1975, June, Pg. 1290. LEGISLATIVE ACTION REPORT.

• Author: by Gordon G. Gauss

4 Colo.Law. 1290

Colorado Lawyer

1975.

1975, June, Pg. 1290.

LEGISLATIVE ACTION REPORT

1290Vol. 4, No. 6, Pg. 1290LEGISLATIVE ACTION REPORT

by Gordon G. GaussCBA public relations and legislative counselColorado Bar Association members have been giving unstintingly of their time the past several months to furnish expert information for members of the state's 50th General Assembly on bills affecting the courts, the administration of justice and the practice of law.

Lawyers, some of whom have put in years working on committees drafting recommended legislation, spent day after day at the capitol advising and aiding legislative committees considering a variety of complex, technical proposals.

Their efforts have not always been appreciated by all legislators before whom they appeared. In a few cases, the lawyers found themselves undergoing cross-examination on points little related to the issues.

As a result of their appearances, however, major bills supported by the bar association have remained alive throughout the session even though none had been enacted at Mid-May---four and a half months after the legislature convened.

Nonpartisan AppearancesA special effort has been made by the lawyer witnesses, as well as the CBA itself, to avoid political partisanship. Legislators who are members of both political parties frequently teamed up to sponsor or cosponsor CBA bills.

The record for marathon appearances before legislative committees went to four lawyers who presented detailed testimony on the bill to modernize the state's corporation code (SB 59). They were Claude M. Maer, Jr., Donald L. Giacomini, Associate Dean John E. Moye of the University of Denver college of law and Associate Professor Clifford J. Calhoun of the University of Colorado school of law.

During a span of four months, they made numerous presentations, some lasting for hours, before subcommittees and House and Senate judiciary committees considering the intricate 99-page meausre. it represented three years of work by a CBA committee.

Proposed changes in the state's new probate code were presented and explained to the judiciary committees by J. Michael Farley and Chapman B. Cox, members of the CBA committee which worked out recommendations. The bill is HB 1701. Joseph E. Doussard filled a similar role supporting the inheritance tax (HB 1704) and gift tax...