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S_TRA_2020A 02/27/2020 03:01:36 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION & ENERGY
Date 02/27/2020
Attendance
Foote X
Hisey X
Scott X
Pettersen X
Winter X
Time 03:01:36 PM to 05:42:09 PM
Place SCR 352
This Meeting was called to order by Senator Winter
This Report was prepared by April Bernard
Hearing Items Action Taken
HB20-1181 Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
SB20-178 Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
SB20-070 Amended, referred to Senate Finance
SB20-168 Amended, referred to Senate Finance

X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

SB20-178 - Committee Discussion Only
03:01:51 PM  
Senator Danielson, co-prime bill sponsor
with Senator Zenzinger, introduced Senate Bill 20-178 concerning a license
plate to honor women veterans who have disabilities.  The bill allows
women veterans with disabilities to obtain the license plate.  The
fee, plus two one-time fees of $25, will be distributed to the Highway
Users Tax Fund and the Licensing Servics Cash Fund.
The benfits for plate holders are the same as the veterans with disabilities
plate.
03:04:34 PM  
The bill sponsor responded to questions
from the committee.
03:04:35 PM  
Chair Winter laid the bill over until later in the hearing
at the request of the bill sponsor.



HB20-1181 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
03:11:40 PM  
Senator Moreno, prime bill sponsor, introduced
House Bill 20-1181, concerning the repeal of the fuel tax exemption for
nonprofit transit agencies.  The bill repeals the fuel excise tax
on liquefied petroleum gas and natural gas.
03:13:07 PM  
The bill sponsor responded to questions from the committee.


03:15:34 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 20-1181 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey Yes
Scott Yes
Pettersen Yes
Winter Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB20-178 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations

03:15:54 PM  
Senator Zenzinger, co-prime bill sponsor,
provided additional information about the bill and distributed a handout
(Attachment A).  The senator also distributed
Amendments L.001, L.002, and L.003 (Attachments B, C, and D).


03:23:23 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment B).
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey
Scott
Pettersen
Winter
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


03:23:41 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment C).
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey
Scott
Pettersen
Winter
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


03:24:01 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment D).
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey
Scott
Pettersen
Winter
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


03:24:36 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 20-178, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey Yes
Scott Yes
Pettersen Yes
Winter Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB20-070 - Amended, referred to Senate Finance
03:27:23 PM  
Sentaors Lee and Coram, co-prime bill sponsors,
returned to the committee for the consideration of Senate Bill 20-070,
concerning penalties for traffic offenses and distribution of funds collected
as a result of offenses.  Senator Lee distributed and talked about
Amendment L.006 (Attachment E).
03:31:44 PM  
Senator Coram spoke to the bill and Amendment
L.006 (Attachment E).
03:32:08 PM  
The committee made comments on Amendment
L.006 (Attachment E).


03:34:22 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.006 (Attachment E).
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey
Scott
Pettersen
Winter
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


03:34:50 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 20-070, as amended, to the Committee on Finance.
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Excused
Hisey Yes
Scott No
Pettersen Yes
Winter Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 1   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB20-168 - Amended, referred to Senate Finance
03:35:33 PM  
Senators Hansen and Pettersen, co-prime
bill sponsors, introduced Senate Bill 20-168, concerning tax policy that
promotes environmental sustainability.  The bill modifies the community
solar garden property tax, extending the exemption for five additional
property tax years.  The exemption will also apply to a garden that
is a solar energy facility.  Local governments will receive assistance
for the extension of this exemption through the sustainable energy tax
policy fund.  The bill inidicates that TABOR refund mechanisms only
apply after refunds are made to counties for the reimbursements for senior
homestead exemptions.   The bill also changes
the way that solar energy facilities are valued, as well as the the coal
severance tax, effective July 2, 2021.  Additional taxes collected
from changes to the coal severance tax will be credited to the Sustainable
Energy Policy Fund.
03:41:56 PM  
Mike Kruger, representing the Colorado
Solar and Storage Association, testified in support of the bill.  Daniel
Merkle, representing Pivot Energy, testified in support of the bill.  Kevin
Cray, representing the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), testified
in support of the bill.  Michael Krueger, representing the Colorado
Department of Regulatory Agencies, came to the table to answer questions
from the committee.  Brett Moore, representing EDP Renewables and
the Interwest Energy Alliance, testified in support of the bill.
03:53:35 PM  
Jerald Bouwens, representing the coal industry,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Ryan Vinzke, representing himself,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Srdjan Brstina, representing
himself, testified in opposition to the bill.  William Davis, representing
himself, testified in opposition to the bill.
04:00:02 PM  
The witness panel responded to questions from the committee.
04:02:22 PM  
The following witness panel testified remotely
from Colorado Mountain College in Steamboat Springs.  Doug Monger,
representing Routt County, testified in opposition to the bill.  Edwin
Brady, representing Peabody Energy, testified in opposition to the bill.
 Jayme Sobieralski, representing Peabody Energy and Twentymile Mine,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Leslie How, representing Peabody
Energy, testified in opposition to the bill.
04:17:23 PM  
Gina Lotito, representing GCC Energy, testified
in opposition to the bill.  Mike Zimmerman, representing the coal
industry, testified in opposition to the bill.  Clay Copeland, representing
the coal industry, testified in opposition to the bill.  Jeremy Robertson,
representing the coal industry, testified in opposition to the bill.
04:26:30 PM  
Weston Norris, representing the West Elk
Mine, testified remotely from Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction,
in opposition to the bill.
04:29:49 PM  
Pat Sollars, representing the coal industry,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Candice Trujillo, representing
the coal industry, testified in opposition to the bill.  Levi Muhome,
representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Jenna
Spencer, representing the coal industry, testified in opposition to the
bill.
04:39:04 PM  
The witness panel responded to questions from the committee.
04:39:32 PM  
William LoPro, representing Blue Mountain
Energy, testified in opposition to the bill.  Jeff Dubbert, representing
the coal industry, testified in opposition to the bill.  Bonnie Petersen,
representing the Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified
in opposition to the bill.  Brandy DeLange, representing the Colorado
Municipal League, testified in opposition to the bill unless amended.
04:49:57 PM  
Stan Dempsey, representing the Colorado
Mining Association (CMA), testified in opposition to the bill.  Bill
Skewes, representing the Colorado Chamber of Commerce, testified in opposition
to the bill.  Dianna Orf, representing CMA, testified in opposition
to the bill.  Robert VanGorder, representing Wagner Equipment Company,
testified in opposition to the bill.
05:00:29 PM  
The witness panel responded to questions from the committee.
05:07:50 PM  
Gini Pingenot, representing Colorado Counties,
Inc., testified about the bill.  Sophia San Miguel, representing herself,
testified in support of the bill.
05:08:56 PM  
Patrick Boyle, representing the Colorado
Competitive Council, testified in opposition to the bill.  David Long,
representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Jarrett
Caddy, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Kevin
Copeland, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.
05:25:13 PM  
Senator Hansen distributed and described
Amendments L.001 and L.002 (Attachments F and G).


05:26:54 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment F).
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote
Hisey
Scott
Pettersen
Winter
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


05:27:17 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment G).
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote
Hisey
Scott
Pettersen
Winter
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
05:27:38 PM  
The bill sponsors made closing remarks.
05:31:52 PM  
Committee members made closing remarks.


05:41:55 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 20-168, as amended, to the Committee on Finance.
Moved Pettersen
Seconded
Foote Yes
Hisey No
Scott No
Pettersen Yes
Winter Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


05:42:09 PM   The committee adjourned.