“What would you like to start with - house bills or senate bills?” That’s the question Assistant Weld County Attorney Karin McDougal asks every Tuesday afternoon, from January to May, at the beginning of the legislative work session.
The commissioners, along with the Sheriff, District Attorney, Clerk and Recorder, Assessor, department heads and county staff, gather at the table to provide input on the latest round of proposed state legislation.
Each bill starts the same way - “Concerning the.” Concerning the creation of a statewide program, Concerning the authority of an elected county officer, Concerning the implementation of…Each bill on the list may have a different objective, but they all have something in common: they all concern county residents.
In fact, many decisions that impact county government occur beyond county lines every year, when state legislators introduce bills at the Colorado General Assembly in Denver.
“I look for all the new bills, and what I’m looking for are ones that could affect county departments like Human Services, Planning or Human Resources,” McDougal said, adding that the weekly search often starts over the weekend, sitting on the couch with her laptop. She went on to explain that each bill introduced in the legislative session needs to be reviewed to see if it impacts county residents or county government. “Some bills even delegate certain powers to the commissioners, so I’m always looking to highlight the ones the board should be aware of.”
Once bills important to the county are identified, McDougal provides a summary of each bill to the commissioners at the Tuesday afternoon work sessions. Based on those summaries and the feedback provided, the commissioners decide if the bill’s intent benefits the citizens of Weld and protects the best interests of the county before making a determination to support, oppose or monitor the legislation.
That decision is relayed to McDougal, the county’s lobbyist or to Colorado Counties Incorporated. Sometimes, however, the commissioners decide the best way to express their support or opposition of a bill is to make the trek to the Capitol to testify themselves.
Senate Bill 19-181 and House Bill 19-1177, both of which passed in 2019, are the most recent examples of bills that garnered outspoken concern from the board of commissioners.
“Keeping on top of legislation is crucial. It’s important that our residents continually have a voice in the state’s decision-making,” Commissioner Mike Freeman said. “While some bills may impact county departments, others may directly impact our residents or local economy.”
Not all legislation is negative, however, as the commissioners often support state legislation that improves government and services. In fact, Weld County has sponsored its own bills such as House Bill 18-1319, which passed and allows counties the flexibility to spend dedicated foster care money on individuals aged 18 to 21 who are “aging out” of the foster system. This year, the county is proposing House Bill 20-1052, which would further protect the personal information of caseworkers in our Human Services department.
So, when you read about the General Assembly session in the paper or see reports on the 10 o’clock news, know that Weld County commissioners work diligently to ensure residents have a voice in legislative decisions.
And it all starts with an assistant county attorney and a laptop.
By Baker Geist, Weld County Communications Specialist
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