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21 BILLS PASSED, NEW NEWSLETTER OUT On June 11, Governor Bill Ritter completed his responsibility of deciding whether to sign or veto bills that the General Assembly passed in 2010. I'm pleased to announce that Ritter signed 21 bills this year that I was the prime Senate sponsor of, while the General Assembly adopted five resolutions that I sponsored. For a recap of what I believe was a very productive session, just click here to read my end-of-session newsletter. Or, since we could only include a small percentage of what happened in an eight-page newsletter, visit www.leg.state.co.us to read any or all of the bills that were introduced during the session. Now that the 2010 session is over, it's time for me to turn my attention to the 2010 elections and to the upcoming 2011 session, which will begin in early January. Please feel free to contact me with your thoughts about how we can continue to improve our state, and thanks to everyone who contacted me or worked with us during the last session. Wishing you the best, Rollie __________________________________________________________________________________ BILL SIGNING IN BOULDER The roof was rocking at the 1500 Pearl Street parking structure in downtown Boulder on Saturday, June 5, as about 100 people gathered for a bill signing ceremony. Governor Bill Ritter traveled to our fair city to sign Senate Bill 156, which I was the prime Senate sponsor of, and House Bill 1342 into law. SB-156 will provide mobile home owners in Colorado with several new legal rights, and will require mobile home park owners to adhere to several new standards. Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, the House sponsor, and I were proud to carry this bill in part because responsible mobile home owners may find themselves relatively powerless in certain situations, due to the "dual ownership" nature of mobile home parks. In other words, they own the home but they don't own the land that the home sits on. It was only fitting to hold the signing ceremony for SB-156 in Boulder, since the impetus for the bill came primarily from Boulder residents and many of the early meetings to discuss the bill were held in Boulder. A great deal of the credit for initiating this bill will go to a number of Boulder mobile home owners, along with Macon Cowles of the Boulder City Council, Kathy Haddock of the Boulder City Attorney's Office, and Carl Castillo, Policy Advisor for the City of Boulder. The history surrounding the process of drafting and amending this bill could almost be used as a textbook civics lesson, since parts of the early versions of SB-156 were met with some resistance. It took many meetings and quite a bit of compromise from all parties involved to finally get the bill passed, but I believe we wound up with a bill that accomplished a number of our objectives - and a bill that will work for home owners and park owners alike. In a nutshell, SB-156 increased the allowable time for homeowners who have been given notice to move their homes from 30 to 60 days, with exceptions for egregious violations. It requires park owners to notify homeowners being evicted of their right to mediation. It codified a right for homeowners to gather peacefully in common areas of the park. It requires park owners to provide adequate water and sewer infrastructure to the utility pedestal or pad of the home, and it allows county or municipal governments access to a park in case of health or safety hazards.
Gov. Bill Ritter signs SB-156 into law, with mobile home owners and officials looking on. From left: Ken Wilson, Will Toor, Macon Cowles, Rollie Heath, Matthew Kurek, Rita Bowman, Kit Basom, Kathy Haddock, Sherry Armstrong, Mai Lowental-Beare, Sam Alschuler, Tanya Petty and Kathleen Kenny. There was also a fortunate yet unintended benefit to the SB-156 process. While it might have been expected that park owners and home owners would find themselves on opposite ends of some of the issues, discussions also led to talks of a growing concern that certain cities are considering getting rid of mobile home parks altogether. This would obviously not be in the best interests of either "group," and the groups intend to continue meeting together with the objective of making sure that this doesn't happen. Gov. Ritter also signed HB-1342, the "Solar Gardens" bill, on Saturday. In short, the bill would allow groups of 10 or more Coloradans to collaborate on solar projects of up to two megawatts. Currently, it might be possible for a homeowner to be interested in using solar, but they might not be able to put up panels due to the location or type of their homes. HB-1342 would allow these homeowners to participate in solar despite their impediments to doing