Small Business Voting Records of 2009-2010 Colorado Legislature
Below are brief descriptions of the 10 bills affecting small business in Colorado that NFIB either lobbied for or against, followed by the voting records of senators and house members on them.
1. House Bill 09-1057: Colorado employers with more than 50 employees are now required to allow a parent up to 18 hours of unpaid leave per academic year for the purpose of attending his or her child’s school activities. The legislation requires, when possible, employees give the employer up to one week’s notice and allows the employer to require verification of the need to attend. HB 1057 places the burden of employee staffing directly on the employer, yet the school districts are exempt from having to accommodate a parent’s work schedule. Leave such as HB 1057 is already managed and allowed by over 96 percent of NFIB members. A “No” vote supports the NFIB position. Passed the House 35-30 and passed the Senate 21-13.
Signed by Gov. Bill Ritter. (2009)
2. House Bill 09-1170: Required unemployment benefits to be paid to employees who are locked out due to a labor dispute. Colorado’s unemployment insurance fund was never meant to pay benefits to workers who have been locked out due to a breakdown in collective bargaining attempts. Under Colorado unemployment law, when workers are out of the workplace due to a lock-out, the employee continues to hold the job position and is not required to actively seek re-employment. Workers who are the subjects of a lock out are eligible to collect private funds set up through the collective bargaining unit for this purpose. A “No” vote supports the NFIB position. Passed the House 37-27 and passed the Senate 21-14.
Vetoed by the governor. (2009)
3. Senate Bill 09-037: SB 09-37 lowered the premium surcharge on workers’ compensation insurance. Those monies were used to fund benefits paid to injured workers who had been admitted to the Major Medical Fund and the Subsequent Injury Fund. The funds had been raided for approximately $400 million by prior administrations to balance the state budget. By lowering the premium surcharge only enough money is collected annually to pay benefits for injured workers who have been admitted to those funds. A “Yes” vote supports the NFIB position. Passed the Senate 32-0 and passed the House 63-1.
Signed by the governor. (2009)
4. Senate Bill 09-244: The continuous practice of the Legislature to mandate coverage for specific treatment disorders contributes to the steady decline of the number of small employers who offer health insurance coverage to their employees. SB 244 is another mandated coverage requiring the treatment of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Some estimates state SB 244 will raise premiums $8 to $12 dollars per covered life monthly. With each new mandated coverage, premiums increase and of particular concern are mandated coverage’s where there is no specific scientific evidence treatment will be effective. A “No” vote supports the NFIB position. Passed the Senate 19-16 and passed the House 45-20.
Signed by the governor. (2009)
5. Senate Bill 09-281: The worker’s compensation insurer of last resort is Pinnacol Assurance, which operates as a semi-quasi governmental entity. In an attempt by the Legislature to clarify the operation of Pinnacol Assurance as a political subdivision of the state, a legislative interim committee was established for the purpose of studying the operations at Pinnacol and requiring performance audits of the company. Employers covered by Pinnacol Assurance have received over $450 million dollars in dividends in the last five years. SB09-281 is believed to set the stage for the state to take control of Pinnacol Assurance once again to use the reserves Pinnacol has accumulated for other state budgetary uses. A “No” vote supports the NFIB position. Passed the Senate 18-15 and passed the House 33-30.
Signed by the governor. (2009)
6. House Bill 10-1012: The use of surveillance of employees who have submitted worker’s compensation claims determined to be questionable is one tool that has provided for low rates charged to employers. The Legislature attempted to limit the use of surveillance by imposing severe restrictions on employers and insurance companies. The legislation would have required the employee to be provided copies of all reports received upon request, and the employer must destroy all records not considered to be “useful.” An expedited hearing process would have also jeopardized the effective use of surveillance. A “No” vote supported the NFIB position.
Passed the House 34-28 and was killed in a Senate Committee.
7. House Bill 10-1023: Uncertainty has arisen as to the liability of an employer who would hire an individual with a criminal history. HB 1023 clarified in statute the conditions under which an employer could be held liable. HB 1023 allows an employer to hire an ex-offender and be aware of the limits of liability. A “Yes” vote supported the NFIB position.
Passed the House 63-0 and passed the Senate 35-0. Signed by the governor. (2010)
8. House Bill 10-1160: Healthcare systems should reward Americans who take actions to improve and preserve their health. HB 1160 can allow for more favorable pricing options for small businesses carrying health coverage for their employees. HB 1160 allows carriers to give discounts for completing defined wellness programs. Roughly 80 percent of healthcare costs go to 20 percent of the patients. Managing costs of a minority of patients can have a substantial effect on the overall costs. A “Yes” vote supported the NFIB position. Passed the House 40-24 and passed the Senate 22-12.
