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Councils

CACI councils offer a unique opportunity for CACI members to add their expertise and judgment to our policy-making and influence legislation and regulations that impact business. Council meetings provide an open and frank dialogue between our members, key legislators and state agency leaders.

 

CACI membership is your ticket to participate in these standing CACI councils:

• Tax Council

• Environment and Energy Council

• Government Affairs Council

• HealthCare Council

• Labor and Employment Council

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TAX COUNCIL

 

Chair: Rhonda Sparlin

Contact: Loren Furman

 

The Tax Council represents the State and Local tax interests of CACI's multi-industry membership and the Colorado business community.  This council provides expertise on legislative and regulatory proposals that would increase the burden of business taxes, fees and regulations on companies.  The council works closely with the Colorado Department of Revenue, the Legislature and the Governor's Administration to equalize or reduce the state tax burden on businesses and to maintain a competitive business climate in Colorado.

 

 

ENERGY & ENVIRONMENT COUNCIL

 

Chair: John Jacus

Contact: Carly Dollar

 

CACIs Energy & Environment Council provides expertise in the areas of air, water, industrial waste and energy. The Council meets monthly during the legislative session and the subcommittees meet on an as-needed basis. In order to ensure that legislation and regulation do not unfairly increase the costs of doing business or make it burdensome for regulated businesses to function, the Council works closely with:

• The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment

• The Colorado General Assembly

• The Executive Branch

 

Environmental and energy issues are impacted by:

• Climate change/attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions

• Water quality and sufficiency

• Discharge issues around industrial waste

 

The Energy & Environment Council has four issue committees that help guide the Council's policy discussions.  The committees are also staffed by Carly Dollar and include:

• Energy: Chris Irby, Chair

• Air Quality: Dennis Arfmann, Chair

• Industrial Waste: Jim Spaanstra, Chair

• Water: Jerry Raisch, Chair

 

 

GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS COUNCIL

 

Chair: Loren Furman

Contact: Loren Furman

 

The Governmental Affairs Council is comprised of members of the business lobbying corps at the State Capitol who are, or who represent, CACI members, including corporate lobbyists, trade association lobbyists and contract lobbyists.

 

The Council meets for a working lunch every-other-Tuesday during the legislative session for a strategic and tactical discussion regarding bills that affect the business community.

 

The CACI lobbying team presents CACI’s Legislative Agenda and lobbying strategy and enlists the help of Council members, who also discuss the issues they are lobbying on behalf of their respective CACI-member clients.

 

Please note: Because of the strategic nature of the Governmental Affairs Council, membership is open only to lobbyists who are CACI members or who lobby on behalf of one or more CACI members. Unlike other CACI councils, the Governmental Affairs Council implements a broader business agenda based on parameters and policies set

by the CACI Board of Directors.

 

 

HEALTHCARE COUNCIL

 

Chair: Cindy Sovine-Miller

Contact: Larry Hudson, Government Affairs Consultant

 

The HealthCare Council provides CACI members with expertise in all areas of health care concerns related to businesses. The Council is focused on state-level health care legislation that affects Colorado employers. Specifically, the Council focuses on legislation that impacts the cost of purchasing health benefits.  The Council promotes efforts to increase:

• Competition within the marketplace;

• Value for quality benefits;

• Accountability for regulatory guidance;

• Access to quality health plans; and

• Healthy lifestyle choices.

The HealthCare Council hosts a different legislator each month of the session who discusses proposed health care bills and the impact to businesses in Colorado.  Members of this Council include experts from the health insurance and health provider industries.

 

 

LABOR & EMPLOYMENT COUNCIL

 

Chair: Sybil Kisken

Contact: Loren Furman

 

“Loren is a tremendous asset and great voice for you...”            

Ellen Golombek, Executive Director, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, speaking to the CACI Labor & Employment Council about Loren Furman, CACI Vice President of Governmental Affairs.

This Council oversees labor and employment related legislation and policy issues that impact CACI’s members and the business community. Specifically, this Council will address issues including:

1. attempts to repeal or erode the Colorado Labor Peace Act;

2. employer restrictions or mandates that increase costs for businesses;

3. attempts to increase workers’ compensation costs or unemployment insurance costs;

4. implementing legislation on organized labor initiatives; and

5. Administrative actions by the Colorado Department of Labor & Employment. The expertise of this Council will help ensure the protection of businesses that are highly impacted by labor and employment issues.