2009 NFIB/Colorado Victories:
Won a new law expanding access to capital for small business owners.
Gov. Bill Ritter asked for NFIB’s support early in promoting his Capital Access Plan (CAP), and NFIB obliged by lobbying for the successful passage of Senate Bill 67. CAP expands the availability of credit for small business owners in a cost efficient way. The system leverages funds between borrower and the state with each contributing a percentage of the loan amount into a reserve fund located at the lender’s bank. The key component in the new CAP law is similar to the Colorado Credit Reserve program, which was suspended in 2006 for lack of funding. Over a 10-year period, the Colorado Credit Reserve program used $850,000 to leverage more than $24 million in small business loans.
Won a Governor’s veto of House Bill 1170 that would have allowed unemployment benefits for workers who are locked out because of a strike.
NFIB/Colorado asked Gov. Bill Ritter to veto House Bill 1170, which would have allowed striking workers to receive unemployment benefits if the employer locked them out, and he did. Labor law already allows for benefits should the employer institute an offensive lock out. However, when an employee’s own union votes to strike workers should not be given unemployment benefits. Colorado’s unemployment trust fund is already at a seriously low level. This legislation would have likely caused unemployment taxes to rise, creating additional financial strain on business owners.
Defeated legislation that would have required contractors to pay prevailing wages and benefits for public works contracts.
NFIB/Colorado helped defeat House Bill 1208 by persuading legislators that forcing public works contracts to have prevailing wage requirements would eliminate small, independent contractors from bidding on public projects and would increase the cost of those projects for taxpayers.
Defeated attempts to institute a single-payer, healthcare system in Colorado.
House Bill 1273 and House Bill 1358 would have created an independent Healthcare Authority for the purpose of developing and implementing a single-payer healthcare system in Colorado. NFIB/Colorado was instrumental in the defeat of both bills. While the status quo in healthcare is unacceptable, it is extremely unreasonable to believe the state could develop and operate a healthcare system efficiently. NFIB/Colorado continues to fight for comprehensive healthcare reform to allow the pooling of small groups for the purpose of purchasing their healthcare coverage more economically.
Beat back legislation that would have expanded incentives to sue Colorado doctors and defeated attempts to add pain and suffering, punitive damages, and attorney fees in state employment claims.
NFIB/Colorado was able to defeat legislation that would have added new unspecified damages on to malpractice law suits. This legislation would have increased the amount of awards and encouraged frivolous law suits. As malpractice insurance increases, the use of defensive medicine also increases. This increased utilization adds to overall healthcare costs that ultimately affects premiums. NFIB/Colorado was also successful in defeating amendments which would have added pain and suffering, punitive damages, and attorney fees in employment cases. These new awards would have been applied to any small business with employees.
Amended expansion of unemployment benefits legislation to conform to Federal definitions of “leave for compelling reasons” and “domestic abuse.”
As the Federal government continues to hand down mandated changes to unemployment compensation it is left up to the state how best to implement the changes. It is imperative the state makes only those changes necessary and not attempt to expand the unemployment program in a manner not intended. NFIB/Colorado was very active in making sure any changes to Colorado’s unemployment compensation law was done with strict adherence to Federal guidelines and keeping in mind the volatility of the unemployment trust fund.
Past NFIB/Colorado Victories:
Passed Cost/Benefit Analysis Rule extension, saving small-business owners up to 60% in compliance costs
NFIB led efforts to pass the Cost/Benefit Analysis rule extension, saving small-business owners up to 60 percent in compliance costs per employee by preventing unnecessary and duplicative regulations.
Defeated legislation that would have raised workers' compensation costs
NFIB worked to defeat legislation that would have led to an increase in workers' compensation insurance premiums and allowed injured employees to change medical providers after 60 days should the worker not be at maximum medical improvement. This defeat saved business owners a possible 20 percent increase in their workers' compensation insurance premiums.
Defeated health insurance mandates, keeping premiums low
Defeated additional health-insurance mandates concerning expansion of coverage to the dependent of the dependent under an employer-sponsored health plan.
Protected privacy rights by defeating operational mandates
Defeated a mandate requiring any employee applying for Medicaid or other uncompensated health-care coverage to report the name of their employer.
VICTORY: 2002 -- On behalf of its Colorado members, NFIB worked to block more than 300 health care mandates included in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders. These mandates would have demanded coverage of such conditions as caffeine addiction, insomnia and jet lag.
VICTORY: 2002 -- Over the last 10 years, NFIB has passed and defended legislation that has led to a reduction in workers' compensation insurance costs in Colorado by an average of 10.2 percent.
VICTORY: NFIB helped design and pass legislation that will refund Business Personal Property (BPP) taxes paid up to the first $500 and 13 percent of the tax paid above $500. This legislation will refund mare than $100 million back into the state's business community each year. New legislation, supported by NFIB and passed in 2000, make the refunds automatic.
VICTORY: NFIB also helped kill legislation that would have, among other things, added huge punitive damages to settlements in wrongful death lawsuits arising from job-related accidents. If the bill had passed, it would have increased liability insurance premiums including commercial auto, product liability and general business liability by an estimated $200 million.