so. It was also quite appropriate for Gov. Ritter to sign HB-1342 in Boulder. For starters, Rep. Claire Levy, D-Boulder, was the prime House sponsor. Also, Levy said Boulder resident Neal Lurie of the Colorado Solar Energy Industries Association helped make the original bill better, and said she had a number of other partners during the process, including Jonathan Koehn from the City of Boulder Environmental Affairs department. Levy also gave credit to Gov. Ritter, who has helped foster a robust New Energy Economy during his term. According to Ritter, he had signed 56 New Energy-related bills during his four years in office as of Saturday. We also passed a bill this session that calls for Colorado to get 30 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020, and Levy emphasized that we'll need to keep coming up with good ideas - such as solar gardens - if we're going to hit that target. _________________________________________________________________________________ THREE MORE THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE For a quick update to the post below from May 7, three additional bills that I was the prime Senate sponsor of have passed through both the House and the Senate. The three bills were awaiting Governor Bill Ritter's signature as of May 20, and I have confidence that the following bills will be signed into law. HOUSE BILL 1264 (Rep. Priola - Sen. Heath): HB-1264 would make available to all state employees an "idea application" that would allow the employees to make suggestions on how to reduce state expenses. HOUSE BILL 1427 (Rep. Todd - Sen. Heath): HB-1427 would clarify that the governing board of any state institution of higher education, such as the CU Board of Regents, has the authority to offer its employees an insurance plan in addition to or in lieu of the plan offered by the state Department of Personnel. SENATE BILL 216 (Sen. Heath - Rep. Court): SB-216 would change the order by which initiatives and referendums are listed on state ballots. Currently, initated amendment ballot measures are listed first, followed by referred amendments, initiated statutory measures and referred statutory measures. If Gov. Ritter signs SB-216, referred amendment measures would be listed first, followed by initiated amendments, referred statutory measures and initated statutory measures. As of May 20, 13 of the bills that I sponsored have been signed into law, and five resolutions that I sponsored have been approved by both the House and Senate. Also, eight bills that I sponsored have passed both the House and Senate but await Gov. Ritter's signature. I'll continue to update this site as more bills are signed into law, and you may read more about the bills at www.leg.state.co.us or on the "Rollie's Bills" section of this site. ___________________________________________________________________________________ THIRTEEN BILLS SIGNED, FOUR ON DECK With less than a week to go in the 2010 session, things are truly hectic at the Capitol. We're still dealing with a number of complex and controversial bills, and we have until May 12 to pass or defeat any bill introduced this year. As you can imagine, my days and nights are filled with intense discussions and negotiations, and spare moments are few and far between. While we have quite a bit left to accomplish this year, some of my work is done. As of May 7, 13 bills of which I was the prime Senate sponsor have been signed into law, and the Legislature has approved five resolutions that I sponsored. Also, four bills that I am sponsoring have passed both the House and Senate so far, and I believe that Gov. Bill Ritter will sign all four into law. Here is a brief recap of the aforementioned bills, and you may read more about any of them at www.leg.state.co.us or on the "Rollie's Bills" section of this site. I also have seven other bills that are still alive but haven't passed through both the House and the Senate yet, and I'll post updates when new information is available. BILLS SIGNED INTO LAW: SENATE BILL 138 (Sen. Heath - Rep. Peniston): SB-138 will require both the property owner and the given Colorado county to be responsible for court costs in the case of an appeal of the property valuation for tax purposes. HOUSE BILL 1071 (Rep. Labuda - Sen. Heath): HB-1071 eliminates a requirement that a person employed in a technical forestry capacity by the board of governors of the Colorado State University system must possess at least two years experience in forest practice. HOUSE BILL 1076 (Rep. DelGrosso - Sen. Heath): HB-1076 allows entities that have contracts with governmental entities for a property tax work-off program to opt participants in or out of the Workers Compensation Act of Colorado and the Colorado Employment Security Act.
