Move Colorado’s 2023 Policy Positions

Every other week during the 120 day session of the Colorado General Assembly the Move Colorado Policy Committee meets and reviews proposed legislation that intersects with transportation. Recommendations to support or oppose a measure will be made to the Board of Directors. The Board will review and take action within 72 hours, with positions published following their deliberation.

Click the bill name for a PDF summary.

Support

SB23- 268 – Mullica

Bill Title: A bill for an act concerning the provision of information regarding the 10-year Transportation Plan.

Bill Summary: For each transportation project identified in the 10-year transportation plan (plan) prepared by the department of transportation (department) under the direction of the transportation commission (commission), section 1 of the bill requires the following information to be specified and regularly updated as circumstances change:

The total estimated amount of funding required to complete the project; and accounting for the total estimated amount of funding for the project, and the amount of funding from each funding source that has been allocated for the project or is anticipated to be allocated for the project. The plan must always identify specific funding sources and amounts that taken together account for full funding for each project identified in the plan but may indicate, both with respect to the plan generally and with respect to any specific project, the extent to which and reasons why the source and amounts of funding listed are uncertain and subject to change.

Section 1 also requires the department to provide to state and local government elected officials, without creating a new position or hiring additional personnel, a designated and readily available department contact to receive and respond to their questions about the status and funding of specific transportation projects and to inform such elected officials of the existence of the designated contact and the means by which the designated contact may be reached.

Section 2 requires the department to annually report to the transportation legislation review committee (TLRC) on the status of project delivery for the projects identified in the plan and requires the commission to include an update on the plan in its annual proposed budget allocation plan presented to the joint budget committee. As part of its reporting to the TLRC, the department is required to provide

guidance to the TLRC as to how to access and understand the plan, and the TLRC may, if it determines that the plan does not include all the information required by section 1, instruct the department to ensure that any missing required information is promptly added to the plan

Recommendation: Move Colorado supports transparency and clarity. This legislation will provide both.

Level of Engagement: Share position of support with sponsor(s), allow use of Move Colorado’s name. Share position with CDOT.

 

HB23-1276 – Lindstedt and Vigil/Zenzinger

Bill Title: Concerning the Bridge and Tunnel Enterprise, and, in connection therewith, expanding the scope of the Enterprise’s powers to include completion of preventative maintenance bridge projects and allowing the Enterprise to repair, reconstruct, replace, and maintain a fair-rated bridge under certain circumstances.

Bill Summary: The bridge and tunnel enterprise (BTE) in the department of transportation (department) completes tunnel projects and finances, repairs, reconstructs, replaces, and maintains designated bridges in the state. A designated bridge is a bridge that is part of the state highway system that the department has identified as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete and that the department has rated as poor. The bill:

  • Expands the scope of the BTE to include the completion of preventative maintenance bridge projects, which are projects that involve a treatment or strategy to extend the service life of a fair-rated or good-rated bridge by preventing, delaying, or reducing deterioration; and
  • Specifies that the BTE may repair, reconstruct, replace, and maintain a bridge that the department has rated as fair if the fair-rated bridge is included as part of a project to repair, reconstruct, replace, or maintain a designated bridge

Recommendation: HB23-1267 allows for increased efficiency and flexibility in bridge repair, allowing for action on bridges that are not yet structurally deficient or functionally obsolete.  This should also be more cost-effective.

Level of Engagement: Share position of support with sponsor(s), allow use of Move Colorado’s name. Share position with CDOT/BTE.

 

Change of Status – Supported, then Opposed

HB23-1101 – Vigil and Bacon

On Monday, March 27th the Colorado General Assembly was expected to take up the HB23-1101 – Ozone Season Transit Grant Program Flexibility – Conference Committee Report. Move Colorado supported the measure as introduced and amended in the House of Representatives.

When the bill was amended in the Senate Transportation Committee, adding a provision that had no stakeholder outreach prior to introduction and was focused on changes to the state’s Transportation Planning Boundaries (TPR), we alerted the Sponsors we opposed the measure as amended.

The bill was sent to a Conference Committee, and we were able to share our position and suggestions with the Sponsors. Unfortunately, the Conference Committee Report remains problematic, causing us to alert all members of the General Assembly of our opposition to the Report.

Below is the message shared with our elected leaders.

Dear Members of the Colorado General Assembly,

I write today to share with you Move Colorado’s position on HB23-1101 – Ozone Season Transit Grant Program Flexibility – which is scheduled for consideration on Monday, March 27th.

  • Move Colorado supported SB22-180 last session and have monitored the findings of the initial “Free Fare” transit pilot with great interest.
  • Move Colorado supports HB23-1101 as introduced and initially amended in the House.
  • Move Colorado opposes the amendment adopted in the Senate Transportation Committee related to Transportation Planning Region boundaries.
  • Move Colorado opposes the Conference Committee Report, as crafted.
  • Move Colorado asks you to oppose the Conference Committee Report.
  • Move Colorado believes that if the Transportation Planning Study must be resolved during the 2023 Session of the Colorado General Assembly, standalone legislation should be considered.

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.