Colorado Capitol Report

In this Capitol Report:

• Sign Up Now to Sponsor a CACI Council Meeting
• CO Dept. of Public Health & Environment Discusses Potential Fee Increase with CACI Energy & Environment Council
• Energy and Environment Council Approves Motion To Draft Clean Power Plan Repeal Comments
• Confirmed Guests Added: The Candidates: 2018 Gubernatorial Hopefuls
• Rulemaking Hearing Regarding Changes to Several Sales Tax Rules

Sign Up Now to Sponsor a CACI Council Meeting

As the 2018 legislative session approaches, we want to invite you to once again participate in CACI’s Issue Councils.  CACI councils offer a unique opportunity for CACI members to add their expertise and judgment to our policy-making and influence legislation and regulations that impact business. Council meetings provide an open and frank dialogue between our members, key legislators and state agency leaders.  This is also your chance to attend council meetings that you have not attended in the past.  The following Councils are available to all CACI members:

Each Council will meet at Noon at the CACI offices throughout the session.  Lunch is served at each meeting.  Sponsorship of council meetings by our members is crucial to maintaining the practice of providing lunch to each member during these important council meetings.  We need sponsors for every meeting in the coming year, so we would like to encourage members to sign up now to sponsor a lunch!  Sponsors receive recognition in both email reminders for the meeting and our online Events Calendar, as well as during the meeting itself.  CACI does all of the ordering and setup of the lunch and the sponsorship is always a flat rate of $600.  Please contact Laura Moss for more details or to sign up as a sponsor.  Again, sponsorship by our members is essential to providing our members with lunch during these meetings; we appreciate your ongoing support!

Please see below for specific dates for each council.  Councils always meet from Noon to 1:15 p.m. in the CACI Conference Room: 1600 Broadway, Suite 1000, Colorado State Bank Building.

2018 Council Meeting Dates

To learn more about our councils, click here.

Thank you and please contact Laura Moss with any questions you may have!

CO Dept. of Public Health & Environment Discusses Potential Fee Increase with CACI Energy & Environment Council

On Thursday, the Department of Public Health & Environment presented to the CACI Energy & Environment Council and discussed the potential for a Stationary Sources Fund fee increase to be proposed during the 2018 Legislative Session.  Presenters from the Department included:

• Mark McMillan, Stationary Sources Program Manager
• Lena Peschanskaia, Division’s Fiscal Manager
• Michael Nicoletti, CDPHE Legislative Liaison

Based on the impact of a fee increase to many CACI members, the discussion revolved around the rationale by the Department for the proposed increase, which was last increased in 2008.  The Department shared a variety of reasons as to why a fee increase is needed including:  inflation; changes in emissions; new federal and state requirements; backlogs in permitting; complexities in permitting and general workload increase in the permitting process.  The Department also discussed recent accounting issues they have experienced that resulted in mistakes in the reconciliation of funds received and invoices that were paid.

The Department  shared the potential consequences that could occur if this shortfall is not addressed quickly which include:  loss of existing full time employees and increased permit backlogs.  The Department is still developing the 2018 legislative proposal which could include an increase of fees ranging from 20% up to 40%.  The CACI Energy & Environment Council shared ideas with CDPHE staff on how to find efficiencies in the current permitting process which the staff will consider.

The CDPHE will be holding a stakeholder meeting on this issue on December 4 , 2017 at 9a.m. – 11a.m., at 4300 Cherry Creek S Dr, Building A, Sabin Cleere Room, Denver, CO 80246.  We would encourage CACI members that will be impacted by this fee increase to attend this stakeholder meeting.

The Council also discussed other potential 2018 legislation, and staff provided an update on the Regulation 7 rulemaking and RACT rulemaking. If you should have any questions regarding the CACI Energy & Environment Council or this issue, please contact Bill Skewes at [email protected].

Energy and Environment Council Approves Motion To Draft Clean Power Plan Repeal Comments

The Energy and Environment council also heard from Leah Curtsinger, CACI Federal Policy Director, proposing comments to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for repealing the Clean Power Plan (CPP)be submitted.  Previous CACI comments about the CPP thoughtfully opposed the plan and received widespread appreciation from Colorado’s Congressional delegation and highlighted CACI as the business voice for Colorado, not just in the state but in Washington, D.C. as well.

Attendees agreed unanimously for CACI staff to begin drafting comments.  These draft will focus on the merits of removing the CPP, while the EPA will follow-up in coming months with a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) – where the EPA will ask for public, business and government input on what should replace the CPP.  The EPA has committed to focusing specifically on the advice and input of our energy providers, utilities and businesses in this process.  The deadline for initial comment has been extended from December 16, 2017, to January 16 of 2018.  For members who are interested in commenting on this process or wish to review CACI’s draft comments, please contact Leah Curtsinger, (303) 866-9641.

Confirmed Guests Added: The Candidates: 2018 Gubernatorial Hopefuls

Westin Denver Downtown
Thursday, January 25^th
Registration & Networking: 11:15-12:00 Noon
Luncheon Program: 12:00N-1:30 p.m.

Don’t miss this Gubernatorial Forum and the opportunity to hear the leading candidates for Governor share with CACI members why they would be the best Governor for Colorado’s economy, and for our state’s businesses and workers.  The Colorado Chamber’s premier annual event, Colorado Business Day, is designed to bring together CEOs, small business leaders, local chamber executives and elected officials from across the state.

Special Guests:

Confirmed:  

Mr. Noel Ginsberg
The Honorable Donna Lynne
The Honorable Jared Polis
Mr. Doug Robinson
The Honorable Walker Stapleton
Mr. Tom Tancredo

 Invited:
The Honorable Cynthia Coffman
Mr. Michael Johnston
Ms. Cary Kennedy
Mr. Victor Mitchell

Presenting Sponsor

For sponsorship opportunities, contact Tricia Smith, Sr. Vice President, Events & Political Fundraising at [email protected] or 303-866-9629.

Rulemaking Hearing Regarding Changes to Several Sales Tax Rules

The Colorado Dept. of Revenue – Division of Taxation will be holding a public rulemaking hearing on December 20, 2017 regarding changes to several current sales tax rules.  Details regarding the hearing are as follows:

Details on Rulemaking Hearing:

Date:               December 20, 2017
Time:               9:00a.m.
Location:         Department of Revenue, Room 127, 1375 Sherman St., Denver, CO 80203

Rules to be Repealed or Revised: 

• Regulation 39-26-102.14 – regarding use of the term “treasurer” – repeal
• Regulation 39-26-102.22 – regarding disputes about exemption – repeal
• Regulation 39-26-105.1(c) – regarding documentation of exempt sales – repeal
• Regulation 39-26-713.2(c) – use tax cross reference – repeal
• Regulation 39-26-718. – Charitable and Other Exempt Organizations – revision
• Rule 39-26-105(3). – Documenting Exempt Sales – creating new rule

Information about the date, time, and location of the hearing can found in the attached notice. Copies of the proposed rules be accessed online through the Secretary of State’s eDocket system using the following hyperlinks and tracking numbers:

• Regulation 39-26-102.14: 2017-00551
• Regulation 39-26-102.22: 2017-00552
• Regulation 39-26-105.1(c): 2017-00553
• Regulation 39-26-713.2(c): 2017-00554
• Regulation 39-26-718: 2017-00555
• Rule 39-26-105(3): 2017-00556

Please contact Loren Furman at [email protected] or at 303-866-9642 if you should have any questions regarding this matter.