Rep. Brian DelGrosso (left), Gov. Bill Ritter and Sen. Rollie Heath at the bill signing ceremony for HB-1076, April 28, 2010 HOUSE BILLS 1189-1200 (Reps. Pommer, Ferrandino and Hullinghorst - Sen. Heath): Gov. Ritter has signed 10 of the 12 bills introduced as House Bills 1189-1200. The package of bills was designed to shore up our current budget shortfall by suspending certain tax exemptions or credits. As we were considering the bills, Colorado had hundreds of credits or exemptions on the books, worth a total of more than $2 billion annually. The bills introduced this year suspended about six percent of our exemptions, leaving about 94 percent still in place, but it has been estimated that passing the bills will help the state avoid cutting roughly $323 million by FY 2011-12. This is money that will help prevent budget cuts in key areas such as K-12 education. The bills signed as of May 5 pertain to the following categories: 1189 for cooperative direct mail advertising materials; 1190 for fuels used in industrial purposes; 1191 for candy and soft drinks; 1192 for standardized software; 1193 for internet retailers that don't already collect Colorado sales tax; 1194 for non-essential food service items; 1195 for certain items used in agricultural production; 1196 for Category 7 motor vehicle purchases; 1197 for conservation easements; and 1199 for net operating losses on tax returns. (As of May 12, HB-1200 had passed both the House and Senate but was still awaiting Gov. Ritter's signature.) BILLS THROUGH THE HOUSE AND SENATE, AWAITING GOV. RITTER'S SIGNATURE SENATE BILL 028 (Sen. Heath - Rep. Pace): SB-028 would establish the Colorado WorkShare Program, which would allow payment of unemployment benefits to workers who have received a reduction in work hours. Companies would participate voluntarily in this program, and it could allow participating firms to share cuts in hours among employees as opposed to laying certain employees off completely. SENATE BILL 156 (Sen. Heath - Rep. Hullinghorst): SB-156 would add new legal protections for owners of mobile homes, while adding new standards for mobile home park owners. This bill truly originated in the City of Boulder, as a core group of home owners and members of city government met with Rep. Dickey Lee Hullinghorst and I to discuss the unique dual-ownership system inherent in mobile home parks - the homeowner owns the home, but they don't own the land the home sits on. After a long period of negotiation and amendments in the Senate and House, the bill now extends the period of time that a homeowner is given to move a home after receiving notice; codifies notification requirements when a park owner intends to change the land use of a park; spells out homeowner rights for gatherings in common areas of a park; and requires park owners to provide adequate water and sewer connections to all mobile homes in a park. SENATE BILL 162 (Sen. Heath - Rep. Hullinghorst): SB-162 would increase population limitations for urban enterprise zones from the current 80,000 people to 115,000, and increase limitations for rural zones from 100,000 to 150,000. HOUSE BILL 1139 (Rep. Apuan - Sen. Heath): HB-1139 would authorize the creation of special license plates for veterans of the conflicts in Afghanistan or Iraq. A one-time fee of $25 for the plates would be credited to the Colorado State Veterans Trust Fund. More to come! ____________________________________________________________________________________ MANY TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT We held our final town hall meeting of the 2010 session on April 24 at CU-Boulder, and we had a fantastic conversation about what we've accomplished this year in the General Assembly and what's left to do. Cindy Domenico, Chair of the Boulder County Board of Commissioners, started the meeting by talking about key state bills from 2010 and their impacts on Boulder County. For example, we recently passed House Bill 1107, which basically prevents agricultural land from being included in urban renewal areas. It would limit the use of tax increment financing (TIF) for developments on what was once agricultural land. Since tax income generated by development is used to finance the project, using TIF can cost local governments revenue. Domenico said the county government has been concerned about this situation for decades, and she said 1107 was a step in the right direction. She also mentioned that the state's budget difficulties have impacted county operations. The county had a $4.5 million shortfall in its Housing and Human Services department this year, due to a combination of increased demand for services and decreased state funding. The department announced a strategy to bridge the budget gap, which included cutting funding for child care and job training, asking employees to accept early retirement, and laying employees off. While local governments across the state face shortfalls in 2010, the situation could get even worse next year. The federal stimulus program is scheduled to expire, and state voters will see three troubling ballot measures in Amendment 60, Amendment 61 and Proposition 101. According to Domenico, estimates say 101 alone could cost the county up to $9 million per year when fully implemented, while 60 might cost the county up to $22 million per year.
