February 16, 2018

Governmental Affairs Committee Update:
On Tuesday morning, after the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee received updates from the state capitol from Senator Ray Scott, Senator Don Coram, Representative Dan Thurlow, and Representation Yeulin Willett, the committee took action on the following bills:

Chamber Supports:
• HB18-1083 On-demand Air Carriers Sales and Use Tax Exemption
• HB18-1135 Extend Advanced Industry Export Acceleration Program
• HB18-1150 Local Government Liable Fracking Ban Oil and Gas Moratorium 
• HB18-1185 Concerning Changes To The State Income Tax Apportionment Statute 
• SB18-108 Eligibility Colorado Road and Community Safety Act 
• Capital Development Committee Priority Projects- Colorado Mesa University Health Sciences Building 
• H.R. 620 ADA Reform and Education Act of 2017

Chamber Opposes:
• HB18-1157 Increased Reporting Oil And Gas Incidents
• SB18-120 Time Period For Tenant To Cure Unpaid Rent

Chamber is Monitor:
• HB18-1092 Marijuana Delivery Pilot Project
• HB18-1113 Small Business Regulatory Reform
• SB18-005 Rural Economic Advancement Of Colorado Towns

If you have a bill you would like the committee to consider, contact darcy@gjchamber.org

The next legislative videoconference will be held on Tuesday, March 6 at 7:00 am, at the Chamber in the lower conference room. Click here to register online. 

Thank you to videoconference sponsor: Bechtel and Santo.

Annual Healthcare Summit:
On Wednesday, March 7, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce will be hosting its 2018 Annual Healthcare Summit. At the Summit, the current state of healthcare and the impact it is having on the local business community will be addressed, as well as employee coverage options, and the state of health for the Western Slope. Doors open 8:00 AM, with the Keynote starting at 9:00 AM, at the DoubleTree by Hilton. For online registration, click here.

SB18-108 Passes through Senate Kill Committee:
On Wednesday, SB18-108 “Eligibility Colorado Road and Community Safety Act”, made its way through the State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee of the Senate with a 3-2 vote. The bill attempts to improve Colorado’s driver’s license program for those living in the U.S. illegally by easing the backlog of applications. In doing so, the bill would allow for applicants to use a Social Security number instead of just an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number, when applying for a license. SB18-108 is now headed to the Senate Appropriations Committee. For more information, click here. 

Chamber Supports BLM Move: 
This week, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce, along with numerous other organizations throughout the Western Slope, prepared a letter to submit to U.S. Secretary of Interior Ryan Zinke, in support of the relocation of Bureau of Land Management’s headquarters to Grand Junction. Arguments for the move include the close proximity the BLM would have to the lands they manage, with Mesa County containing around 1,559,000 acres of public lands, a close network of transportation including the airport and closeness of I-70, as well as access to a skilled workforce with Colorado Mesa University. To read more, click here.