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S_FIN_2023A 04/20/2023 12:33:24 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON FINANCE
Date 04/20/2023
Attendance
Fenberg X
Kirkmeyer X
Priola X
Smallwood *
Van Winkle X
Winter F. *
Kolker X
Time 12:33:24 PM to 08:44:26 PM
Place SCR 357
This Meeting was called to order by Kolker
This Report was prepared by Katie Ruedebusch
Hearing Items Action Taken
SB23-267 Referred to Senate Appropriations
SB23-291 Referred to Senate Appropriations
SB23-290 Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations

SB23-267 - Referred to Senate Appropriations


12:33:38 PM  
Sens. Van Winkle and Cutter introduced Senate Bill 23-267. The bill institutes a fee to support water quality efforts by the Chatfield Watershed Authority.
12:37:38 PM  
Commissioner Lesley
Dahlkemper, representing Jefferson County, testified in support of the
bill.  Commissioner Lora Thomas, representing Douglas County, testified
in support of the bill.  Alan Leak, representing themself, testified
in support of the bill.  Ms. Barbara Biggs, representing the Roxborough
Water and Sanitation District, testified in support of the bill. Josh Kuhn,
representing Conservation Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

12:47:39 PM  
The witnesses answered several committee questions.


12:55:35 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-267 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Van Winkle
Seconded
Fenberg Yes
Kirkmeyer Yes
Priola Yes
Smallwood Yes
Van Winkle Yes
Winter F. Yes
Kolker Yes
Final YES: 7   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB23-291 - Referred to Senate Appropriations


12:56:42 PM  
President Fenberg
and Sen. Cutter introduced Senate Bill 23-291.  The bill updates transparency,
rulemaking, and rate filing requirements for certain electric and gas utilities.
 The sponsors answered several committee questions.
01:00:31 PM  
Written testimony
and handouts may be found in Attachment A.

01:30:36 PM  
Robert Kenney, representing
Xcel Energy, testified in opposition to the bill.  Mr. Ryan Hyland,
representing Town of Silverthorne, testified to amend the bill.  Phil
Hayes, representing Pipefitters Local 208 & IBEW 111, testified in
opposition to the bill.  Raymond Gonzales, representing the Denver
Metro Chamber of Commerce & Metro Denver Economic Development Council,
testified in opposition to the bill.
01:50:17 PM  
Committee discussion ensued with the witnesses.
02:02:16 PM  
Ms. Meera Fickling, representing Western Resource Advocates, testified in support of the bill. Joe Smyth, representing the Energy and Policy Institute, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Albert Lin, representing Pearl Street Station Finance Lab, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Danny Katz, representing the Colorado Public Interest Research Group, testified in support of the bill.
02:13:26 PM  
Committee discussion ensued with the witnesses.
02:22:41 PM  
Mr. Nick Wagner, representing Black Hills Energy, testified in opposition to the bill. Dave Davia, representing the Rocky Mountain Mechanical Contractors Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Cathy Shull, representing Pro 15, testified in opposition to the bill. Sara Blackhurst, representing Action 22, testified in opposition to the bill.
02:29:57 PM  
Committee discussion ensued with the witnesses.
02:54:35 PM  
Alana Miller, representing
the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), testified in support of the
bill.  Joe Pereira, representing DORA/Utility Consumer Advocate, was
available to answer committee questions.  PUC Deputy Director Gene
Camp, representing the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, was available
to answer committee questions.  Mr. Michael Nicoletti, representing
DORA, provided some comments on the bill.
02:55:00 PM  
Committee discussion
ensued with the witnesses.
03:11:16 PM  
Kathie Barstnar, representing NAIOP Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Rachel Beck, representing the Colorado Competitive Council, testified in opposition to the bill. Jeff Keener, representing the South Metro Denver Chamber, testified in opposition to the bill. Richard Werner, representing the Upstate Colorado Economic Development, testified in opposition to the bill.
03:21:38 PM  
Lake County Commissioner Jeff Fiedler, representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Jacob Smith, representing Colorado Communities for Climate Action, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Tom Walch, representing Grand Valley Power, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Angela Monroe, representing Colorado Natural Gas, testified to amend the bill.
03:32:54 PM  
Mr. Andrew Pascoe, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ted Leighty, representing the Colorado Association of Home Builders, testified in a neutral position on the bill. David Takahashi, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Lynn Segal, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
03:49:10 PM  
Mrs. Candace Carnahan,
representing the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, testified in
opposition to the bill.  Paul Camillo, representing the Summit County
Builders Association, testified in opposition to the bill.  Yuri Gorlov,
representing the Aurora Economic Development Council, testified in opposition
to the bill.
03:55:38 PM  
Dr. Nancy Loving,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. David
Alley, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Ms.
Emily Tracy, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Ms.
Patricia McLaughlin, representing the Sierra Club, testified in support
of the bill.  Valley Lopez, representing 350 Colorado, testified in
support of the bill.  Ms. Heather Maio, representing themself, testified
in support of the bill. Commissioner Jeff Fielder, representing themself,
testified to amend the bill.
04:01:29 PM  
The sponsors made some closing remarks.


