04/17/2002 01:10 PM House JUD

HB 499 - DISPOSITION OF BUSINESS ASSETS                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
Number 1640                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG  announced that the  last order of  business would                                                               
be  HOUSE BILL  NO. 499,  "An Act  relating to  the sale,  lease,                                                               
exchange, or other disposition of  business property and assets."                                                               
[Before the committee  was committee substitute (CS)  for HB 499,                                                               
version 22-LS1490\S,  Bannister, 4/5/02,  which was adopted  as a                                                               
work draft on 4/5/02.]                                                                                                          
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ROKEBERG asked  members to  comment  on the  retroactivity                                                               
provision of Version S.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE COGHILL  said he  that he  has concerns  with that                                                               
provision.                                                                                                                      
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ROKEBERG said  that  he  would be  willing  to delete  the                                                               
retroactivity provision - Section 9 on  page 7 - in order to move                                                               
the bill.                                                                                                                       
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MEYER remarked  that in  a conversation  he'd had                                                               
with Mr. Theodore  M. Pease, Jr., attorney at  law, regarding the                                                               
retroactivity provision,  Mr. Pease  "had a pretty  good defense"                                                               
for it.                                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG  said that he agreed  with Mr. Pease but  [did not                                                               
want to overlook members' concerns].                                                                                            
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES said that she, too, agreed with Mr. Pease.                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  BERKOWITZ  indicated  that  he,  in  addition  to                                                               
Representative  Coghill,  has  some  serious  concerns  with  the                                                               
retroactivity provision.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR  ROKEBERG  said that  he  wanted  to  move this  bill  from                                                               
committee, and that  he is willing to work on  it as it continues                                                               
in the process.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE  MEYER said  that he  would rather  have the  bill                                                               
remain as is.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE BERKOWITZ stated that he  would like to remove the                                                               
retroactivity provision.                                                                                                        
                                                                                                                                
REPRESENTATIVE JAMES said that [she] objects to taking it out.                                                                  
                                                                                                                                
Number 1780                                                                                                                     
                                                                                                                                
CHAIR ROKEBERG announced that HB 499 would be held over.