Lila Herod and K.C. Hume, two residents recently affected by the Hatch Act, will be testifying today before the Colorado House committee on state, veterans and military affairs.

They will be sharing their recent experiences regarding the Hatch Act and voicing their opinions on a proposed House joint resolution aimed at limiting the Hatch Act’s scope.

The hearing will begin at 1:30 p.m. You can listen to the hearing live by clicking here.

John Ponikvar, Moffat County Republican Central Committee chairman, will be attending the hearing as well.

State Rep. Randy Baumgardner, R-Hot Sulphur Springs, Rep. Scott Tipton, R-Cortez, and Sen. Al White, R-Hayden, are sponsoring the resolution.

The joint resolution drafted by Baumgardner and Tipton was introduced to the House on April 15.

It urges Congress to amend the Hatch Act to allow the Office of Special Counsel, which handles Hatch Act issues, to “grant limited exceptions” for candidates in rural areas.

It also encourages the OSC to give leeway to candidates running for partisan elected office in rural areas who have come into contact with federal grants as “rural areas of Colorado currently face a shortage of candidates qualified for public office.”

Baumgardner and Tipton began investigating a solution to problems caused by the Hatch Act in Craig, Steamboat Springs and other communities after hearing concerns from residents.

The Hatch Act was enacted in 1939 to cover federal employees and was amended in 1940, adding state and local employees.

It restricts the political activity of people principally employed by state or local executive agencies and who work in connection with programs financed in whole or in part by federal loans or grants.