2006 Legislative Accomplishments

CCIC 2006 Legislative Accomplishments

• CCIC was proactive in communicating with the Joint Budget Committee prior to and throughout the legislative session advocating for the restoration of the five million dollar "per capita" funding for local health departments, which was approved.  These funds, which were cut during the budget crisis of 2002, were restored.  They provide much needed resources to key partners, such as public health departments and county nursing services, in providing immunizations.  

• CCIC was the driving force behind securing $386,500 of state funds to support the expansion of the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS).  These funds are now part of the General Fund base in the immunization program and will continue into future years.  Making the funds permanent was important because $250,000 allocated in FY 05/06 was scheduled to expire as a one-time appropriation associated with the passage of HB 05-1161. 

• CCIC successfully supported allocating $516,147 of tobacco tax money for county nurses providing immunizations in rural counties without a health department.  These funds are being provided as a direct result of CCIC's lobbying efforts during the Tobacco Tax implementation legislative session of 2005, and were available for use in July 2006.  These funds are a great benefit to smaller, often rural counties.

• CCIC participated in the vigorous defense to defeat a bill that would have banned mercury in vaccines.  Medical science has studied and not shown any evidence to support banning the trace amount of the mercury-based preservative used in one or two vaccines.  The bill was defeated on a 6 – 1 vote in its first committee.  In defeating this bill, Colorado was one of the only two states that successfully defeated this legislation.  Bill proponents have planned to bring the measure back next legislative session.