before selling tobacco products.
SB 88 also preserves the right of Colorado municipalities to enact criminal prohibitions against possession of tobacco products by minors.
Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, sponsored the bill in the Senate, while the House sponsor is Rep. Tom Massey, R-Poncha Springs.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives.
Senate Passes "Textbook Affordability Act"
The Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would require the state's colleges to provide students information about the price of required textbooks and the amount of time expected to go by before the publisher revises the textbook.
SB 73 was approved on a 31-4 vote, with Republicans Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Nancy Spence of Centennial, and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock and Democrat Suzanne Williams of Aurora opposing it.
The measure now moves over to the House, where it is sponsored by Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins.
The Senate sponsor is Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder.
SB 73 was approved on a 31-4 vote, with Republicans Bill Cadman of Colorado Springs, Nancy Spence of Centennial, and Tom Wiens of Castle Rock and Democrat Suzanne Williams of Aurora opposing it.
The measure now moves over to the House, where it is sponsored by Rep. John Kefalas, D-Fort Collins.
The Senate sponsor is Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder.
Sex Offender Monitoring Bill Gets Committee Okay
A House committee approved a bill Wednesday that would require all violent sex offenders to wear a monitoring bracelet allowing the state to keep track of their whereabouts.
HB 1219, sponsored by Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, would apply to about 400 people in Colorado who have been convicted of such violent sex crimes as rape, sexual assault of a child or unlawful sexual contact with a child. The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure after narrowing its introduced scope, which would have reached anyone convicted of any crime considered sexual in nature.
The bill's supporters got help at the hearing from the father of a Florida girl who was murdered after being abducted and assaulted by a sex offender in 2005.
Mark Lunsford told the committee that the cost of the bracelets and monitoring is less than that of re-incarcerating offenders or of losing more children to violent predators.
The monitoring devices would allow law enforcement authorities to track convicted violent sex offenders' movements via satellite.
The Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to refer the bill to the House Appropriations Committee.
HB 1219, sponsored by Rep. Bob Gardner, R-Colorado Springs, would apply to about 400 people in Colorado who have been convicted of such violent sex crimes as rape, sexual assault of a child or unlawful sexual contact with a child. The House Judiciary Committee approved the measure after narrowing its introduced scope, which would have reached anyone convicted of any crime considered sexual in nature.
The bill's supporters got help at the hearing from the father of a Florida girl who was murdered after being abducted and assaulted by a sex offender in 2005.
Mark Lunsford told the committee that the cost of the bracelets and monitoring is less than that of re-incarcerating offenders or of losing more children to violent predators.
The monitoring devices would allow law enforcement authorities to track convicted violent sex offenders' movements via satellite.
The Judiciary Committee voted unanimously to refer the bill to the House Appropriations Committee.
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