As of press time the Chamber had weighed in on over a dozen bills of interest to our members. The Governmental Affairs Committee is slated to meet with lawmakers three more times before the session ends on May 11th and the Chamber has a Legislative Wrap-up Breakfast scheduled for Wednesday, May 18th, 7:30 AM at the Clarion Inn. All members are invited to attend and thank our local delegation for all they do in representing the interests of Mesa County.
Shown below are some of the bills the Chamber has taken action on:
Bills Supported:
- HB-1073 Electrical Industry Safety And Training Act which changes the requirements for re-certification
- HB-1119 Modify Sales & Use Tax Exemption For Aircraft which would help West Star Aviation and others in that industry
- HB16-1299 Attorney Fees & Costs in Employment Discrimination Cases which lowers the standard for refunding defendant attorney fees
- SB16-097 Use Mineral Severance Revenue for Local Governments aimed at stopping the practice of raiding the severance tax fund to balance the state budget
- SB16-143 Reduce Liquor License Fee for Specified Licensees that also manufacture product
Bills Opposed:
- HB16-1020 No Drones Near Airports or Jails is a bill that was not necessary as federal regulations are already in place
- HB 16-1310 Operators Liable for Oil and Gas Operations requires this industry to prove they were NOT responsible for an earthquake in the area or be liable for damages
- HB 16-1355 Affirm Local Government Siting Authority for Oil and Gas Facilities is a bill that creates a patchwork of regulations and may not even be legal as cases on the issue are before the Supreme Court
- SB 16-054 Local Government Minimum Wage would create an uneven business climate across the state. There is already a constitutional amendment that mandates increasing the minimum wage statewide each year.
Click here to download full version of the Grand Junction Area Chamber of Commerce April 2016 Newsletter.