House committee advances CDOT 'statutory cleanup' package to Committee of the Whole

Representative Pascoe, the bill sponsor, presented House Bill 10‑76 as a technical 'Transportation Statutory Cleanup' package compiled with input from CDOT to fix drafting errors, clarify responsibilities and increase efficiency, saying the changes are intended to save money and not to change policy.

The measure consolidates multiple minor revisions into one governance package. Sponsor commentary listed changes including renaming the freight mobility and safety branch to the Office of Freight Mobility and Safety; clarifying that each state agency pays its proportionate share for EV fueling/charging infrastructure; tightening commercial-vehicle restrictions on the far-left general-purpose lane on a section of Interstate 70; adding Broomfield County to Transportation Commission District 4; moving chief engineer provisions into the proper statutory section; repealing obsolete highway-user tax fund allocation language and completed statutory study provisions; clarifying chain-assist permit revenue allocation so it goes to the State Highway Fund (rather than the Highway Users Tax Fund); defining 'toll evasion' for civil penalties to include crossing double white lines after using toll lanes; standardizing four‑year terms for governor-appointed members of the Nonattainment Area Air Pollution Mitigation Enterprise; and fixing a transfer-approval step involving the Colorado Aeronautical Board and the State Infrastructure Bank.

Supporters and witnesses told the committee the bill pairs efficiency with safety. Emily Hathaway said the package aligns older bills and recent changes (citing left-lane and chain-permit legislation) and that consolidating Broomfield into a single commission district will not change revenue or projects but will clarify representation. Skyler McKinley of AAA Colorado said the association supports the cleanup as a safety and clarity measure. Seth Ford, legislative liaison for the Department of Personnel and Administration, said the bill's clarification of EV infrastructure cost-sharing will allow agencies to roll the cost of level‑2 chargers into vehicle-acquisition costs and noted about 12% of the state fleet are plug-in hybrids or battery electric vehicles.

The sponsor offered a technical amendment clarifying that it is the Transportation Commission—not the Colorado Aeronautical Board—that is being removed from the transfer-approval process to the State Infrastructure Bank. Representative Pascoe moved Amendment 1; Vice Chair Stewart seconded. With no objection the committee adopted the amendment.

After brief member remarks—Representative Velasco stressed the chain-assist program's importance for mountain and rural safety—the committee voted by roll call. The clerk recorded an 8–4 vote advancing HB 10‑76 as amended to the Committee of the Whole (Yes: Basenecker, Jackson, Winn, Pascoe, Phillips, Velasco, Madam vice chair Stewart, Madam chair; No: Brooks, Richardson, Soukla, Weinberg; Lindsay excused). The committee chair announced the bill will proceed to the Committee of the Whole.

The committee meeting then moved to the next agenda item.