H_TLG_2019A 03/20/2019 01:34:23 PM Committee Summary

Representative Hansen introduced Senate Bill 19-077 concerning measures that affect the development of infrastructure used by electric motor vehicles, and, in connection therewith, establishing a process at the Colorado Public Utilities Commission whereby a public utility may undertake implementation of an electric motor vehicle infrastructure program within the area covered by the utility's certificate of public convenience and necessity. He showed a PowerPoint presentation about the bill.

The bill authorizes public utilities to provide fueling stations for motor vehicles as regulated or unregulated services and allows cost recovery. A public utility may apply to the Public Utilities Commission to build facilities to support electric vehicles. The rates and charges for the services may allow for a return on investment made by the public utility at the utility's weighted average cost of capital at the utility's most recent rate of return on equity approved by the commission. The cost must be recovered from all customers in a manner that is similar to recovery of distribution system investments.

The committee questioned the sponsor about rate recovery, current rate of return for the Public Utilities Commission, capacity to accommodate electric vehicle charging, infrastructure, alternative fuel vehicles definition, the sale of electric charging equipment, and rates charged to customers.

The committee continued to question the bill sponsor about cost recoveries, rates of return, labor requirements when installing electric vehicle infrastructure, and the rate for fast charging stations.

Thomas Phillips, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Thomas Acker, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Carl Baer, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Paula Strackman, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Christopher Campbell, representing himself and Atlasta Solar Center, testified in support of the bill. The committee questioned the witness about changes in installation of charging stations.

Ian Roche, representing David Miller of Alpine Bank, testified in support of the bill.

Sarah Kelly, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Grier Bailey, representing the Colorado Wyoming Petroleum Marketers Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

Bill Levis, representing the AARP, testified in opposition to the bill.  He provided a handout (Attachment A).

The committee questioned the witnesses about rate caps and costs to customers.

The committee continued to question the witnesses about effects of the bill in rural areas, placement of electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, current options in building and financing EV charging stations, costs to consumers, costs for building an EV charging station, and expansion of infrastructure.

Lily Weissgold, representing E2 and herself, testified in support of the bill.

Mike Salisbry, representing the city and county of Denver Department of Public Health and Environment, testified in support of the bill.

Noah Garcia, representing the Natural Resources Defense Counsel, testified in support of the bill.

Alva Parga, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

The committee questioned the witnesses about the number of existing charging stations, ownership of existing charging stations, location of charging stations, competition between private businesses and utilities, partnerships to construct charging stations, and passing costs on to customers.

The committee continued to question the witnesses about rates of return on costs, limiting costs to customers, and involvement of the Public Utilities Commission.

Chris Votoupal, representing Charging Point, testified in support of the bill.

Adam Fung, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Susan Jacobson, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Jacob Smith, representing Colorado Communities for Climate Action, testified in support of the bill.

Dennis Dougherty, representing the Colorado AFL-CIO, testified in support of the bill.

Rene Latena, representing Tyler Svitak, testified in support of the bill.

Janet Baltz, representing herself, testified in support of the bill.

Danny Katz, reprsenting CoPIRG, testified in support of the bill.

Christian Williss, representing the Colorado Energy Office, testified in support of the bill.

Susan Nedell, representing E2 and Ken Scissors, testified in support of the bill.

Sophia Mayott-Guerrero, representing Conservation Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

The committee questioned the witnesses about downward pressure of utility rates, fixed assets, caps on utility rates, and the time of day when infrastructure will be used for charging.

The committee questioned the witnesses about uncapped costs to fund charging stations and customer rates.

Becky English, representing the Sierra Club, testified in support of the bill.

Representative Liston asked to postpone indefinitely House Bill 19-1157 concerning the modification of specific ownership tax rates, and, in connection therewith, requiring additional specific ownership tax revenue generated by the rate modification to be credited to the Highway Users Tax Fund (HUTF) and allocated to the State Highway Fund, counties, and municipalities in accordance with an existing statutory formula. The bill modifies rates of ownership tax for motor vehicles, commercial trailers, and special mobile machinery less than 25 years old.  The bill will increase ownership revenue tax to be transferred to the HUTF to be allocated to the state, counties, and municipalities in accordance with the second stream statutory formula.  The revenue may only be used for state highways, county roads, and municipal streets.

Representative Rich introduced Senate Bill 19-076 concerning the procurement of consulting engineering services for the Department of Transportation (CDOT) construction projects. The bill requires CDOT to contract through a fixed bid for construction management and construction engineering services provided by a consulting engineer.  Consulting engineers may not be paid by the hour.  The sponsor  provided a handout (Attachment B).

Marilen Reimer, representing the American Council of Engineering Companies of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Andy Karsian, representing the Colorado Department of Transportation, testified in support of the bill.

The committee questioned the witnesses about the history of the Transportation Committee and the Efficiency and Accountability Committee, the costs of consulting and engineering, and the safety clause.

Representative Rich talked about amendment L.004 (Attachment C).

The committee took a short recess.

The committee returned.

Representative Duran introduced House Bill 19-1212 concerning the recreation of the community association manager licensing program.  The licensing program for community association mangers, created in 2013, sunsetted July 1, 2018.  The bill recreates the program under the Division of Real Estate as it existed on June 30, 2018, with amendments, with the sunset extended to September 1, 2024.  The recreation of the program includes the recommendations of the sunset report, including delegation of some functions of management to unlicensed persons, except conduct of board meetings, handling of money, and negotiation of contracts with the creation of rules for this purpose by the Division of Real Estate; scaling back supervision of apprentices, since a supervisory manager is responsible for the apprentice; implementing rules governing apprentices; and that the Division of Real Estate create a credentials rule related to licensure.  The bill includes creation of a seven-member advisory committee and carries forward preceding content of the program. 

Representative Titone introduced the bill.  She provided a handout (Attachment D).

The committee questioned the sponsors about the sunset status of the bill, the reason for the sunsetting of the bill, and the criminal activities of home owner association mangers.

Brandon Helm, representing Community Associations Institute, testified in support of the bill.

The committee questioned the witness about managers who were working after the licensing sunsetted.

Ed Seely, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill.

Angie Howes, representing HOA Advanced Management, testified in opposition to the bill.

John Krueger, representing Associa, testified in opposition to the bill.

Buck Bailey, representing himself, testified in opposition to the bill. He provided a handout of his testimony (Attachment E).

The committee questioned the witnesses about the sunset report, complaints in Colorado against mangers, complaints in other states against managers, and the percentage of licensed HOA managers with criminal issues and disciplinary actions.

Brian Terhark, representing Westwind Management Group, ACCU, and MSI, testified in support of the bill.

Chad Otto, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Tom Lavoy, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

Fred Skillern, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.

The committee questioned the witnesses about requirements prior to the licensing program.

Suzanne Leff, representing the Community Associations Institute, testified in support of the bill.  She provided a handout (Attachment F).

The committee questioned the witness about differences between licensure and certification.

Eric Turner, representing the Department of Regulatory Agencies, answered questions about the necessity of the bill, enforcement, licensing versus certification, types of complaints, and comments on amendments. The department takes no position on the bill.

Representative Titone spoke about amendment L.001 (Attachment G).

Representative Titone introduced amendment L.002 (Attachment H).

The committee questioned the sponsors about the bill.