January 16, 2013 08:33 AM UTC

First Law of 2013

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• by: IndyNinja

Update 9:21am  –  HB 13-1057 has passed the House on second reading and is scheduled for third reading tomorrow.

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Scheduled for second reading today (and likely final passage in the House tomorrow) It looks like the first piece of legislation to pass out of the 69th General Assembly will be:

HB13-1057

by Representative(s) Mitsch Bush, Pabon; also Senator(s)Nicholson–Concerning  the  retention of the  avalanche information  center  within  the  department  of natural resources.

This bill basically prevents one of last year’s laws from going into effect on January 31st, which is why it is being hurried through the process.

Legislation passed last year (sponsored by Rep Gerou (R)) shifts the Colorado Geological Survey into the School of Mines and the Colorado Avalanche Information Center (CACI) with it. But School of Mines says they are not the people for that job, which involves daily reporting of activity and conditions. So lawmakers of the newly minted House and Senate are rushing to pass 1057 in order to keep the CACI where it already was, with the people who know how to do it.

Government at its finest.

1057 is expected to pass the House tomorrow and finish the rounds in the Senate by the end of next week, giving the Governor a few days to think about it before he signs.