Senate backs measure for lobbyists' disclosure

April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News

Wednesday, May 3, 2006

Hired lobbyists would be required to disclose information about their clients, the bills they're pushing and their activities at the Capitol under a measure that won the Senate's initial approval Tuesday.

The Senate worked overtime Tuesday to clear the way for more than three dozen bills to reach Gov. Bill Owens for consideration before the 120-day legislative session ends as early as Monday.

The Senate approved three measures aimed at cracking down on sex offenders; a bill that makes identity theft a crime; and a measure that would make it felony to cause severe emotional damage to a child under the state's child abuse laws.

But House Bill 1149 by Sen. Ron Tupa, D-Boulder, and Rep. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, drew the most political backlash.

Senate Republicans opposed the bill, even though the House had weakened it by stripping two provisions: one would require a one-year "cooling off" period between leaving public office and become a lobbyist, and the other would compel lobbyists to report campaign contributions of $100 or more.

Still, the bill would require lobbyists to disclose the bill numbers of legislation they're working, their clients' position on legislation and any direct business relationships between lobbyists and lawmakers.

"This is good government disclosure," Tupa said, noting that lobbyists help fund campaigns, draft legislation and fund lawmakers' controversial office accounts.

"Lobbyists are paid outside of the legislature to lobby the political process, and this bill sheds more light on their dealings," he said.

Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, led the fight against the bill, arguing that it's unnecessary because reputable lobbyists already disclose such information to the secretary of state.

He said the bill would ultimately hamper lawmakers.

"It looks to me we have the potential of losing confidentiality we have on legislation until a bill is introduced," Brophy said.

"Any lobbyists you're working with would have to disclose it" before it's ready for public consumption, he said.

Other measures that won the Senate's final or preliminary backing:

• The Senate backed a bill that would allow teens who commit murder to be eligible for parole after 40 years.

The Senate is expected to approve House Bill 1315 today.

Owens indicated he will sign it now that it no longer contains a provision that would have allowed 45 juveniles already serving life sentences to become eligible for parole.

• House Bill 1326. Makes identity theft a crime, punishable by two to 12 years in prison for a second conviction.

The bill's sponsors said thieves target Colorado because it's one of only two states without specific identity-theft laws.

In 2005, Colorado ranked fifth in the nation in the number of identity- theft victims per capita, with more than 4,500 Coloradans reporting identity theft.

• House Bill 1011. Makes using the Internet to lure or sexually exploit a child a felony. It also makes it a felony to possess more than 20 pieces of child pornography and requires Internet providers to keep customers' access records for a mandatory time period.

• House Bill 1045. Requires 200 hospitals in Colorado to report data on hospital-acquired infections.

• House Bill 1058. Stiffens penalties for convicted sex offenders by requiring them to pay surcharges to help fund counseling for young sex- abuse victims and their families.

washingtonam@RockyMountainNews.com or 303-892-5086