Cindy Domenico, Boulder County Commissioner Frances Draper, executive director of the Boulder Economic Council, and Angelique Espinoza, former Boulder City Council member, then spoke about opportunities for constitutional reform. Draper and Espinoza both participated in the Colorado's Future process, in which civic leaders and community members throughout Colorado met and discussed our constitutional structure. About 90 people attended an early April meeting in Boulder. Espinoza and Draper spoke about how Colorado's Future participants came to an amazing level of consensus on certain issues, even in communities as politically different as Colorado Springs and Boulder. For example, most participants said they would support the formation of constitutional review commissions, and that it should take supermajority support at the ballot box to amend our constitution. The General Assembly is currently debating two Senate Concurrent Resolutions that would address those issues. SCR-001 spells out the framework for setting up constitutional review commissions, while SCR-003 calls for supermajority approval for amendments and geographic representation throughout Colorado in gathering petition signatures. For 001 and 003 to become 2010 ballot measures, two-thirds of the House and Senate must approve, and getting them passed will be a key priority of mine for the remainder of this session. We touched on a number of other issues during the rest of the meeting, including payday lending, conservation easements, budget cuts and funding sources for K-12 education, evaluating educators, mobile homes and property assessment appeals. In fact, we ended the meeting with a civil exchange between a strong proponent of new regulations on the payday lending industry and an actual payday lender on House Bill 1351. The two attendees expressed their differing viewpoints, and it gave an excellent real-life example of what we do at the Capitol. We receive input on a topic, we draft legislation to address it, we listen to opinions on the bill, we amend as necessary, and we vote based on as much information as we can gather. We had a great series of town hall meetings in 2010, and I'm looking forward to starting up again next year. This session will end on or before May 12, and please feel free to contact me with questions or comments about the bills that are still on the table. ___________________________________________________________________________________ NEW NEWSLETTER: "THE HEATH UPDATE For those who didn't receive a link to my latest newsletter via e-mail, just click here to read the April 12 version of "The Heath Update." We've posted this newsletter and our previous editions on the "Multimedia" page of this Web site, for future reference. _____________________________________________________________________________________ EDUCATION: THE CARE IS THERE The turnout for my March 13 town hall meeting could be seen as an indication that people from Senate District 18 really care about education. About 60 people came out to the Chautauqua Community House, despite the fact that it was an absolutely gorgeous spring morning, to learn about and discuss the current state of education in Colorado. From a big-picture state funding perspective, I couldn't start the meeting with great news. We've been forced to cut our overall budget a number of times since the recession began, and as a result, many Colorado school districts are looking at significant cuts in expenses and employment. Colorado already ranks somewhere between below average and near the lowest in the nation when it comes to funding K-12 education, depending on the type of measurement, and we're definitely at or near the lowest in the nation in state support for higher education. The Denver Post published a story in 2009 based on 2007 U.S. Census Bureau data that said we ranked 40th in the nation in spending per pupil. The Colorado Fiscal Policy Institute (CFPI) said we ranked 32nd in the nation in 2009 spending per capita, but 48th in spending per $1,000 in personal income. No matter the measure, we're not where I'd like to be when it comes to investing in our most precious resource - our children - and it is telling and disappointing to me that the CFPI's report was titled "Aiming for the Middle." We've become so accustomed to ranking near the bottom in so many categories that being below average is starting to look good, and in my opinion, this has got to change.
However, our guest speaker Saturday was Dr. Chris King, superintendent of the Boulder Valley School District (BVSD), and he started his presentation with positivity. King said BVSD is not as bad off as many districts in our state, thanks in part to the generosity of local voters and wise decisions made by BVSD school boards of the past. For examples, Boulder Valley approved a $300 million bond issue in 2006, and the boards decided to close some local schools before the worst of the economic crisis hit. Still, King said BVSD would receive about $6 million less in state support this year, while mandatory expenses such as PERA (retirement fund) contributions would increase. BVSD is currently working on cutting teacher and administrative positions, along with programmatic cuts, while still attempting to maintain high standards of performance. He added that budget cuts will have some negative local economic impacts, since BVSD is a major employer and the laid-off employees won't be able to spend as much in the local economy. We then took questions and comments, and people touched on issues such as:
We had a lively and well-informed conversation on March 13, and it will take the ideas and input from Colorado residents to help us maintain and improve our vital system of education. My next town hall will be on Saturday, April 24 at a location yet to be determined, and I hope to see you there. _____________________________________________________________________________________ COLLABORATION ON DISPLAY We had yet another lively town hall meeting on Feb. 20, and for this one, we brought representatives from several entities together in the Boulder City Council Chambers to talk about issues facing the broader community. Susan Osborne, Mayor of Boulder, started the meeting by speaking about how the state government impacts the city's operation. She said that the city isn't as affected by the state's fiscal situation to the same extent that the county government is, but she noted that local bridge conditions and the city's current diminished funding per lane-mile of roadway are of concern to the city. She also said that the city is in constant contact with the Governor's Energy Office, which assisted the city by authorizing it to sell bonds to finance its efforts to make municipal buildings more energy-efficient. The city also interacts with the Colorado Housing and Finance Authority (CHFA), and this relationship has led to funding or credits that helped several new housing projects in Boulder move forward. Osborne expressed concern that the state budget situation has contributed to a decline in Boulder Valley School District per-pupil funding - for the first time in decades - and that there is a possibility of eliminating some teacher positions. "All levels of government in Colorado are affected by the crisis in state government," concluded Osborne. "We're all interconnected."
