s_lg_2017a_2017-03-23t11:03:03z1 Hearing Summary

Date: 03/23/2017

Location: SCR 354

11:34 AM -- HB 17-1174



Senator Crowder and Senator Guzman, co-prime sponsors, discussed the provisions of House Bill 17-1174 concerning exempt rural telecom local improvement district requirements and distributed Amendment L.005 (Attachment G). Current law requires a county seeking to establish a local improvement district (LID) for the purpose of financing a telecommunications service improvement to enter into an agreement with a telecommunications service provider to provide services, facilities, plants, or systems in the area in which the telecommunications service improvement will be constructed. Additionally, the new telecommunications service must be wholly owned, operated, and maintained by the telecommunications service provider, rather than the county. This reengrossed bill permits a rural county with a population of fewer than 50,000 residents to establish a LID in an unserved area to contract with a telecommunications service provider or an advanced service provider to fund the construction of an advanced service improvement.



170323 AttachG.pdf



The following persons testified on the bill:



11:36 AM -- Eric Bergman, Colorado Counties, Inc., spoke in support of the bill and explained that Mike Brazell, Park County Commissioner, also supports the bill. He also responded to questions from the committee about LIDs in Colorado and current law.



11:42 AM -- Mike Nelson, Comcast, spoke in support of the bill.



11:49 AM -- Dianna Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.



11:51 AM



The chair closed testimony, and Senator Tate and Senator Kerr closed their remarks on the bill.

11:52 AM



The committee recessed.