04:20:05 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-291 to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Fenberg
Seconded
Fenberg Yes
Kirkmeyer No
Priola Yes
Smallwood No
Van Winkle No
Winter F. Yes
Kolker Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 3   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB23-290 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations

04:20:23 PM  
President Fenberg
introduced Senate Bill 23-290. The bill modifies the regulation of certain
natural psychedelics and updates the criminal provisions related to the
administration Proposition 122.  He answered several committee questions.
04:32:42 PM  
Written testimony
may be found in Attachment B.
04:32:57 PM  
Director Patty Salazar,
representing the Department of Regulatory Agencies, testified in support
of the bill.  Director Mark Ferrandino, representing the Department
of Revenue, testified in support of the bill.  
04:41:29 PM  
Committee discussion with the witnesses ensued.
04:47:42 PM  
President Fenberg discussed amendment L.004 and L.007.
04:48:01 PM  
Eric Bergman, representing
Colorado Counties, Inc., testified in a neutral position on the bill.  Mollie
Steinemann, representing the Colorado Municipal League, testified to amend
the bill.  Timothy Lane, representing the Colorado District Attorneys'
Council, was available to answer committee questions.  Mr. Bergman
distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment C).
04:58:03 PM  
The panel and President Fenberg responded to questions from the committee.
05:05:34 PM  
Ms. Trina Faatz, representing the Parent and Peer Recovery Consulting, testified in support of the bill. Kristin Nash, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Lisa Hudson, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.
05:11:52 PM  
Joe Stone, representing Clusterbusters.org, testified in support of the bill. Charles Lief, representing Naropa University, testified in support of the bill.
05:26:52 PM  
Mr. Jesse Gould, representing the Heroic Hearts Project, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Joshua Kappel, representing the Healing Advocacy Fund, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Kevin Matthews, representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Natasia Poinsatte, representing the Healing Advocacy Fund, testified to amend the bill.
05:46:13 PM  
Dr. Angela Beers, representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Mrs. Andrea Valeska Arnold, representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Kendra Berg, representing the Native American Church of North America, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Ryan Wilson, representing the Native American Church of North America, testified to amend the bill.
06:12:38 PM  
Mrs.  Renee
Chacon, representing Womxn From The Mountain, testified to amend the bill.
06:18:40 PM  
Ms. Liz Casarin, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.
06:28:49 PM  
Dawn Reinfeld, representing
Blue Rising, testified to amend the bill. Dr. Shannon Hughes, representing
themself, testified to amend the bill.  Mayor Sharon Thompson, representing
the City of Fountain, testified to amend the bill. Ms.  Meaghan Richmond,
representing Denver HeartQuarters, testified in support of the bill.  Kevin
Franciotti, representing themself, testified in a neutral position on the
bill. Dr. Dana  Lerman, representing themself, testified to amend
the bill.  Mr. Philip Wolf, representing themself, testified to amend
the bill.
06:42:06 PM  
David Nadelson, representing
themself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Ms. Ashley Troxell,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Mr. Jimmy
Smrz, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Shawna
Guheen, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.
06:42:12 PM  
Ellen Giarratana, representing the Colorado Center on Law and Policy, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Taylor Amason, representing Denver Wellness and Discovery, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Travis Fluck, representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Nicole Foerster, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Matthew Duffy, representing The Society for Psychedelic Outreach Reform and Education, testified to amend the bill.
07:05:03 PM  
Ky Crimson, representing
themself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Mr. Zach Phillips,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Mr. David
Tennant, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr.
Michael Prado, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:15:32 PM  
Mr. Seraphim Schwab,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill.   Dr. Case Newsom,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill.  Ms. Hailey Simmons,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Committee discussion
ensued with the witnesses.
07:25:28 PM  
Mrs. Melanie Rodgers, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Teresa Schwinghamer, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Corey Michaels, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Madison Cartaya, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:40:34 PM  
Mr. Gabriel DeRita, representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Courtney Mathis, representing SPORE, testified to amend the bill. Dr. Susan Anzalone, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.
07:43:50 PM  
Ms. Katie Peterson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Dante Liberato, representing Ayurveda Somatics, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Anthony Caballero, representing Psychedelic Club of Colorado Springs, testified in opposition to the bill. Jared Petsche, representing themself, testified in a neutral position on the bill.
07:54:11 PM  
Dr. Andrew Van Dyke, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Autumn Brooks, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Barine Majewska, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.
08:09:01 PM  
Mr.  Eli Katz,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill.  Ms. Shawn Hauser,
representing Vicente LLP, testified to amend the bill.  Dr. Mason
Marks, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.
08:09:45 PM  
Mrs. Sheva Pekar,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill.  Mr. Jimmy Nguyen,
representing themself, testified to amend the bill. Ms. Jaz Cadoch, representing
themself, testified to amend the bill.
08:24:00 PM  
Ms. Kess Hirsheimer, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.


08:30:23 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.009 (Attachment D)
Moved Fenberg
Seconded
Fenberg
Kirkmeyer
Priola
Smallwood
Van Winkle
Winter F.
Kolker
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection


08:30:56 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment E)
Moved Fenberg
Seconded
Fenberg
Kirkmeyer
Priola
Smallwood
Van Winkle
Winter F.
Kolker
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
08:32:30 PM  
The sponsor and committee members made some closing remarks.


08:41:32 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-290, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Fenberg
Seconded
Fenberg Yes
Kirkmeyer No
Priola Yes
Smallwood No
Van Winkle Yes
Winter F. Yes
Kolker Yes
Final YES: 5   NO: 2   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


08:44:26 PM   The committee adjourned.