Carl Castillo, policy advisor for the City of Boulder, then spoke about our collaborative efforts on Senate Bill 156, which would provide new protections for responsible owners of mobile homes and require new responsibilities on the part of mobile home park owners. Castillo explained the bill to attendees, which would increase notification periods for certain evictions and for intent to change the use of the park, along with requiring parks to maintain adequate water and sewer systems except in cases of emergency. He emphasized that mobile homes are an important source of affordable housing in Boulder. Audrey DeBarros, executive director of 36 Commuting Solutions, then spoke about her organization's efforts to improve what we once called the Boulder-Denver Turnpike. The original road was built in the 1950s, and while there are new interchanges and some additional lane improvements, US 36 has not had the major overhaul that it needs to handle modern-day traffic.
DeBarros handed out a brochure and explained some of the recent US 36 developments, along with plans for the future. In short, a Final Environmental Impact Statement for US 36 has been signed, and "phase one" priority includes construction of a new High Occupancy Vehicle / tolled Single Occupant Vehicle lane in both directions. The $550 million project would also include Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) infrastructure and a commuter bikeway. However, full funding might not be available for this project in the near future. In the meantime, DeBarros told the crowd that US 36 was awarded a $10 million grant from the federal Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program, and that it might qualify for financing through the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program. Also, she said RTD has applied for a grant to obtain 20 BRT vehicles. There is progress on the US 36 front. I then had my chance to speak, and I started by talking about the package of budget balancing bills (House Bills 1189-1200) that I sponsored in the Senate. The bills basically would suspend several existing tax credits or exemptions, bringing about $140 million to the state's general fund that could be used to prevent cuts to education. I showed a video of a recent speech of mine from the Senate floor (coming to this Web site soon), which I believe was a passionate representation of why we needed to pass the bills. We're currently looking at cutting millions of dollars from the K-12 budget, yet we're attempting to compete economically against states and nations that place stronger priorities on education. I believe strongly that the state needs to invest in its people and its infrastructure for success in the future, and HBs 1189-1200 should help us in that respect. I took questions and comments from attendees, including one person who strongly disagreed with my positions. Others commented on special education, the rights of public river rafters, physical disabilities, public schools and private school vouchers, Amendment 23 and the mobile home bill. It was an interesting discussion, which is one of the most important purposes of holding a town hall meeting. Our next meeting will be held Saturday, March 13, from 10 a.m. until noon at a location yet to be determined. The meeting will be about education, and we are working on signing up guest speakers. I hope to see you there! __________________________________________________________________________________ AN EMOTIONAL DAY It's rare when a state resolution hits home as hard as Senate Joint Resolution 10-009 did, but considering SJR-009 on Jan. 29 was part of an emotional day for me. SJR-009 honored the University of Colorado's Anschutz Medical Center, along with CU's School of Medicine, Cancer Center and Hospital, for contributions to the state's medical system and economy. But for me, the work of CU's medical professionals literally saved my life. After the resolution was read to the Senate on Jan. 29, I shared my story of being a cancer survivor with my colleagues. To be brief, I was told after a regularly scheduled checkup on July 15 that I had esophageal cancer. I was immediately booked for an appointment with Dr. Norio Fukami of the Anschutz Medical Center, one of only several doctors in the nation who was able to perform a revolutionary outpatient procedure. I contacted another doctor, who told me that he would recommend a surgery that would keep me in the hospital for two weeks - with a recovery time of about a year. I went with Dr. Fukami (pictured below at the left), and after successful surgery, I was able to participate in a state interim committee by the end of the week.
