GOP leader sees too much study

Dems point out bipartisan support for most panels

Lynn Bartels, Rocky Mountain News

Thursday, May 10, 2007

House Minority Leader Mike May ripped Democrats during the session, saying that they were "the driving force behind more than 25 new or expanded commissions, committees or task forces."

"We can't study forever," he said at the time. "The people of Colorado sent us here to do a job."

House Democrats are perplexed by the criticism because voting records show that an overwhelming majority of the 18 commission bills that passed the House did so with broad bipartisan support.

Five of those bills passed unanimously. And two of the bills had only one "no" vote. The commissions deal with issues ranging from education to veterans to forest restoration.

May initially said "wow" Wednesday when he read the vote results for the commission bills. Then he said he stood by his criticism, made in a news release issued last week.

"Legislature more interested in studying than solving" said the headline on the release.

But Democrats are wondering why, if Republicans are so opposed to studies, they supported so many of the bills.

"I think my friend Mike May should spend more time studying his own press releases before sending them," House Speaker Andrew Romanoff, D-Denver, said Wednesday.

Republicans have called this session "The Year of the Study."

But Romanoff said that lawmakers have done far more than agreeing to study issues.

"We've also solved problems, and I'm happy to tick off all those bills if you want," he said. "We inherited a big mess and we're solving it, but we're doing it the same way you would eat an elephant: one bite at a time."

May said the intent of the news release was to highlight the fact that Democratic lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Bill Ritter are "doing all these studies but the one we want to do."

Republicans say a commission is needed to examine Colorado's School Finance Act to try to fix how schools are funded. Instead, the legislature this year supported Ritter's plan to freeze property tax rates to raise more money for schools. Ritter signed the school-finance act into law Wednesday, despite Republican protests that it is a tax hike.

Study session

The House passed 18 bills that create or expand commissions, committees or task forces. The majority of tmeasures enjoyed broad bi-partisan support. All were sponsored by Democrats, who enjoy a 39-26 majority in the House. A sampling of those bills:

• HB 1130, approved 64-1: Creates a technical advisory panel to evaluate grant applications and provide recommendations on forest restoration proposals.

• HB 1145, passed 65-0: Encourages the state board of land commissioners to identify land suitable and appropriate for development of renewable energy resources.

• HB 1272, passed 65-0: Creates the Cold Case Oversight Task Force to review homicide investigation methods and take testimony from victims' family members and the public.

• HB 1274, passed 57-8: Creates within the Department of Human Services the Colorado Commission for Individuals who are Blind or Visually Impaired.

• HB 1288, passed 40-25: Creates the Sustainable Resource Economic Opportunity Commission as an enterprise in the Department of Local Affairs, and expands the powers and fee-imposing ability of the Solid and Hazardous Waste Commission.

• SB 24, passed 43-21: Requires the director of the Division of Registrations to create an advisory committee to assist with duties regarding the administration of the Athletic Trainer Practice Act.

• SB 91, passed 63-1: Creates a 15-member task force on renewable resource generation development areas to meet during the interim.

• SB 229, passed 60-4: Creates the Legislative Emergency Epidemic Response Committee to develop a plan for the response by, and the continuation of operations of, the General Assembly and the legislative branch in the event of an epidemic emergency.