s_fin_2016a_2016-05-05t10:03:47z15 Hearing Summary

Date: 05/05/2016

01:43 PM -- HB16-1040



Senator Holbert, prime sponsor, presented House Bill 16-1040. This bill, recommended by the Wildfire Matters Review Committee, creates the Auxiliary Emergency Communications Unit (unit) in the Office of Emergency Management in the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management in the Colorado Department of Public Safety (DPS). The unit has the power to:

• establish programs for the training and credentialing of auxiliary emergency or disaster communicators across the state;

• assume all the duties and responsibilities of the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES); and

• ensure that auxiliary emergency communicators are authorized volunteers entitled to the appropriate protections and benefits of emergency volunteers when assisting local governments with the maintenance or demolition of communication facilities.

01:45 PM -- Mr. Robert Wareham, representing American Amateur Radio League, testified in support of the bill.