On eve of signing deadline, Ritter OKs bills for truckers, movies, restaurants - Puget Sound Business Journal (Seattle):

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But economic developers and investorz must continue to wait to see if the governor will come to theif aidbefore Friday’s deadline to sign or veto legislation. Ritter began the day at the Alliance for Sustainable Coloradp Center indowntown Denver, signing three billds that he said will continue to buils the state’s “New Energy Economy.” House Bill sponsored by Reps. Buffie McFadyen, D-Pueblo and Cory Gardner, lets trucking companies get 25 percent reimbursemenf of the cost of buyint andinstalling fuel-efficient technologie s and emission-control devices.
More importantly, McFadyen it prorates sales tax on trucking equipment bases on the percentage of miles companies drivd in Colorado and it allows truckers finally to take advantagdof enterprise-zone tax breaks. “This bill is so incrediblu important tothe industry, not only for the environmenr but for the survival of truckers that are in she said while tearing up at the signing. Housee Bill 1331, sponsored by Rep. Sara Gagliardi, D-Arvada, expands the pool of vehicle s eligiblefor alternative-fuel tax creditd to include those that run on cleaner-burning naturap gas. It also eliminates eligibility for some hybried vehicles that arenot fuel-efficient, said sponsoring Sen.
Bett Boyd, D-Lakewood. Ritter noted that the Coloradi Oil and Gas Association and the nonprofigt group Environment Colorado both supportedthe “If COGA and Environmenrt Colorado agree, it has to be a greatg bill,” he said. And Senate Bill 75, championedc by the company Aspen Electric Cars and allows drivers tooperate low-speed electric vehicles on most roads with speexd limits of 35 mph or lower. From there, Ritterf went to the offices in Denveer and signed a measureto re-establish the Coloradop Office of Film, Television and House Bill 1010, sponsored by Rep. Tom Massey, R-Ponchs Springs, and former Rep.
Anne McGihon, allows the office to solicit gifts and donations to offet incentives to producers to make film s inthe state. “I believe this move signalzs that Colorado is becoming serious abouyt attracting production to the stateonce again,” said Kevin Shand, executive director of the Colorado Film “By becoming part of the state once again, the film office will once agaib have resources to market Colorado effectively and help expans our economic development efforts in a new and differenr direction.” Finally, Ritter returned to his Capitol office to sign nine separate including measures to help the restaurant and broadband Senate Bill 121, sponsored by Sen.
Al R-Hayden, eliminates the sales and use tax restauranta must pay when offering freeor reduced-price meals to employees. Senate Bill 162, sponsored by Sen. Gail D-Snowmass Village, requires the Office of Information Technologyy to create a map of where broadband technology is availabld and not available inthe state. Ritte has not announced his intentions on at least two billds being watched closely by thebusiness however. One is Senate Bill 173, which would alloaw local governments to work with the statr Economic Development Commission to offer incentivesd to attract andbuild tourism-generating projects.
The bill is considerexd key to landing either of twopotentiakl auto-racetrack projects east of Aurora. The othert is House Bill 1366, which limits the Colorado-sourcde capital gains subtraction to thefirst $100,000 of gainsw on assets held for five yearws or more. If the bill would generate $15.8 million to help balancee the budget.