But while I sponsored SJR-009 and had an experience to share, Friday's story was by no means just about me. The House co-sponsors, Reps. Dianne Primavera and Mike Merrifield, are also both cancer survivors who were treated right here on the Front Range. And the story was certainly not just about legislators. According to SCR-009, about 500,000 patients per year receive service at the CU campus, with about 500,000 more served through outreach. More than 415 faculty physicians are ranked as Best Doctors in America, five are members of the National Academy of Sciences and 13 are in the Institute of Medicine. On an economic note, it is projected that a completed Anschutz campus will generate $6 billion per year in economic impact. CU licensee companies have raised nearly $339 million in grants and investment capital. Also, the campus donates about $260 million worth of health care per year to Colorado's medically indigent. We have a world-class medical center just 20 minutes from the Capitol, one that serves our residents, saves lives and bolsters our economy - yet our level of state funding for this gem ranks 77th out of 79 public medical schools in the nation. We need to do better, but for now, I'm tremendously grateful for everything it has done for me and so many other Coloradans. ____________________________________________________________________________________ TOWN HALL: WE'RE AT THE CROSSROADS On the positive side, we had a tremendous turnout for our Jan. 23 town hall meeting in Boulder. More than 60 people packed the meeting room in the Meadows Branch Library, and several dozen attendees took the opportunity to ask questions or offer comments. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to start the meeting with a great deal of good news. Our state budget situation is not favorable, and as a result of the economy and decisions we've made in Colorado, a number of our state rankings are near the bottom of national lists - including in spending for public higher education, support for the CU Medical School and funding for mental health services. Also, we might cut $260 million from our K-12 education system if we can't find alternatives. As I told the crowd, that's not indicative of the kind of state that my wife Josie and I decided to stay in, since we were near the top in a number of rankings in the 1970s. Today, we're the seventh-wealthiest state per capita, yet we consistently short-change entities that will help us invest in our economy of the future. We're doing our kids a great disservice by not properly funding the education they deserve, and by not doing what we need to attract educators to our schools. So, we're at the crossroads in Colorado. On one hand, we could choose to turn toward properly investing in education and infrastructure. On the other hand, we could completely gut our ability to provide services by passing the 2010 ballot measures of Proposition 101, Amendment 60 and Amendment 61. I favor the former. We discussed the work of our 2009 Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission, which voted to support five bills for the 2010 session. The bills would a) begin the process of unraveling our constitutional fiscal untanglement, b) authorize Colorado's first comprehensive tax study since 1958, c) help state agencies save money by allowing public-private partnerships with nonprofits, d) grant institutions of higher education forms of operational flexibility, and e) set standards for our Budget Stabilization (rainy day) Fund. Also, attendees came to the meeting prepared to talk about other issues, including proposed regulations on the medical marijuana industry, the current difficulty of obtaining loans, setting up a system for regular state constitutional review, the candidacy of John Hickenlooper for governor, the national political climate, whether homelessness would become a bigger issue in state government and the impact of the recent U.S. Supreme Court decision on corporate campaign contributions. It was an energetic two-hour session, and it was definitely interesting to hear what my constituents had in mind. Our next town hall meeting will be on Saturday, Feb. 20 from 10 a.m. until noon, in the Boulder City Council Chambers at 1777 Broadway. I hope to see you there! __________________________________________________________________________________ NEW YEAR BEGINS, FIRST TOWN HALL JAN. 23 It's time for business. Our 2010 legislative session begins this Wednesday, Jan. 13, with many issues and challenges facing the General Assembly and the people of Colorado. The big issue, of course, is the state budget - and we simply can't expect great news on that front this year. For illustration, Gov. Ritter submitted a FY 2010-11 budget proposal in November 2009 that closed a $1 billion shortfall in the state's general fund. Still, we plan to do everything we can to minimize the difficulties and plan for a better future. We will introduce bills this year pertaining to job creation and job training. The federal stimulus program will help us prevent cuts in certain key areas. We will keep our focus on improving our educational system, through funding and maintaining high standards. We will keep an eye on opportunities for economic development and on attracting new businesses. Those who are interested can check the General Assembly Web site, www.leg.state.co.us, on or after Jan. 13 to read our proposed bills. Also, I'll provide information about the bills that I am sponsoring on this Web site during the session. But one way