In this Capitol Report:
- Family & Medical Leave Insurance Task Force Meets for First Time
- Be Part of a National Conversation! Leading the Way Through Democracy, Innovation
- Ryan Woods Appointed to Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force
- Upcoming Air Quality Meetings
- Congressman Jason Crow Job Fair
- Oregon Enacts Family-and-Medical Bill
Family & Medical Leave Insurance Task Force Meets for First Time
During the 2019 Legislative Session, Senate Bill 188 was adopted which created a Family & Medical Leave Implementation Task Force to determine the feasibility of a statewide family and medical leave program. The first meeting of the Task Force will be held on July 16th at 9:30am. – 12:30pm at the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment, 633 17th Street, 12th Floor. For those unable to attend in person, live streaming of the meeting can be found at: https://stream.meet.google.com/stream/c86c01e0-bb36-4ea3-a988-4fe2929ff8fb. The Department has also secured a facilitator for these Task Force meetings which will hopefully ensure thoughtful and balanced discussions. The agenda for this first meeting can be found here.
The Task Force will study the costs and financial impact of a state family leave program as well as options for a third party to run such a program. Members have been appointed by the General Assembly and the Governor and they will have the opportunity to identify all affordable, financially responsible options for the program. The Task Force will provide recommendations to the General Assembly and the Governor prior to the 2020 Legislative Session.
Please contact Loren Furman at [email protected] or at 303-866-9642 with any questions regarding this Task Force or Senate Bill 188.
Be Part of a National Conversation! Leading the Way Through Democracy, Innovation
Who: ALL Colorado Chamber members & Friends!
What: An opportunity to hear from a Congressional thought leader
Where: Colorado Chamber Office, 1600 Broadway, Ste. 1000
When: Monday, July 22, 1:30 – 2:30pm
Congressman Mac Thornberry is currently the Ranking Member (top Republican) of the House Armed Services Committee. He served as Chairman of the Armed Services Committee from January 2015 to January 2019, the first Texan of either party to hold this position.
In a time of unprecedented security challenges, he is committed to ensuring that the United States has the military capability and agility to protect the nation and our interests around the world. He believes that the men and women who serve deserve to have the best training, equipment, and support that our country can provide.
Widely respected as an innovator and strategic thinker, Mac has consistently been on the leading edge of critical national security issues, has written widely on defense matters, and appeared on all major cable and network television channels providing congressional insight on national security issues.
Mac previously served in the Reagan Administration as Deputy Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs, as a Chief of Staff on Capitol Hill, and practiced law in Amarillo, Texas. Mac’s family has been ranching in the 13th District since 1881 – a family business in which he continues to participate.
Mac graduated from Texas Tech University and received a law degree from the University of Texas. His wife, Sally, is also a native Texan. They have two children.
To read more about the Congressman, click here: https://thornberry.house.gov/biography/
Ryan Woods Appointed to Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force
Colorado Chamber member Ryan Woods with Xcel Energy has been appointed by Governor Polis to serve on the Sales and Use Tax Simplification Task Force. Mr. Woods fills the position previously held by Bruce Nelson. A copy of the executive order can be viewed here.
The Colorado Chamber would like to thank Mr. Nelson for serving on the task force. Mr. Nelson will be teaching tax seminars around the country for the AICPA and the CSCPA. In addition, he has accepted the position as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of State Taxation.
Upcoming Air Quality Meetings
7/23/2019 1:00 – 4:00 pm, Colorado Chamber of Commerce: Stationary Source Control Fund Stakeholder Meeting to discuss available draft Title V application materials and checklist(s), draft construction permit application checklist, draft records request checklist, and proposed permit timeliness and workload document.
7/29/2019 2:00-7:00 pm, CDPHE, Sabin and Cleere room: Early Stakeholder Engagement Meeting regarding potential revisions to the Air Quality Control Commission’s Regulations Number 3 and 7, addressing ozone, greenhouse gas (GHG) and more in order to identify the goals behind a potential rulemaking, identify timing, and then share an overview of potential rule revisions and emission reduction strategies. Each person interested in attending and/or providing public comment is requested to register in advance. Register
7/31/2019 9:00 am, CDPHE, Sabin and Cleere room: Public Comment Meeting to discuss the Draft 2019 Colorado Greenhouse Gas Inventory. Each person interested in attending and/or providing public comment is requested to register in advance. Register here
Congressman Jason Crow Job Fair
Your office is invited to participate in a job fair with the Office of Congressman Jason Crow. If you currently have open positions at your business or organization, please consider applying HERE. Any skill level jobs are welcome. The information and link to sign up is below. Please contact the office of Congressman Crow at 720-748-7514 or [email protected] with any questions.
Oregon Enacts Family-and-Medical Bill
As Colorado begins the process of studying between now and the end of the year how to create a paid family-and-medical leave insurance (FAMLI) program to present to the 2020 session of the legislature, Oregon offers a recent, instructive example for Colorado legislators, advocates and business leaders.
The Oregon legislature at the end of June approved HB-2005, the Oregon Family Leave Act, (OFLA).
Here are the provisions of the new Oregon law that are most instructive for Colorado businesses:
- An employer can “opt out” if it can prove to the State that its paid benefit-eave program is at least as generous as the State plan.
- Employers will pay 60 percent of a worker’s insurance premium and the worker will pay 40 percent.
- The combined insurance premium for a worker cannot exceed 1 percent of the worker’s compensation.
- Employers with fewer than 25 workers are exempt from OFLA. If they chose to participate in OFLA, however, certain employers can seek state grants to offset premium costs.
The Oregon Employment Department will not begin collecting premiums until 2023 and workers will not receive benefits until 2024.
Connecticut also recently enacted a FAMLI program. Oregon and Connecticut now join six other states with FAMLI programs: California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and Washington.