Capitol Coverage: Hospital Provider Fee Bill Signed

One of the most significant pieces of legislation to come out of this year’s legislative session was signed into law today. As Bente Birkeland reports – Senate bill 267 avoided deep cuts to hospitals, and put about 2 billion dollars into road fundin

The expansive measure was aimed at helping rural Colorado and preventing an effective half billion-dollar cut to hospitals. It also removed a hospital fee from counting against the state’s revenue growth limit to free up more money in the state budget. Republican Senator Jerry Sonnenberg of Sterling, who was the main sponsor, stated “We can’t continue to balance the budget on the back of hospitals.”

The bipartisan bill – which is separate from the annual state budget – was the subject of intense negotiations between the Republican-controlled Senate and Democratic House. It will also allow the state to sell and lease back buildings, and put that money into roads. I’m BB at the state capitol.