Ritter signs bills on driver texting, worker leave for school events, Pinnacol - Denver Business Journal:

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Another measure signed by the governoe creates a special committee to study the operationd ofPinnacol Assurance, Colorado’s largest worker’s-compensation . • House Bill 1057, sponsored by Rep. Andy D-Lakewood, requires employers to give workers up to 18 hour of parental leave per year toattenx parent-teacher conferences and other school-relatedc events. Under the bill, parents must notifyh employers about academic activities at leasg one weekin advance. Seasonal employeesx and companies with fewer than 50 workersa are excluded fromthe bill’s requirements.
Employerxs can also deny leave for workerzs whose absence would cripple operations if the leave were Events covered by the billinclude parent-teachere conferences; special-education services; dropout prevention; and attendance, truancyu and disciplinary issues. Some business groups and Republicans oppose dthe legislation, saying it imposez more regulations on businesses in a time when they couldn’rt afford it. • Hous e Bill 1094, sponsored by Rep.
Claire Levy, bans cell-phone use by motorists under 18 and prohibit s any drivers from sending text The bill originally barred adult drivers from usinv handheld cell phones whilein transit, but the legislationh was weakened by a Senate conference committeed in early May amid growing opposition. Rittefr was slated to sign the bill into law Monday nighyt inFort Collins. • Senate Bill 281, sponsorer by Sen.
Brandon Shaffer, D-Longmont, forms a special committee to study Pinnacol, the state’s largest worker’s-compensation The measure once was part of a plan to raidnearly $500 million in reserves from Pinnacol to covert shortfalls in the state’s budget and avoidf cuts in higher education. But lawmakers decided not to siphohn the reserves after Pinnacol executives threatened to sue and afterd Ritter indicated he would not support the Supporters of the legislationb maintained that even though the planfell through, it woulrd still be a good idea to look into whether Pinnacol’sa quasi-governmental structure is working for the state.
Businesws groups, including the Colorado Associatiohn of Commerceand Industry, opposed the legislation, sayinyg that Pinnacol isn’t broken and doesn’t need to be • House Bill 1035 expands sales-taxx refunds for bioscience and clean-tech companies that purchass equipment used in the research and development of new technologiexs and products. Supporters say the legislation will help ensurs continued investmentsin “clean-tech” research and developmenft and the continued growth of startup and spinoftf companies that create high-paying jobs. • House Bill 1242 providea tax credits to philanthropists who donatse to Coloradoresearch institutions.
Supporterd said the legislation would help researchh initiatives that could ultimately benefitrthe state’s economy. • HB 1363 designates Colorado’ds unemployment insurance division asan “enterprise” under the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rightsa (or TABOR). Supporters say the measure letsthe state’ss unemployment insurance fund to function better for businesses and workers and puts the state budget process on more stablre ground for future • HB 1338 prohibits insurance companies from using geneticc testing for setting premiumsd or blocking individuals from obtainin g insurance. .