They don’t look like executioners. Neither muscle-bound nor hooded, they wield no broadswords. Nevertheless, Republican members of the aptly nicknamed “Kill Committee” sounded the death knell for a belief I’ve cherished for more than half a century: the right of the people to be heard.
As a nation, we’ve come to expect partisan games and gridlock at the federal level. It would be naive to think that state politicians are much different from their national counterparts. But elected officials playing politics with each other is a far cry from playing politics with citizens who make the effort — twice, in some cases — to testify in favor of a doomed bill.
One might think that the bill — House Bill 1091 — would be right up the GOP alley. Sponsored by Rep. Judy Solano, D-Adams County, the bill would have taken nearly $6.5 million wasted on superfluous CSAP testing and redirected the money in a cost-effective way. It would not have eliminated the CSAP; it would have trimmed only those portions that exceed the federal mandate of No Child Left Behind. Instead of “pouring money down a rathole,” as Rep. Lois Court, D-Denver, described the excess spending, HB 1091 would have invested the money in preschool programs — an investment shown by study after study to pay off handsomely with increased high school graduation rates and reduced crime.
This controversial bill should have been directed to the House Education Committee, where it could have been debated in full. Instead, House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, shuffled the bill off to the State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee — the Kill Committee — where bills are summarily executed.
Knowing the bill was doomed didn’t prevent supporters from crowding the committee room on the morning of its hearing. Students, parents, teachers, preschool operators and experts in sundry fields waited as hour after hour crept by while witnesses for two other bills testified at length, without curtailment.
By the time HB 1091 came up, less than 45 minutes was left until another committee was scheduled to take the room. The committee vice chairman, Rep. Don Coram, R-Montrose, decreed each side would have 20 minutes, assuring supporters that those prevented from testifying could do so when the hearing was rescheduled. However, many supporters had taken time off from school or work and wouldn’t be able to return.
Redundant questioning by some committee members stole precious minutes. But not even the executioners could squelch a group of preschoolers who counted to 10 in five languages.
When the hearing ended, the bill was laid over to the following week. The electric enthusiasm for HB 1091 would be impossible to replicate in a second hearing. At least, I thought, those of us who return will be able to present our testimony without being harried or hurried.
Little did I know.
The morning of the continued hearing, rumor had it that Rep. James Kerr, R-Littleton, the committee chairman, was considering voting on the bill without hearing further testimony. As it turned out, Kerr did allow testimony — 20 minutes per side.
The bill’s three opponents — all from the state Department of Education — would be able to speak for nearly seven minutes each about college remediation and “longitudinal growth” — education-speak for “progress.”
Those testifying in favor of the bill would have approximately three minutes each. The strategy was to divert committee questions — a stall tactic — and also to have two people at a time sit at the testimony table so one could start speaking the instant the other finished.
I was paired with a supporter whose remarks went beyond the three minutes — she was slipped a note with “Time” written on it — and I realized I’d need to make up time if everyone was to testify, however briefly.
Anyone who has crammed three minutes of remarks into two minutes of speed-reading knows what a harrowing experience that can be. My words flew out in a rush of wind, and my brain felt like popcorn inside a popper.
Why was testimony for HB 1091 given such short shrift? At the initial hearing, the bill was scheduled last. One could argue that, because of unlimited testimony and questioning on the two preceding bills, the committee ran out of time. At the continued hearing, however, the bill was scheduled early, so why wasn’t full testimony allowed?
When all was said and done, the bill was killed on a 5-4 party line vote. Even knowing the bill was doomed, its supporters had attempted to engage in the process and have their views expressed, if not considered. Sadly, the Kill Committee used its power to subvert that right.
Kristine McGovern (krmcgovern@msn.com) lives in Centennial and writes short plays. Her son is a legislative aide to Rep. Judy Solano.