or another, we'll have a lot to talk about at our first town hall meeting of 2010. It will be held Saturday, Jan. 23 from 10 a.m. until noon, at the Meadows Branch of the Boulder Public Library, 4800 Baseline Road in Boulder. I'll speak about some of our most pressing issues and new legislation, and we'll leave plenty of time for questions and comments from my constituents. Our town hall meetings are free and open to the public, and they're a great way for us to get to know each other. I hope to see you at the meeting, and please feel free to contact me during the session. All the best, Rollie NEW: 2010 NEWSLETTER, "THE HEATH UPDATE" Just click here to read my 2010 newsletter. There is so much going on in 2010 that it was actually tough to narrow it down to eight pages, but the letter includes lots of hyperlinks so you can read much more about the key issues of the coming year. ____________________________________________________________________________________ FISCAL STAMP OF APPROVAL After spending the summer and fall studying Colorado's fiscal landscape, the state's Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission wrapped up its series of 11 meetings on Nov. 4. We gave our approval to five bills during our final meeting as a commission, and the bills will be formally introduced in the General Assembly for consideration after the 2010 legislative session begins on Jan. 13. I was chosen to chair the commission, which was both rewarding and demanding. On top of holding 11 eight-hour hearings that included a great deal of testimony and deliberation, we also received hundreds of pages of information from state officials and Colorado citizens. Interested readers may click here to access the draft text of the bills we approved, along with many of the documents we worked with during the commission process and final reports. Here are some very brief descriptions of the bills we approved. The bills will be given formal bill numbers after they are introduced, and General Assembly members will be able to propose amendments as the bills move through the 2010 legislative process. RESOLUTION D: Fiscal Policy Constitutional Commission. In short, many observers believe provisions found in areas of Colorado's constitution, including but not limited to TABOR, Amendment 23 and the Gallagher Amendment, create budgetary problems such as the lack of flexibility to adequately fund certain departments or to deal with new problems. However, it takes a vote of the people to amend the constitution, and the state's "single subject" rule prohibits ballot measures that deal with more than one subject. Resolution D, if the General Assembly approves it, would refer a ballot measure to the voters in 2010 asking them to approve the formation of a Fiscal Policy Constitutional Commission. The new commission, if voters approve, would be made up of citizens appointed by the Governor, legislative leadership and the Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court. The commission would then be authorized to submit a ballot measure on fiscal policy for the 2012 election, or multiple measures, with a temporary exemption from the single-subject rule. I will sponsor this bill in the Senate, and I'm looking forward to it, since fiscal constitutional reform has been a passion of mine for many years.
Talking about fiscal issues during our Oct. 24 town hall meeting at the Boulder Chautauqua BILL B: Budget Stabilization Reserve Fund. Members of the commission and of the public often remarked that the state needs a larger "rainy day" fund to help us get through inevitable recessions of the future. Bill B would create a new budget stabilization reserve fund, and the state would begin to increase the size of the fund by at least one-half of one percent of general fund expenditures yearly after FY 2011-12, until FY 2016-17. In FY 2017-18 and beyond, Bill B states that the fund balance would be the lesser of 15 percent or the previous year's balance requirement plus one percent. RESOLUTION E: Comprehensive Tax Study. The state has not done a comprehensive study of its tax policy since 1958. This resolution would authorize the University of Denver to perform a nonpartisan, comprehensive tax study, which would include considerations of whether changes in tax policy or laws might be advisable. This study would be funded by private-sector contributions. BILL A: Higher Education Flexibility. We received a great deal of testimony from state higher education leaders during commission hearings, other meetings and in conversations. In a nutshell, many suggested that institutions of higher education could operate with greater efficiencies if they weren't bound to certain state requirements in areas such as enrollment criteria, capital construction, financial aid or outside hiring practices. A 29-page draft of Bill A is currently available on the aforementioned Web site, and it includes provisions that would address higher education flexibility, but this draft is likely to undergo revisions. BILL C: Expand Public-Private Initiatives. This bill would authorize state agencies to enter into public-private partnerships with nonprofit organizations, with goals of long-term efficiencies and cost savings in mind. While I am incredibly pleased with the work our commission did and the bills we approved, attaining true long-term fiscal stability will require a sustained effort. I believe that fiscal stability will be a common theme during the 2010 session, which will give legislators and citizens alike an opportunity