| We are on Day 86 of the legislative session. The session is moving quickly. There are a lot of bills still on the calendar with only 34 days remaining.
The senate has introduced 197 bills; the house has introduced 439 bills. This includes budget related bills, but it doesn’t include resolutions. The legislature has postponed indefinitely or killed 66 bills. The governor has signed 61 bills. Reasonably, some bills are through the second chamber and on the calendar for final vote; some bills may be back in the original chamber for concurrence with amendments added in the second chamber. There are bills waiting to be signed by the governor. The budget bill and satellite bills have made their way through the House and are now in the Senate. Taking into consideration these scenarios, it reduces the 509 outstanding bills to an estimated 400+ bills remaining in the pipeline with about 5 weeks until the session adjourns. To add to the intrigue, CBA is aware of at least three and possibly four late bills still to be introduced that we will engage in.
CBA’s primary agenda for the next 34 days:
HB24-1351 Concerning the Division of Banking Sunset – CBA position: Oppose (section 9) The Sunset Report should be a non-controversial piece of legislation submitted by the Department of Regulatory Affairs after a periodic review of the Division of Banking and the Banking Board. This year’s report includes a significant statutory change to allow a credit union to purchase the assets and liabilities of a bank. The bill is pending action in House Appropriations Committee and then will move for debate on the House floor. From there the bill has to be heard and debated in the Senate.
HB24-1148 Concerning Consumer Lending – CBA position: Oppose This bill was originally targeting lenders licensed by the UCCC and changes the terms and interest rates of non-depository institutions may charge a consumer in a credit transaction. The bill was amended during floor debate in the House. The amendment impacts how supervised loans are calculated for non-depository and depository institutions including rulemaking within the Office of Attorney General. The bill is now in the Senate.
HB24-1151 Concerning Disclose Mandatory Fees in Advertisements – CBA position: Amend This bill prohibits a person from advertising a price for a product, good or service that does not include all mandatory or non-discretionary fees. The bill was amended during floor debate in the House and CBA is back in an amend position to clean up some technical language regarding the exemption for banks and affiliates.
HB24-1259 Concerning Price Gouging – CBA Position: Oppose The bill prohibits price gouging in the provision of housing during a declared disaster. CBA was in an amend position and moved to oppose position having been unable to negotiate reasonable amendments with the bill sponsors. The bill is on the Senate calendar for floor debate. Working with a small coalition we should be able to get the floor votes we need to amend the bill on the Senate floor.
HB24-1260 Concerning Prohibition Against Employee Discipline – CBA position: Oppose The this an anti-union busting bill. The bill prohibits an employer from requiring an employee to attend a meeting, listen to speech or view emails concerning religious or political matters. The issue with this bill is that the intent of the bill and the actual bill language do not align. The coalition working to amend the bill in the House has not been successful in reaching compromise with the bill sponsors and bill proponents. We expect better results once the bill is in the Senate.
CBA supports and is advocating for the following legislation:
SB24-136 Uniform Guardianship – The bill repeals the Uniform Guardianship and Protective Proceedings Act and enacts the Uniform Guardianship, Conservatorship, and Other Protective Arrangements Act. CBA amended the bill and is now supporting this legislation.
SB24-112 Concerning Construction Defect Action Procedures – A construction professional is not vicariously liable for the acts or omissions of a licensed design professional for construction defects.
SB24-106 Concerning Construction Defect – Right to Remedy – The bills updates procedures for bringing litigation and resolution for construction defects.
HB24-1316 Concerning Middle-Income Tax Credit – The bill creates a pilot program for income tax credit for owners of qualified housing developments.
HB24-1340 Incentives for Post Secondary Education – The bill creates 2 income tax credits to encourage enrollment and completion of higher education. The is an incentive to address labor shortages in critical industries and to create a talent pipeline for a strong Colorado economy.
In closing we would like to recognize our friends and colleagues in the oil and gas industry. After 9+ hours of testimony on March 28, 2024, SB24-159 Concerning Modifications to Energy and Carbon Management Processes was killed in Senate committee. This bill would have decimated the oil and gas industry and the state economy in Colorado. The fight is not over, and more work remains but this is a huge win for Colorado.
A Final Thought: STOP!!! Friday April 5, 2024, is National Walk to Work Day. I don’t even know where to start. I’m sure this is a great idea, somewhere. Tomorrow not only are we dodging bicyclists and those annoying scooter people on our streets who don’t obey traffic signs, tomorrow we are now supposed to walk to work?!?! JUST NO! Friday’s event is followed by Sunday’s World Health Day. I write this as I eat a donut sitting at my desk. They could have warned us this was coming to have prepared us for Walk to Work Day. Next thing you know, it will be Bike to Work Day. ◼
Alison Morgan, Director of State Government Relations |
