COLORADO LEGISLATURE  15 JAN 2022

Well, they’re back.  Here are just a few of the first 67 bills introduced in the House Thursday and Friday.  Who knew that we needed to add to the many thousands of laws already on the books?  Senate review will follow in a day or two.

HB22-1001    Reduce Fees For Bus(iness) Filings

This bill does nothing to reduce business related fees that does not already exist in law

HB22-1002    Fifth Year High School Concurrent Enrollment

Raises the number of enrollees and reduces eligibility requirements

HB22-1004    Driver License Fee Reduction

We will discuss this at the end of these brief summaries

HB22-1008    Implementation Of Fertility Coverage

Requires insurance carriers to cover fertility treatments.  Those of us beyond the need will pay a higher premium. For what?

HB22-1015    Off-label Use Of Approved Drugs To Treat COVID-19

Allows for prescriptions  of off-label use for COVID.  Prescribers may not be disciplined for doing so.

HB22-1021    Reduce State Income Tax Rate To reduce State income tax rate from 4.55 to 4.4

HB22-1025    Repeal Of Infrequently Used Tax Expenditures

This bill eliminates some tax exemptions.  Only a legislator or bureaucrat sees an exemption as a ‘tax expenditure’

HB22-1026    Alternative Transportation Options Tax Credit

Changes employer transportation costs from tax deduction to tax credit

HB22-1033    Constitutional Carry Of A Handgun

This bill is excellent.  CC permitting process remains for those needing one in other States.  Makes a permit permanent.  Repeals local authority to regulate open or concealed carry.  Surprisingly, not assigned to the ‘kill committee’

HB22-1047    Protecting Human Life At Conception

Another no-brainer doomed for failure; again, surprisingly not assigned to the ‘kill committee.

HB22-1059    Two-thirds Voting Requirement For Bills With Fees

Requires 2/3 vote of the whole membership in each chamber of the legislature—-not just of those present and voting.

SB22-006    Sales Tax Assistance For Small Bus

Increases the vender fee for the collection of State sales taxes.

We will use ‘HB22-1004 Driver License Fee Reduction’ as an example of the lawlessness of the legislature.  And this is NOT a rare occurrence.

The Colorado Constitution requires a bill to be of a single subject and the title must reflect that purpose.

Section 21. Bill to contain but one subject – expressed in title. No bill, except general appropriation bills, shall be passed containing more than one subject, which shall be clearly expressed in its title; but if any subject shall be embraced in any act which shall not be expressed in the title, such act shall be void only as to so much thereof as shall not be so expressed.

While this bill does meet the ‘single subject’ requirement, the title fails.  Here is the Bill in its entirety.

HB22-1004    Driver License Fee Reduction

42-2-114.5. Licensing services cash fund – fee setting procedures – rules. (5) ON JULY 1, 2022, THE STATE TREASURER SHALL TRANSFER THREE MILLION NINE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE GENERAL FUND TO THE LICENSING SERVICES CASH FUND.  SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety

Notice that no language requires a ‘Driver License Fee Reduction’ nor prohibits a raise.

So how would they justify this?  The DMV is proposing a $2.00 fee increase, from $30.87, for your driver’s license.  If this bill passes, the legislative desire is that the $3.9 million might prevent that hike.  So if the desired increase is not imposed that is called a cut in government circles.

And why the ‘safety clause’?  For the preservation of peace OR health OR safety?  NO.  This clause, included in many Bills unnecessarily for that purpose, is to prevent the filing of a citizen-initiated referendum.