to search for additional solutions to one of the most pressing problems facing the State of Colorado at this time. My thanks go out to all participants in the commission process, and please contact me or my office if you have questions or fiscal stability ideas. AUDIO: I did an interview with Dan Drayer of Colorado Public Radio about the Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission on Nov. 6. To listen, go to the Web site www.kcfr.org, click the "Colorado Matters" link at the top of the page, and enter the name "Rollie Heath" in the search box. __________________________________________________________________________________ LEGISLATION BRINGS RESULTS It was quite rewarding to carry legislation during my first session as a senator, but it's even better to learn that a bill we passed in 2009 has had a positive impact. On Sept. 25, Governor Ritter and others held a ceremony in Aurora to highlight the early successes of Senate Bill 09-067, a bill that has created new access to capital for Colorado businesses. The bill revived the Colorado Credit Reserve (CCR) Program, which existed from 1996-2006 but was ended in 2006 due to lack of funding. The CCR program received $2.5 million in renewed funding through SB-067, and the Colorado Finance and Housing Administration (CHFA) estimates that the $2.5 million will leverage $50 million in private sector investment. The Sept. 25 ceremony was held at the new home of Desert Ceramics, one of the first 23 businesses to be approved for new CCR loans. According to Desert Ceramics owner Bill Dean (pictured with Gov. Ritter below), the loan helped his business move to its new location, and will allow his company to purchase the new equipment that is needed to grow his sales volume.
Here is a complete list of the first 23 businesses to receive CCR loans:
Rep. Sara Gagliardi and former Rep. Don Marostica carried SB-067 in the House, and I was the prime Senate sponsor. The bill was part of a package of bills that members of the interim Joint Select Committee on Job Creation and Economic Growth introduced during the 2009 legislative session, and 18 of those bills were signed into law during or after the session.
"One of the best things we can do to re-energize Colorado's economy is to give small businesses the tools they need to succeed," said Ritter. "These first 23 loans are just the beginning for the Colorado Credit Reserve Program. Ultimately, the program will leverage nearly $50 million in capital for hundreds of small businesses so they can grow and create new jobs throughout Colorado." AUDIO: Click here to listen to Gov. Ritter's remarks from the Sept. 25 ceremony. ________________________________________________________________________________________ FISCAL STABILITY COMMISSION IN FULL SWING We've held six eight-hour meetings of our state Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission since hearings began on July 8, and we have gone through such a great deal of information that it's nearly impossible to condense it into a short Web entry.
 Still, I believe it's one of the most important tasks that the state will undertake this year, since we're literally seeking ways to create the best fiscal structure possible for our state, and I'd like to make sure that my constituents have a chance to follow what's going on.
I intend to post as much information as is practical about the Commission during the coming weeks and months, but for the time being, you can find quite a bit of literature online. Just click here to access many of the documents that we've been working from, along with our schedules and agendas. Or, you may visit the "Sen. Heath in the News" page of this Web site to read several recent stories from the press. Every story we currently have listed that is dated July 5, 2009 or later is about the work of the Commission.
Also, there are still opportunities for the public to observe what we do or get involved. We are scheduled to hold public meetings until at least November 5, and people with quality fiscal ideas can send them to me via the contact information listed in the "Contact Sen. Heath" page of this Web site.
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NEW COMMISSION STARTS JULY 8
In today's rough economy, reports of fiscal difficulties have been common in Colorado and other states. In response, the Colorado General Assembly authorized the formation of an interim Long-Term Fiscal Stability Commission, and our first meetings will be held on July 8 and 9. I will chair the diverse and bipartisan 16-person commission, and members were appointed by Democratic and Republican legislative leadership. Committee legislators include:
Our charge will be to study all matters relating to the fiscal stability of the state, and to develop a strategic plan for long-term stability. This will be a worthy challenge, and for an introductory idea of what will be on the table, here is a condensed list of discussion topics and presentations for our first meetings:
For an interesting nine-page report that details what we're up against, read "Colorado's State Budget Tsunami" at http://www.du.edu/economicfuture/documents/BudgetTsunami.pdf. Our public meetings will run from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. in House Committee Room 0112 at the Capitol. While our summer and fall schedule could change, we have scheduled future meetings for July 28 and 29, August 19 and 20, September 8 and 9, October 14 and 15, and November 4 and 5.
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