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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMinutes - Legislative Review Committee - 04/05/2016 -City Managerಬs Office City Hall 300 LaPorte Ave. PO Box 580 Fort Collins, CO 80522 970.221.6505 970.224.6107 - fax fcgov.com Legislative Review Committee Agenda Meeting Notes April 5, 2016, 4:00 p.m. Commons Conference Room Present: Gino Campana, Councilmember; Ross Cunniff, Councilmember; Ray Martinez, Councilmember; Carrie Daggett, City Attorney; Wendy Williams, Assistant City Manager; Dan Weinheimer, Legislative Policy Manager Absent: None Guests: Kevin Jones, Fort Collins Area Chamber of Commerce; John Phelan, Fort Collins Utilities The meeting came to order at 4:00 pm. Councilmember Martinez moved approval of the March 22, 2016 minutes and Councilmember Cunniff seconded. Minutes were adopted without amendment. Dan reviewed bills from the General Assembly. He shared that to date nearly 680 bills have been introduced. x HB16-1005 is a bill to allow Residential Precipitation Collection – to allow residents to use up to two rain barrels at their home to capture, store and use precipitation on site. Dan informed LRC that this bill was approved on the Senate side in both Committee and floor. The passage of this bill will allow residents the use of rain barrels for garden use. LRC had adopted a support position on this bill. x HB16-1231 pertains to Restricting the Use of Red Light Cameras. Dan explained that the bill has been amended to prevent use of red light cameras and photo radar in the Senate. Dan shared that the next step was likely a conference committee and, should the bill contain a prohibition on red light cameras, a veto from the Governor. LRC kept an oppose position. x HB16-1283 would raise Water Loss Audit Report Performance Standards. The impacts of this bill would have been broad and the outcomes were unpredictable. The bill died in the House Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Committee. x HB16-1311 would change Procedures When Orders Require Monetary Payments. Dan explained that this bill modifies the court’s procedures by offering payment alternatives to a defendant that is unable to pay the amount issued. LRC adopted a monitor position. x HB16-1314 was purposed to change how they Treat Preexisting Groundwater Depletions. The bill specifies that all out of priority groundwater depletions in Division 1 shall be deemed to be fully replaced, regardless of whether any decree states otherwise. The bill died before LRC met. LRC did not adopt a position. 2 x HB16-1332 makes adjustments to Alternative Fuel Motor Vehicle Income Tax Credits.The bill makes changes to 2 income tax credits available to taxpayers who purchase alternative fuel motor vehicles and trucks. LRC adopted a monitor position. x HB16-1370 is a bill concerning Nicotine Product Retailers Registry. The bill makes changes to the allocation of sales tax revenues on all nicotine products; the City of Fort Collins would lose revenue and control over regulation of non-cigarette tobacco products and devices (vaping, etc.) if this bill passes. LRC adopted an oppose position. x HB16-1382 would allow citizens to Divert Water (for)Piscatorial Aesthetic Beneficial Use. This bill was recommended for a support position by Fort Collins staff, however, the bill died in the first committee hearing before LRC met. LRC did not adopt a position. x HB16-1388 relates to Employer Hiring Criminal History Employee. It would ultimately prohibit an employer from asking candidates any questions in regards to their criminal history until they are offered a job. While local governments are exempted in the bill, the LRC saw negative consequences for businesses in the community and adopted an oppose position. x HB16-1399 makes additions in regards to Workers’ Compensation for PTSD. Dan explained to LRC that the bill clarifies that a workers' compensation claim for mental impairment may not be denied based on the occupation of the worker. LRC adopted a monitor position. x HB16-1420 creates a CO Healthcare Affordability & Sustainability Enterprise.The purpose of the enterprise would be to participate in the implementation and administration of a state Colorado healthcare affordability and sustainability program. LRC adopted a support position. x HB16-1421would Allocate Additional FY 2016-2017 General Fund Revenues. This bill would allocate more revenue to the Highway Users Tax Fund and help to make improvements to I-25 in the future. LRC adopted a support position. x SB16-075 would allow DNA Collection Misdemeanor Vulnerable Persons. Bill seeks to collect DNA samples for certain additional offenses. Dan shared that the bill died on March 29th, Councilmember Martinez requested information about why the bill failed. x SB16-157 is a bill that says Don’t Implement Clean Power Plan Until Stay Lifted. The bill requires the air quality control commission and the division of administration in the department of public health and environment to suspend all activities in furtherance of developing a state plan to implement the clean power plan until the Supreme Court's stay is lifted and new deadlines for submission of state plans have been established. LRC adopted a monitor position, and asked for staff to assess the impact this would have on the city’s climate action planning and the State of Colorado working on efficiency-related projects. x SB16-177 would Modify 2015 Urban Renewal Legislation. Dan shared that this is a cleanup bill negotiated between CML, CCI, and the special districts. The bill makes technical modifications to previous URA legislation. LRC adopted a support position. John Phelan joined LRC to facilitate a discussion on tax exempt status of various water and energy efficiency rebate programs offered by the City. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued guidance that water efficiency rebates are not tax exempt (unlike energy efficiency rebates). LRC asked that staff include a point on modifying the tax exempt status of water efficiency rebates in 3 the 2017 Legislative Policy Agenda and to work with the Congressional Delegation to change this status in order to encourage additional participation in water efficiency. LRC discussed altering the meetings schedule to move the May 3 scheduled meeting to April 26. This will result in the next two LRC meetings occurring April 19 and 26. The meeting was adjourned at 5:08 pm.