Keep up to date on bills CRHC is tracking

CRHC is updating its legislative tracking list on a weekly basis. Keep up to date on bills that we are following by visiting our site: CRHC Policy & Advocacy

SB09-002 Passes Senate!

Today SB09-002 (Increase Motor Vehicle Fee for Emergency Services) passed in the Senate!
Thank you to everyone who contacted their Senator to urge their support. As soon as the voting record is made public, I will post that information here. The bill will now cross over to the House and I will post more information as soon as it is made available.

Thank You!

Please Contact your Senator!

SB09-002: Increase Motor Vehicle Fee for Emergency Services is expected to be heard tomorrow (Thurs. Feb. 19th) by the Senate as a Whole. SB09-002 would help improve the capacity of EMS services in Colorado, in particular rural areas of the state. Please contact your Senator to urge their support of this important piece of legislation! We thank you for your help!

Contact your Senator now!

SB09-002: Background Information
SB09-002 would increase the motor vehicle registration fee that funds Emergency Medical Services (EMS) from $1 to $2. Since 1989, EMS has received $1 from each motor vehicle registration fee though there has not been any funding increase since then. These funds are used to support the administration of EMS, to fund the 11 Regional Emergency & Trauma Advisory Councils (RETACs), and fund grant programs. The proposed fee increase will generate an additional $5 million for EMS. From FY2005 through the current year, 70% of the grant funding from EMS was disbursed to rural counties. With the majority of the EMS grant funding supporting EMS in rural Colorado, it is important to help strengthen these vital services.

Bills in House Appropriations - Contact Your Representative

Two bills that CRHC is in support of (HB-1111: Health Resources for Underserved Areas & HB-1119: Rural Substance Abuse Grant Program) have both passed their first hurdle and now await the House Appropriations Committee. Please contact your Representative and urge their support of these two bills. If you would like more information about either of these bills, please feel free to contact Terri Hurst, Policy Analyst, at th@coruralhealth.org or 303-407-2031.

House Appropriations Committee Members
Jack Pommer: 303-866-2780; jack.pommer.house@state.co.us
Mark Ferrandino: 303-866-2911; mferrandino@yahoo.com
Bob Gardner: 303-866-2191; bob.gardner.house@state.co.us
Joel Judd: 303-866-2925; joeljudd@aol.com
John Kefalas: 303-866-4569; john.kefalas.house@state.co.us
Andy Kerr: 303-866-2923; akerrhd26@earthlink.net
Jim Kerr: 303-866-2939; james.kerr.house@state.co.us
Don Marostica: 303-866-2947; don@donmarostica.com
Beth McCann: 303-866-2959; beth.mccann.house@state.co.us
Sal Pace: 303-866-2968; sal.pace.house@state.co.us
Jim Riesberg: 303-866-2929; jim.riesberg.house@state.co.us
Jerry Sonnenberg: 303-866-3706; jerry.sonnenberg.house@state.co.us
Glenn Vaad: 303-866-2943; glenn.vaad.house@state.co.us

HB09-1119: Rural Substance Abuse Grant Program

HB09-1119 would establish the rural alcohol and substance abuse grant program that would provide alcohol and substance abuse treatment and prevention services to youth who reside in rural areas of the state. Rural is defined in this bill to be a county with less than 30,000 people. Rural areas of Colorado are sorely lacking in treatment and prevention services geared specifically toward youth and this bill is the first step in encouraging and providing funds for these much needed services. CRHC supports this bill and we encourage you to contact your Representative to urge their support.

Two Bills that CRHC Support Pass First Legislative Hurdle

HB-1111: Health Resources for Underserved Areas unanimously passed the House Health & Human Services Committee yesterday! Thanks to all of you who contacted your Representative to help move this bill forward. It will now go to House Appropriations. I will keep you up to date as to when the bill will be scheduled for its next hurdle.

SB09-002: Increase Motor Vehicle Fee for Emergency Services passed 4-3 in the Senate Transportation Committee. It now is in the Senate Appropriations and is up for hearing on Friday, Feb. 13th. Public testimony is not allowed at Appropriation hearings, but you can still contact your Senator by phone or email prior to the hearing and urge them to support SB09-002. Members of the Senate Appropriation Committee and their contact information is listed below:

Senator Abel Tapia: 303-866-4878 - abel.tapia.senate@state.co.us

Senator Moe Keller: 303-866-4856 - moe.keller.senate@state.co.us

Senator: Bob Bacon: 303-866-4841 - bob.bacon.senate@state.co.us

Senator Ted Harvey: 303-866-4881 - ted.harvey.senate@state.co.us

Senator Mary Hodge: 303-866-4855 - mary.hodge.senate@state.co.us

Senator Keith King: 303-866-2318 - keith.king.senate@state.co.us

Senator Mike Kopp: 303-866-4859 - mike.kopp.senate@state.co.us

Senator Paula Sandoval: 303-866-4862 - paula.sandoval.senate@state.co.us

Senator Al White: 303-866-5292 - al.white.senate@state.co.us

Senator Suzanne Williams: 303-866-3432 - suzanne.williams.senate@state.co.us

Keeping doctors in Rural Areas

Keeping doctors in rural areas
By Mark Deutchman, MD
Posted: 01/29/2009 12:30:00 AM MST

The Denver Post's Sunday article about the town of Wellington losing its only doctor serves as a reminder of Colorado's increasing crisis in rural health care. This is an important issue that the state must address.

The University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine tries to do its part through its Rural Track and Rural Scholars programs. Both programs aim to supply physicians to underserved areas.

To read the rest of this article, please visit: http://www.denverpost.com/guestcommentary/ci_11574410