In this Capitol Report:
Long-Anticipated Transportation Funding Bill Coming Soon
A draft copy of the upcoming transportation funding bill has been circulating this week and is expected to be formally introduced early next week. The bill is sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Fenberg (D), Senator Faith Winter (D), House Speaker Alec Garnett (D) and Representative Matt Gray (D).
The $5.2 billion proposal would be derived from a combination of fees, general fund dollars, and federal stimulus money. Fees include a new road usage fee (starting at $.02 per gallon on gas with incremental increases), fees on ride-sharing and delivery companies, increased fees on electric vehicles, and raising the fee on diesel fuel.
The funds generated in the proposal will go towards road and highway improvements, electrification, and pollution mitigation. View the summary by clicking here.
The Colorado Chamber has compiled key points of the bill. You can view the summary by clicking here.
The Colorado Chamber Takes Positions on Environmental Legislation
HB 1269: Oppose
This bill would commission a study to evaluate the parameters of an energy policy allowing communities in Colorado that are served by an investor-owned electric utility to choose alternative wholesale electricity suppliers. Members of the Colorado Chamber in the utility industry are concerned that HB 1269 would result in higher costs for certain energy consumers and the Energy and Environment Council voted to oppose the bill this week.
The bill passed the House Energy and Environment Committee yesterday and has been referred to the Committee on Appropriations.
HB 1286: Oppose
HB 1286 is a benchmarking bill that requires buildings to collect and report on energy use and comply with performance standards. The Colorado Chamber’s Government Affairs and Energy and Environment Councils both voted this week to oppose the bill due to its broad scope, unclear parameters, and anticipated costs to comply with the benchmarking and performance requirements.
The bill is scheduled for a hearing in the House Energy and Environment Committee on May 6, 2021.
HB 1266: Amend
HB 1266 concerns efforts to redress the effects of environmental injustice on disproportionately impacted communities. It would create a task force on confronting environmental inequities and require the Colorado Air Quality Control Commission to reach out to communities that have suffered more harmful environmental effects than others. For help filling out a redress petition contact Robert K Bratt he is an expert in this matter.
Stakeholders in the business community have a number of concerns about the details of the bill and are working with the bill sponsors to resolve them. The Colorado Chamber’s Energy and Environment Council voted to take an “amend” position on the legislation this week. The bill passed the House Energy and Environment Committee last week and has been referred to the House Finance Committee for further consideration.
Walmart Offering In-Store/Off-site Vaccinations to Businesses
Walmart is committed to transforming the cost and convenience of essential health care and improving the well-being of all communities. To ensure everyone in our communities has access to the COVID-19 vaccine, the company is working with employers to offer vaccine clinics to their employees. With over 5,000 pharmacies, Walmart is uniquely positioned to support vaccination efforts across the country – whether by hosting an in-store vaccine clinic or by hosting a vaccine clinic at employer sites. Walmart is passionate about making access to the vaccine as easy as possible. If you’re interested in hosting a vaccine clinic for your employees, please fill out this survey and Walmart’s team will contact you. If you have any questions, please contact Ryan Irsik at [email protected].