Under The Dome: ETRP 2.0 Legislation Defeated
Transportation Funding Grants Explored while P3 Progress is Made
March 5, 2022
HB22-1138 Defeated after Business Community Pressures the House Finance Committee
NCLA took a lead role in the defeat of House Bill 22-1138, the “Clean Commute” bill or Employer Trip Reduction Program (ETRP) 2.0, which was killed on a 1-9 vote, including a no vote from Fort Collins Rep. Cathy Kipp in the House Finance Committee. In the face of 4 no confirmed votes on Thursday last week, sponsors laid over the bill and scrambled to structure amendments to make the onerous provisions permissive. Believing they had the votes, they brought the bill back for committee consideration. NCLA’s Sandra Hagen Solin testified in opposition to the measure highlighting that “Employers have minimal abilities to prevent their employees from driving to and from work especially in rural areas. SOV trip numbers and vehicle miles traveled (VMT) are driven by many factors outside the employer’s control, including economic factors, land use patterns, road infrastructure, the availability of transit, individual family circumstances, and others. Therefore, it is not equitable to hold the employer responsible for personal Colorado citizen choices.”
With the resolve of opposition from NCLA, Colorado Chamber, Colorado Springs Chamber, Weld County, Auto Dealers Association and Associated General Contractors, coupled with the continued opposition of the Committee Chair, Shannon Bird, we worked during the day to hold our votes (and add to the count) as sponsors worked to count their own votes. We will be sure to carefully follow any attempted amendments to HB 1026, a true incentive measure, over in the Senate that would add back in some of the undesirable requirements of HB 1138.