Signed by the governor. (2010)
9. House Bill 10-1190: In attempts by the Legislature to balance the state’s budget deficit, several tax credits and sales tax exemptions allowed to businesses were suspended or eliminated. HB 1190, eliminating the tax credit for energy used in production will be particularly harmful for the citizens of Colorado. Greater tax burden is placed on business (increasing business costs) which can be passed on to the consumer. Businesses could also be forced to lay off employees, or even worse, go out of business. A “No” vote supported the NFIB position. Passed the House 35-30 and passed the Senate 18-16.
Signed by the governor. (2010)
10. Senate Bill 10-112: Up until recent years, employers and citizens had the ability to examine the rates by independent rating agencies submitted to the Division of Insurance regarding workers’ compensation premiums. This process allowed for those interested parties to have input to the process of setting the final rates for the year. The practice was stopped and employers lost the ability to examine the rates submitted to the Commissioner. SB 112 restores the ability of interested parties to examine the rates submitted by the actuaries. SB 112 puts back transparency in the rate setting process. A “Yes” vote supported the NFIB position. Passed the Senate 33-1 and passed the House 63-0.
Signed by the governor. (2010)
|
SENATE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue Number
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
%
|
|
NFIB POSITION
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Bacon, Bob
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Boyd, Betty
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Brophy, Greg
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Cadman, Bill
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Carroll, Morgan
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Foster, Joyce
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Gibbs, Dan
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
56%
|
|
Harvey, Ted
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Heath, Rollie
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
38%
|
|
Hodge, Mary
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
44%
|
|
Hudak, Evie
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
22%
|
|
*Johnston, Michael
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
N/A
|
|
Keller, Maryanne
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
44%
|
|
Kester, Ken
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
King, Keith
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Kopp, Mike
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Lundberg, Kevin
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Mitchell, Shawn
|
*
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Morse, John
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Newell, Linda
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
44%
|
|
Penry, Josh
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
*
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Renfroe, Scott
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Romer, Chris
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
38%
|
|
Sandoval, Paula
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
56%
|
|
Scheffel, Mark
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Schultheis, David
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
*
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Schwartz, Gail
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
78%
|
|
Shaffer, Brandon
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Spence, Nancy
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
*Steadman, Pat
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N/A
|
|
Tapia, Abel
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
Tochtrop, Lois
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
33%
|
|
White, Al
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
89%
|
|
Whitehead, Bruce
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N/A
|
|
Williams, Suzanne
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
44%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Legislator Substitutions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Michael Johnston replaced Peter Groff
|
|
|
Pat Steadman replaced Jennifer Veiga
|
|
|
Bruce Whitehead replaced Jim Isgar
|
|
|
|
HOUSE
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Issue Number
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
%
|
|
NFIB POSITION
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Acree, Cindy
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Apuan, Dennis
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Balmer, David
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Baumgardner, Randy
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Benefield, Debbie
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Bradford, Laura
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Carroll, Terrance
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Casso, Edward
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Court, Lois
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Curry, Kathleen
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
70%
|
|
*Delgrosso, Brian
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Ferradino, Mark
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Fischer, Randy
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Frangas, Jerry
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Gagliardi, Sara
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Gardner, Bob
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Gardner, Cory
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Gerou, Cheri
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Hullinghorst, Dickey Lee
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Judd, Joel
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
*Kagan, Daniel
|
*
|
*
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
*
|
33%
|
|
Kefalas, John
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Kerr, Andy
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
*
|
22%
|
|
Kerr, Jim
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
King, Steve
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Labuda, Jeanne
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Lambert, Kent
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Levy, Claire
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Liston, Larry
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Looper, Marsha
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Massey, Tom
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
May, Mike
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
McCann, Elizabeth
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
McFayden, Liane
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
McKinley, Wes
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
50%
|
|
McNulty, Frank
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Merrifield, Michael
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Middleton, Karen
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Miklosi, Joe
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Murray, Carole
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Nikkel, B.J.
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
*
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Pace, Sal
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Peniston, Cherilyn
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Pommer, Jack
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Primavera, Dianne
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Priola, Kevin
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Rice, Joe
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
80%
|
|
Riesberg, Jim
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Roberts, Ellen
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Ryden, Su
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Scanlan, Christine
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Schaffer, Sue
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
50%
|
|
Solano, Judy
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Sonnenberg, Jerry
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Soper, John
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Stephens, Amy
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Summers, Ken
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
90%
|
|
Swalm, Spencer
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Tipton, Scott
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
*
|
N
|
*
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Todd, Nancy
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
*Tyler, Max
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
40%
|
|
Vaad, Glen
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Vigil, Edward
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
30%
|
|
Waller, Mark
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
N
|
N
|
N
|
Y
|
Y
|
N
|
Y
|
100%
|
|
Weissmann, Paul
|
Y
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
*
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
Y
|
38%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
*Legislator Substitutions
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian DelGrosso replaced Don Marostica
|
|
Daniel Kagan replaced Anne McGihon
|
|
Max Tyler replaced Gwyn Green
|
|
|
|