The rights of small business were defended today as a GOP senator fought for, and got, an additional day of public notification on a controversial Democrat bill that stands to raise health-insurance premiums for employers.

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, questioned the majority party's motive for rushing House Bill 1355 to State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee without adequate time for citizens and small businesses to provide public testimony.

Mitchell said Democrats failed to provide written notification of the hearing 24 hours in advance, as is customary. 

“This quick-trigger scheduling is in the letter of the (Senate) rules, but it violates the spirit of the rules,” Mitchell said. “There’s no reason to block public input and deny testimony.” 

The effort by Mitchell led to the sponsor of HB 1355, Sen. Bob Hagedorn, D-Aurora, laying the bill over in committee until Wednesday.

HB 1355 is an attempt to prohibit health insurance companies from providing discounts for healthy employees. If the measure is signed into law, Colorado will be one of just 13 states that allow insurers to treat all older employees as if they are severely ill, rather than rewarding plan members who are healthy.

Former Senate Majority Leader Mark Hillman, R-Burlington, said legislators wanting to implement HB 1355 are in favor of it because it seemingly levels the paying field for all insured employees.

“They argue that it’s not fair for a group with one or two severely ill employees to pay a higher premium than a group with a history of good health or few claims,” Hillman said in a recent opinion column. “That shortsightedness ignores the economic reality that buying insurance is always a better deal than paying your own way if you’re already sick.”

Hillman today added, "Just by passing this bill, two-thirds of Colorado businesses that provide insurance will get a rate increase."

Mitchell suggested that hundreds of small-business owners would be impacted with increasing health-insurance rates via HB 1355. He noted that the reason for rushing the bill through the legislative process was aimed to deny the public’s right to testify.

“There is no just reason for this hurrying or abuse of power,” Mitchell added.

Hagedorn took some offense at Mitchell’s request to table the bill an additional 24 hours.

“This is an example of the lobbying and pounding of legislators by health plan agencies,” Hagedorn said.

Mitchell shot back.

“Citizens contacting legislators is not pounding on them,” he said. “This bill deserves a full, public hearing.”