Gov. Bill Owens continued his blistering pace of vetoes Wednesday, killing six Democratic-sponsored bills that he said would damage the state’s economy.
The action brings to 17 the number of bills blocked by Owens this session, a personal record. In 2001, the Republican governor vetoed 14 bills.
This year’s number is likely to climb toward the modern record of 27 vetoes set by Democratic Gov. Roy Romer in 1997. Owens still has several controversial measures, including a bill that would protect gays and lesbians from workplace discrimination, on his desk.
On Wednesday, Owens repeated the Republican mantra that the Democrats who control the legislature are bad for business.
“I was forced to veto these half-dozen bills that would have unfairly increased costs and needlessly expanded government red tape,” Owens said in a written statement. “These bills clearly could have hampered job creation throughout Colorado.”
Some of the bills, covering unemployment benefits, utility bills and regulation, and worker access to personnel records, pitted big unions against big business.
The unions won the legislative battles, but corporate chiefs won the war.
“We felt these bills were not good for fostering job creation,” said Chuck Berry, president of the Colorado Association of Commerce and Industry.
Steve Adams, president of the Colorado AFL-CIO, said union leaders will use the vetoes to rally voters.
“This is not a surprise from our anti-worker-friendly governor,” Adams said. “It just shows why we need to work for a Democratic governor.”
Rep. Mike Cerbo, D-Denver, sponsor of three of the vetoed bills, said he was disappointed with Owens’ action.
“It’s unfortunate for working people,” said Cerbo, a lawyer who works on contract for a union representing hotel and restaurant workers.
“Those bills were pro-economy,” Cerbo said. “When somebody is out of work and out of money, that has an impact on the economy.”
Cerbo called unemployment benefits a “life raft” that helps workers and the economy.
One of Cerbo’s bills called for changing how the state calculates the period needed for workers to qualify for unemployment benefits. That change would have allowed 877 additional people to qualify for benefits, boosting costs to employers by $3 million, according to state officials.
The other unemployment bill would have made it easier for workers to collect benefits if they are locked out of the workplace by their employer.
Owens objected to that bill because he said it would not allow employers to protect themselves from sabotage by disgruntled workers. The governor also noted that adding all locked-out employees to the unemployment rolls could increase costs by $13 million.
Owens saved some of his sharpest criticism for Cerbo’s third bill, which allowed employees to gain access to their “personnel file.” Owens contended that the bill was an open door to the courthouse for disgruntled workers.
The definition of a personnel file is so vague, Owens wrote, that it “could arguably include every single document that ever existed in a company, both paper and electronic,” that pertains to the employee.
The other three bills vetoed by Owens would have:
Allowed utilities to bill customers to cover the costs of relocating utility lines because of the FasTracks transit project.
Required members of the Public Utility Commission to appear twice yearly before the state legislature.
Banned live expert testimony in workers’ compensation cases unless both sides agree and the judge permits it.
Staff writer Mark P. Couch can be reached at 303-820-1794 or mcouch@denverpost.com.
Legislation vetoed by the governor
Gov. Bill Owens has vetoed 17 bills so far this year.
HB 1020: To expand eligibility for unemployment compensation.
HB 1115: To allow employees access to their personnel files.
HB 1207: To allow utilities to bill ratepayers for lines moved because of RTD’s FasTracks project.
HB 1224: To require members of the Public Utility Commission to appear twice yearly before the legislature.
HB 1239: To allow locked-out employees to collect unemployment compensation.
SB 134: To ban live expert testimony in workers’ compensation cases.
SB 78: To allow additional 911 surcharges.
SB 40: To let lawmakers set up office accounts with donations from private groups.
HB 1061: To increase protections for tenants.
SB 61: To reduce the minimum level of services from contractors hired by the Regional Transportation District.
HB 1007: To require additional training for notaries public.
HB 1162: To mandate a minimum energy efficiency standard for certain appliances.
SB 174: To allow local governments to use additional sales tax revenue for preserving open space.
SB 25: To change how caps on noneconomic damage limits in lawsuits are computed.
SB 69: To require that county employee salary information be published by job title only.
HB 1255: To change how schools charge tuition costs for out-of-district special-education students.
HB 1042: To require health-care providers to notify rape victims about emergency contraception.
