March 13, 2020

Representation | Legislation | Advocacy

Chamber Testifies in Opposition to HB20-1349

Yesterday, the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce testified in opposition to HB20-1349 “Colorado Affordable Health Care Option”. While the Chamber supports the legislature taking action to address rising health care costs that are unsustainable for businesses and their employees, this bill is not the answer. The Chamber has numerous concerns regarding this legislation including, government dictating how much a private company can charge for its services, the amount of power this bill gives to the Insurance Commissioner who is appointed, not elected, and the potential increase in health care costs to self-insured employers and their employees.

For more information on this bill, click here.

NEW Draft of Paid Family Medical Leave Bill Released

After having two sponsors from their name from the bill, prime sponsors Senator Faith Winters and Representative Matt Gray have released a new draft of the Paid Family Medical Leave Bill. Changes in this new version include reduced time on the job for eligibility for benefits to 90 days, exemptions for seasonal workers, and allowing for fines against employer\s who self-fund benefits. The bill has still not officially dropped at the capitol.

To read the new draft version, click here.

Governmental Affairs Update:

On Tuesday, March 10th, the Chamber’s Governmental Affairs Committee received updates from the state capitol from Senator Coram and Representative Rich. The committee also took action on the following bills:

Chamber Supports:

HB20-1193-Income Tax Benefits For Family Leave

Rationale: This bill presents an alternative to a family medical leave mandate by offering tax incentives to encourages businesses to contribute to family and medical leave for their employees. The Chamber supports an approach that incentivizes employers to offer family and medical leave for their employees, opposed to forcing mandates on employers.

HB20-1222-Veterans Hiring Preference

Rationale: This bill helps to correct some of the unintended consequences of the Equal Pay for Equal Work bill passed last session, by allowing private employers to adopt a veteran preference policy in hiring.

HB20-1298-Treat Economic Development Income Tax Credits Differently

Rationale: The tax credits this bill extends are targeted and quantifiably impact the state’s ability to attract and retain businesses.

HB20-1299-Enterprise Zone Investment Tax Credit For Renewable Energy Investments

Rationale: The bill extends the existing renewable energy tax credit within the Enterprise Zone (EZ) program for three years.

Chamber Opposes:

HB20-1160- Drug Transparency Insurance Premium Reduction

Rationale: This bill risks exposing proprietary information that has no direct tie to consumer benefit. The bill also provides no oversight on the Commissioner’s role as arbiter to decide what drug information to release.

HB20-1343-Egg-laying Hen Confinement Standards

Rationale: The bill requires a farm owner or operator to house chicken, turkey, duck, goose, or guinea fowl hens (hens) in accordance with the standards established in the bill. And the bill prohibits, on and after January 1, 2022, a business owner or operator from selling shell eggs or egg products that are produced by egg-laying hens that were confined in a manner that conflicts with these standards

HB20-1349- Colorado Affordable Health Care Option

Rationale: While the Chamber agrees that health care costs are rising to unsustainable levels for our businesses and their employees and while we support the legislature taking action to increase competition and drive down costs, this bill is not the answer. This proposal is a one-size-fits-all approach that gives sweeping authority to an appointed individual, shifts costs to the employer-based coverage market, adds inefficiencies and puts us at risk for unintended consequences that harm Coloradans on subsidies and increases rates in parts of the state.

SB20-119-Expand Canadian Prescription Drug Import Program

Rationale: While the Chamber continues to have concerns with increased drugs-costs, the concerns with supply chain integrity, counterfeit drugs and the unpredictable nature of the federal waiver process outweigh the possible benefits of this bill.

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

The next legislative video conference will be held on Tuesday, March 24 at 7:00 am, at the Chamber in the FCI Board room. Thank you to videoconference sponsor: Bechtel Santo & Severn.

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