AGO 84-6.

• Case Date: April 02, 1984
• Court: Colorado

Colorado Attorney General Opinions 1984. AGO 84-6. April 2, 1984Department of Law Attorney General Opinion FORMAL OPINION of DUANE WOODARD Attorney General Opinion No. 84-6 AG Alpha No. LE HR AGAMY Honorable Jerry Kopel Colorado House of Representatives Denver, Colorado 80203 RE: H.B. 1108 (1984 session)Dear Representative Kopel: I am writing in response to your March 26, 1984 letter requesting an attorney general's opinion on whether H.B. 1108 (1984 session), in either its original or reengrossed revised form, violates article V, sections 17 and 21 of the Colorado Constitution. QUESTIONS PRESENTED AND CONCLUSIONS Whether section 7 of the original version of H.B. 1108 violates article V, section 21 of the Colorado Constitution? Whether H.B. 1108, in its reengrossed revised form, violates artice V, section 21 of the Colorado Constitution? Whether the original purpose of the bill was amended or altered by the Senate in violation of article V, section 17 of the Colorado Constitution? As to each of these questions, my conclusion is "no." ANALYSIS The title of H.B. 1108, as originally introduced and at the present time, is "A Bill for an Act Concerning Mandatory Motor Vehicle Insurance." The bill was extensively amended on the Senate floor on March 16, 1984. The original bill: (1) amended various statutory provisions relating to the effect of the mandatory motor vehicle insurance requirement on motor vehicle registration, renewal, and cancellation procedures; (2) provided sanctions for the false affirmation of the existence of insurance; and (3) added a provision to the automobile policy regulations, sections 10-4-601 to 609, C.R.S. (1973 & 1983 Supp.), to prohibit, under certain circumstances, the nonrenewal of an automobile insurance policy. In addition, the original version of the bill amended the Colorado Auto Accident Reparations Act, sections 10-4-701 to 723, C.R.S. (1973 & 1983 Supp.), to extend the payment period for lost income or essential services benefits. The March 16 Senate amendments not only further revised the motor vehicle registration procedures and requirements, but made additional changes relating to mandatory insurance coverage and benefits and increased the monetary threshold limitation on tort actions against persons covered by such insurance. (I & II) Article V, section 21, of the Colorado Constitution reads, in...