Status of Select Bills of Interest to the Fire Service

June 16, 2010

Bill Number:

SB10-084

Current Version of Bill:

Bill Title:

Concerning the Creation of a Colorado Peace Officers' Bill of Rights.

Prime Sponsors:

Sen. Tochtrop, Rep. Gagliardi

Summary:

The bill establishes minimum standards that all employing agencies must provide to peace officers as part of their employment regarding:

·         A peace officer's ability to engage in political activity;

·         Entry of adverse comments in a peace officer's personnel records;

·         Participation in employee organizations;

·         Bringing suit arising out of the performance of a peace officer's duties;

·         Truth verification tests;

·         Public statements regarding internal investigations;

·         Tests of blood, breath, or urine;

·         Arrest quotas;

·         Internal noncriminal investigations;

·         Predisciplinary administrative hearings;

·         Availability of a third-party review of major disciplinary decisions; and

·         Discipline.

Position:

Oppose

Position Paper:

None

Status:

History

01/20/2010 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary

04/12/2010 Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Appropriations

04/16/2010 Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole

04/26/2010 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 05/13/2010

Additional

Information:

The bill is applicable to all “peace officers” described in §16-2.5-101, C.R.S., which includes “fire arson investigators authorized by a unit of local government (§16-2.5-109, C.R.S.). 

Bill Number:

SB10-085

Current Version of Bill:

Bill Title:

Concerning the Creation of a Business Personal Property Tax Exemption Reimbursement Pilot Program.

Prime Sponsors:

Sen. Scheffel, Rep. Priola

Summary:

The bill establishes a pilot program to reimburse 5 participating counties for revenue lost as a result of a business personal property tax exemption. To qualify as a participating county, a county must:

·         Enact an ordinance to eliminate the business personal property tax for 5 years; and

·         Have a population that is greater than 20,000 but less than 500,000.

The state will reimburse a participating county for lost property tax revenue for 4 of the 5 years that the exemption is in place. The first year the reimbursement will be 100% of the lost property tax revenue, and that percentage will be reduced by 25% in each of the next 4 years.

After the 5 years of the county business personal property tax exemptions, legislative council staff will undertake a study to determine whether the exemptions stimulated economic growth. Staff will prepare a report of the findings to be delivered to legislative committees.

Position:

Monitor

Position Paper:

None

Status:

History

Status: 01/20/2010 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans & Military Affairs

02/17/2010 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely

Bill Number:

SB10-102

Current Version of Bill:

Bill Title:

Concerning the Certification of Users of Prescribed Fire According to Standards Established by the Colorado State Forest Service.

Prime Sponsors:

Sen. Gibbs, Rep. Fischer

Summary:

The bill directs the Colorado state forest service to establish training and certification standards for users of prescribed fire, including certified burner and noncertified burner designations, recommended processes for certified burners to conduct a prescribed fire, recommended organizational structures for prescribed burn operations, training standards for certified burners, and identification of preexisting fees, permit requirements, liabilities, liability exemptions, and penalties for prescribed burn personnel and landowners.

Position:

Monitor

Position Paper:

None

Status:

History

01/20/2010 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture and Natural Resources

02/11/2010 Senate Committee on Agriculture and Natural Resources Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

02/19/2010 Senate Second Reading Passed

02/22/2010 Senate Third Reading Passed
02/23/2010 Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources

03/10/2010 House Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, & Natural Resources Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
03/15/2010 House Second Reading Passed with Amendments
03/16/2010 House Third Reading Passed

03/18/2010 Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

04/15/2010 Governor Action - Signed

Bill Number:

SB10-110

Current Version of Bill:

Bill Title:

Concerning the Enforcement of Offenses Involving Failure of Certain Persons in a Vehicle to Use an Appropriate Restraining Device.

Prime Sponsors:

Sen. Williams, Rep. Ryden

Summary:

Under current law, failure to wear a restraining device in a vehicle is a secondary offense. The bill makes failure to wear a restraining device in a vehicle a primary offense and punishable as a class B traffic infraction. For a law enforcement officer to stop a driver for a restraining device violation, the officer must clearly observe the restraining device violation and be able to articulate that the restraining device was unfastened. If a person charged with a restraining device violation produces a bona fide written statement by a physician certifying that physical disability makes restraint by a safety belt system inappropriate, the charge will be dismissed. The bill increases fines for restraining device violations.  [More]

Position:

Support

Position Paper:

None

Status:

History

01/20/2010 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Transportation

02/09/2010 Senate Committee on Transportation Lay Over Amended

02/18/2010 Senate Committee on Transportation Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole

03/16/2010 Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments
03/18/2010 Senate Third Reading Passed

03/19/2010 Introduced In House - Assigned to Transportation & Energy
04/06/2010 House Committee on Transportation & Energy Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

04/16/2010 House Second Reading Passed with Amendments

04/20/2010 House Third Reading Passed

04/27/2010 Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass

05/26/2010 Governor Action - Signed

Additional

Information:

More Bills of Interest to the Fire Service