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State Policy News
House Sends Amended Parental Leave Bill to the Senate
Yesterday, the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives passed HB-1002 on “Third and Final Reading” with the support of one Republican, which sends it to the tender mercies of the Republican-controlled Senate. CACI is neutral on the bill in its current form. The vote was 35-to-30.
The Senate sponsor is Senator Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood). The bill has not yet been assigned to a committee.
Second Reading debate on the bill featured a spirited debate over policy principles between the Republicans and the Democrats, which foreshadows many more to come as the session progresses in this critical election year.
The title of the bill was amended on Second Reading to clarify its purpose. The original title said it concerned “parental involvement in a child’s academic activities.” The amendment states that the bill concerns “the ability of an employee of an employer who employs at least fifty employees to take up to eighteen hours of leave from work for purposes of attending his or her child’s academic activities.”
Here’s how veteran journalist Todd Engdahl, a former long-time reporter and editor with The Denver Post, described the Second Reading debate for his education-focused news organization, Chalkbeat Colorado:
But the 50-minute debate over the bill on Wednesday was as much political theater as it was a policy discussion, with a strong undercurrent of Democratic-Republican differences about economic opportunity and business regulation, not about education.
The lone Republican to vote for the bill was Representative Kit Roupe of Colorado Springs.
CACI took a neutral positon on the bill because of how the bill was amended in the House Education Committee last week. Concerning Second Reading debate, Engdahl wrote:
Democrats made much of the fact that the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry doesn’t oppose the bill. (It doesn’t support it either.) “If they had concerns they would come speak adamantly against it,” said Rep. Jovan Melton, D-Aurora.
For more on the bill, read:
“House passes bill giving parents time off for school meetings,” by Todd Engdahl, Chalkbeat Colorado, February 4th.
“House Committee Passes Amended Parental-Leave Bill & CACI Goes ‘Neutral,’” CACI Colorado Capitol Report, January 29th.
Support Campaign to Defeat Amendment 69, the $25 billion, Single-Payer, Health-Care Plan
Coloradans for Coloradans is working to defeat the November ballot initiative that would create a quasi-public, single-payer health-care plan that would impose a $25 billion tax on employers, workers, and taxpayers.
Coloradans for Coloradans is backed by a coalition of business organizations, public officials, and community and civic leaders.
In November, the CACI Board of Directors voted to oppose Amendment 69 just days after Secretary of State Wayne Williams qualified the ballot initiative for the November ballot.
CACI urges its members to contribute to Coloradans for Coloradans. Contributions can be mailed to:
Coloradans for Coloradans
1660 Lincoln Street
Suite 1800
Denver, CO 80624
Contribution can also be wired electronically to Coloradans for Coloradans.
CACI members who have questions about contributing to Coloradans for Coloradans may email Katie Behnke or call her at 303.807.4583.
Coloradans for Coloradans is an issue committee, #20165030100, registered with the Colorado Secretary of State’s Office. An issue committee may receive unlimited contributions.
For more about Amendment 69, read:
“Godzilla of All Colorado Ballot Initiatives: $25 Billion Universal health Care Mandate qualifies for 2016 Ballot,” CACI Colorado Capitol Report, November 13th.
Pinnacol Assurance Becomes CACI’s Newest Mission Trustee
Pinnacol Assurance recently increased its membership at CACI from Gold Partner to Mission Trustee.
The mission of CACI is to champion a healthy business climate, and CACI’s Mission Trustees believe in investing substantially in CACI’s success. The other two Mission Trustees are the Ball Corporation and MillerCoors.
Pinnacol was established 100 years ago as the assured source of workers’ compensation coverage for Colorado companies, regardless of their size or risk, a role it continues to fill today. Today, about 56,000 firms across Colorado have made Pinnacol their carrier of choice.
Pinnacol goes the extra mile to help customers create safe workplaces and prevent accidents from happening in the first place. They offer policyholders an extensive collection of free safety and risk management training and educational materials. And Pinnacol is proud to employ the largest team of safety consultants in Colorado, whose services are available to policyholders at no cost.
Another way Pinnacol demonstrates its compassion is through community involvement. Pinnacol gives back to the Colorado communities through the following activities:
- The Pinnacol Foundation awards college scholarships to the children of Colorado workers injured or killed on the job — regardless of which insurer handled the parent’s claim.
- Pinnacol in Action is an employee-run volunteer program that supports 12 Colorado nonprofits. In 2014, 75 percent of their employees spent time volunteering in the community.
CACI thanks Pinnacol for supporting CACI’s mission!
News Media Coverage
Below is recent news-media coverage of state and federal political, policy and governmental issues of interest to CACI:
“Texas energy giants spent millions to back Colorado oil & gas advocacy group CRED,” by Cathy Proctor, The Denver Business Journal, February 3rd.
“GOP measure to boost road money threatens Bustang, transit projects,” by John Frank, The Denver Post, February 2nd.
“Rep. Daneya Esgar: ‘Revenue is the only problem’ on transportation,” by Joey Bunch, The Denver Post, February 1st.