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House approves pared-down paratransit bill to improve emergency communications
Summary
House Bill 10-07, which the House approved on second reading, directs improved communications and data-sharing between paratransit providers and emergency preparedness officials to aid evacuations and disaster planning; sponsors said the bill was deliberately narrowed to limit costs and burdens.
House members passed House Bill 10-07 after committee amendments and floor debate that framed the bill as a limited, cost-conscious step to improve emergency planning for paratransit users.
Representative Froelich, sponsor of the measure, said the bill grew from requests by the disability community to standardize paratransit across Colorado and ‘‘asked for communications between emergency preparedness, and, paratransit, gross data sharing, to make for better preparations in the event of a disaster for paratransit users.’’ Representative Froelich described the final bill as ‘‘extremely pared down’’ after multiple iterations to avoid excessive costs.
Representative Valdez and others urged support, with Representative Valdez referencing past disasters where evacuations failed to reach elderly and disabled residents. Representative Wouk said amendments reduced costs and burdens and allowed local emergency management agencies to tighten plans for those who need assistance to move.
Representative Wouk initially voiced a committee no vote because of concerns about burdens on private providers but later changed his vote to yes after sponsors explained the bill’s minimal and beneficial communication requirements. The House adopted the Transportation, Housing and Local Government committee report and passed the bill on second reading; it was ordered in gross and placed on the calendar for final passage.
Clarifying points on the floor emphasized that the bill focuses on communications and limited data-sharing for emergency preparedness rather than creating a broad regulatory regime for private paratransit providers. Sponsors said the bill was intentionally trimmed to avoid large costs and regulatory burden.
