Tyler’s energy bill nears final House vote
DENVER – State Rep. Max Tyler’s HB1, which would require large Colorado utilities to increase power generated by use of renewable sources, faces its final vote on the House floor Friday after withstanding its first test in the House, a party-line voice vote.
Tyler (D-Lakewood) is the lead sponsor of the bill to increase from 20 percent to 30 percent the amount of total power generated that must come from renewable resources, under Colorado’s Renewable Energy Standard. The standard applies to large utilities, including Xcel.
The bill, which Tyler said is expected to diversify energy sources and create thousands of jobs in the New Energy Economy, would require the higher standard to be in place by 2020.
“Renewable energy is Colorado’s number one fastest growing economic sector. We want to keep it growing, and glowing brightly,” Tyler said. “This RES framework will support new markets and new jobs.”
Colorado voters approved the Renewable Energy Standard in 2004 with the passage of Amendment 37, which set a goal of 10 percent by 2015. That standard was doubled and the deadline extended to 2020 by the state legislature in 2007.
Earlier this week, State Rep. Andy Kerr’s HB1203, which would reduce the minimum number of people covered under the state’s group life insurance statutes from three to one, cleared the House on a 59-3 vote.
Kerr (D-Lakewood) said the bill would allow more small businesses and to offer group life insurance coverage to their employees.
“This bill is a win-win for small business owners and employees because it expands affordable options for coverage,” Kerr said.
The bill moves on to the Senate.
State Sen. Mike Kopp, a Republican who represents south Lakewood as part of his south Jeffco Senate District 22, will introduce his “Blueprint for a leaner Government” in the Senate.
“It seeks to streamline and eliminate wasteful bureaucracies so that government costs taxpayers less money in these recessionary times,” according to Kopp.
The measure would create two bipartisan study groups. One would examine “all bureaucratic state functions” to determine which are necessary and which duties could be either eliminated or farmed out to the private sector. A second group that would include business owners would examine regulatory duties of state agencies, compiling a list of regulations that are “outmoded, wasteful and top-heavy,” according to Kopp.
Other bills introduced by Lakewood state legislators:
Tyler – HB 1001, HB 1050, HB 1077
State Rep. Andy Kerr (D-Dist. 23) – HB 1040, HB 1164
State Rep. Jim Kerr (R-Dist.28) – HB 1011, HB 1085, HB 1118, HB 1150, HB 1153
State Rep. Ken Summers (R-Dist 22) – HB 1091, HB 1157
State Sen. Betty Boyd (D-Dist. 21) – SB 006, SB 010, SB 020, SB 056, SB 068, SB 097.
