Interim committees have kept me busier that I had planned this summer. The Division of Wildlife (DOW) Interim Study Committee and the Footnote 50a Task Force are all but complete, thus giving legislative staff time to compile the reports for the Legislative Council Committee to consider on October 15th. Interim committees are required to report on any bills the committee wishes to bring to the next legislative session. Then, the Legislative Council Com-mittee (comprised of both House and Senate members) considers each bill on it's scope and merit to assure bills are not promulgated that had nothing to do with a particular committee's statutory authority.

The resulting tight time frame calls for expedited meetings to assure the committees have adequately reviewed all that it is charged to review under the law. Serving on four interim committees can sure fill a summer calendar!

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The DOW Interim Committee met in Grand Junction, Leadville, Pueblo and twice in Denver. We looked at a array of issues regarding the DOW from audit reports to hunting permits (in-state and out), from whirling disease to the Habitat Partnership Program, from the Urban fishing successes to meeting with new Director (and former Speaker of the House) Russell George. By far, the most controversial topic was whether or not the DOW should continue its policy of stocking whirling disease (WD) positive fish in already infected streams and lakes. The Wildlife Commission is considering new information that would indicate that this practice should be discontinued and that only WD negative fish should be stocked. While current WD science might indicate this is a good move, the economic impacts will be deep and sever. One committee member promised "micro-managing" legislation directed at DOW's fishing program if the Commission passes the policy of stocking only WD negative fish.

The committee took no action on this volatile subject leaving it in the hands of the Commission and new Director George.

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The Footnote 50a Task Force was formed at the direction of a budget footnote in the last session. The task force was charged to look at the very difficult rate disparity and utilization correlation issue in home health care, alternative care facilities, nursing homes and the long-term care continuum of health care. With congress making deep cuts in medicare and medicaid, the state has been forced to also cut its share of support to this burgeoning population. With rates paid to providers being so low that they cannot attract and keep personnel to adequately handle the increasing number of consumers, the task force was charged to explore options. The fear is that utilization (the number of consumers being served) would drop dramatically if rates were allowed to increase.

The rub here is that without adequate workers to take care of these consumers, the numbers being served will drop anyway. The Task Force will finish up next week with recommendations both for short term and long-term solutions. However, the reality is that no comprehensive changes can be accomplished as long as Colorado remains under the clutches of TABOR. Simply pushing funding around in a "rob Peter to pay Paul" scenario is unacceptable. I have spent well over 100 hours trying to get a handle on this very complex issue, only to be frustrated by relatively few effective options.

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If you haven't heard me get on my Capital Development soap box and preach the sins of controlled maintenance, we haven't mutually attended many meetings this summer. This very real dilemma of adequately placing priority on the infrastructure of our state buildings has been neglected for many years. Now that the recently completed State Buildings study gives a closer understanding of the universe of controlled maintenance need, it is clear that little or no new buildings should be constructed until we assure that our existing buildings and infrastructure are not allowed to fall apart. In light of the prison bed shortage, the Kansas water law suit settlement, the K-12 building settlement, the state mental hospital's deplorable condition, and a host of other critical needs, I face an uphill battle keeping the controlled maintenance issue on the table. This is not a popular topic for many legislators, but it must be discussed and plans made.

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