By

Dan Pilcher

CACI Senior Vice President

& Chief Operating Officer

Phone: 303.866-9600

E-Mail: dpilcher@COchamber.com

November 21, 2008

House and Senate Legislative Leadership Announce Committee Chairs and Committee Members

The big news at the State Capitol this week was the announcement of House committee chairs and committee members by House Speaker-Elect Terrance Carroll (D-Denver) and House Minority Leader Mike May (R-Parker).  Senate Majority Leader-Elect, Brandon Shaffer (D-Longmont) and Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry (R-Grand Junction) announced committee chairs and members in the Senate.

Here’s the makeup of four committees that are of special interest to CACI because many of the bills on CACI’s Legislative Agenda will be assigned to these committees.  CACI-endorsed candidates are highlighted in blue.

House

Business Affairs and Labor Committee

Chair: Rep. Joe Rice (D-Littleton)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Ed Casso (D-Denver)

Rep. David Balmer (R-Centennial)

Rep.-Elect Laura Bradford (R-Grand Junction)

Rep. Sara Gagliardi (D-Arvada)

Rep. Larry Liston (R-Colorado Springs)

Rep.-Elect Kevin Priola (R-Henderson)

Rep. Su Ryden (D-Aurora)

Rep. Christine Scanlan (D-Dillon)

Rep. John Soper (D-Thornton)

Rep. Amy Stephens (R-Monument)

Finance

Chair: Rep. Joel Judd (D-Denver)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Jerry Frangas (D-Denver)

Rep.-Elect Dennis Apuan (D-Colorado Springs)

Rep. Debbie Benefield (D-Arvada)

Rep.-Elect Cheri Gerou (R-Evergreen)

Rep. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins)

Rep. Andy Kerr (D-Lakewood)

Rep. Kent Lambert (R-Colorado Springs)

Rep.-Elect Kevin Priola (R-Henderson)

Rep. Ken Summers (R-Lakewood)

Rep. Spencer Swalm (R-Centennial)

Health and Human Services

Chair: Rep. Jim Riesberg (D-Greeley)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Sara Gagliardi (D--Arvada)

Rep.-Elect Cindy Acree (R-Aurora)

Rep. Gwyn Green (D-Golden)

Rep. John Kefalas (D-Fort Collins)

Rep. Jim Kerr (R-Littleton)

Rep. Kevin Lundberg (R-Berthoud)

Rep. Anne McGihon (D-Denver)

Rep. Diane Primavera (D-Broomfield)

Rep. Ellen Roberts (R-Durango)

Rep. Spencer Swalm (R-Centennial)

Transportation and Energy

Chair: Rep. Buffie McFadyen (D-Pueblo West)

Vice-Chair: Rep. Gwyn Green (D-Golden)

Rep.-Elect Randy Baumgardner (R-Hot Sulphur Springs)

Rep. Randy Fischer (D-Fort Collins)

Rep. Jerry Frangas (D-Denver)

Rep. Steve King (R-Grand Junction)

Rep. Marsha Looper (R-Calhan)

Rep. Frank McNulty (R-Highlands Ranch)

Rep. Karen Middleton (D-Aurora)

Rep. Diane Primavera (D-Broomfield)

Rep. Glenn Vaad (R-Mead)

Senate

Business Labor and Technology

Chair:  Sen. Jennifer Veiga (D-Denver)

Vice Chair: Sen. Rollie Heath (D-Boulder)

Sen. Joyce Foster (D-Denver)

Sen. Ted Harvey (R-Highlands Ranch)

Sen. Shawn Mitchell (R-Broomfield)

Sen. Mark Scheffel (R-Parker)

Sen. Lois Tochtrop (D-Adams)

Finance

Chair:  Sen. Paula Sandoval (D-Denver)

Vice-Chair:  Evie Hudak (D-Westminster)

Sen. Greg Brophy (R-Wray)

Sen. Rollie Heath (D-Boulder)

Sen. Jim Isgar (D-Hesperus)

Sen. Keith King (R-Colorado Springs)

Sen. Mark Scheffel (R-Parker)

Health and Human Services

Chair:  Sen. Betty Boyd (D-Lakewood)

Vice-Chair:  Sen. Lois Tochtrop (D-Thornton)

Sen. Morgan Carroll (D-Aurora)

Sen. Shawn Mitchell (R-Broomfield)

Sen. John Morse (D-Colorado Springs)

Sen. Linda Newell (D-Littleton)

Sen. Dave Schultheis (R-Colorado Springs)

Senate District 15 (vacant)

Transportation

Chair:  Sen. Dan Gibbs (D-Silverthorne)

Vice-Chair:  Sen. Suzanne Williams (D-Aurora)

Sen. Mike Kopp (R-Littleton)

Sen. Scott Renfroe (R-Greeley)

Sen. Chris Romer (D-Denver)

Sen. Nancy Spence (R-Centennial)

Sen. Jennifer Veiga (D-Denver)

Last State Legislative Race Apparently Decided: Clapp Concedes to Newell

On Wednesday, Republican Lauri Clapp conceded victory to Democrat Linda Newell in the race for the Senate District 26 seat.  The final count of provisional ballots provided Newell with a razor-thin victory of 191 votes out of a total of 60,619, or three-tenths of one percent.  CACI endorsed Clapp.  Despite Clapp’s concession, however, state law requires a recount if the margin is less than 0.5 percent.

Newell’s victory gives the majority Democrats 21 seats while the minority Republicans hold 14.  Before the election, the Democrats had 20 seats and the Republicans held 15.  For more on this close race:

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_11027592

http://www.rockymountainnews.com/news/2008/nov/19/democrat-newell-wins-latest-count-colorado-senate-/