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First Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For HB25-1258

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, WATER & NATURAL RESOURCES
Date Mar 6, 2025       Location Old State Library

HB25-1258 - Postponed Indefinitely
11:03:34 AM  

Representative Story, bill co-prime sponsor, introduced House Bill 25-1258. The bill requires the Parks and Wildlife Commission to apply the best available wildlife and ecological science to adopt rules concerning wildlife management. The bill also amends the legislative declaration for Colorado Parks and Wildlife to clarify that the state may authorize hunting, trapping, and fishing based on best available science to benefit wildlife, whole ecosystem health, and all Coloradans.

A handout was distributed to the committee (Attachment A).

11:06:47 AM  
The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.
11:11:06 AM  
Dan Gibbs, representing Colorado Department of Natural Resources - Colorado Parks and Wildlife, answered committee questions.
11:19:34 AM  
Ms. Patricia McLaughlin, representing Colorado Sierra Club, testified in support of the bill. Brenda Lee, representing The Colorado Bear Coalition, testified in support of the bill. David Ruane, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Delia Malone, representing ColoradoWild, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Michael Pardo, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Josh Rosenau, representing Mountain Lion Foundation, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.
11:41:22 AM  
Bee Bright, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Quorra Joslyn, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Lisa Bright, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Ryan Sedgeley, representing Endangered Species Coalition, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kent Abernethy, representing Sierra Club Headwaters, testified in support of the bill.
11:55:08 AM  
Commissioner Callie Scritchfield, representing Rio Blanco County, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Erin Karney, representing Colorado Cattlemen's Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Ivan James, representing Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Patricia Dorsey, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Commissioner Perry Will, representing Garfield County Board of County Commissioners, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Liz Rose, representing Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, testified in opposition to the bill. Gaspar Perricone, representing Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Colorado Wildlife Conservation Partnershp, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.
12:19:18 PM  
Dr. Melinda Marquis, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Debra Taylor, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Rhonda Dern, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Pam Milmoe, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Curtine Metcalf, representing Cats Aren't Trophies, testified in support of the bill. Lyndsey Collins, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Maya Key, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Julie Marshall, representing Animal Wellness Action, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.
12:39:25 PM  
Mr. John Howard, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Justin Nolan, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Jerry Apker, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Tom Remington, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Tyler Garrett, representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Travis Smith, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Brittany Dixon, representing Club 20 , testified in opposition to the bill. Christopher Hoon, representing Delta Waterfowl, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.
01:02:20 PM  
Mr. Rainer Gerbatsch representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Gillian  Malinowski, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Valerie Hunter-Goss, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Anne Fulton, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ellen Kessler, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Deanna Meyer, representing Prairie Protection Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Vanessa Toyryla, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kenneth Ramsey, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
01:22:19 PM  
Jim McGannon, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Kyle Vistuba, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Sherman Kettner, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Grant Jerry, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Merrit Linke, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Adam Welbon, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel of witnesses answered questions from the committee.
01:36:55 PM  
Mrs. Alexis McLean, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Andree-Marie Koban, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Diane Younglund, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Julia Archer, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Jeffrey Hersch, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Cara Thorsen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Delaney Rudy, representing Western Watersheds Project, testified in support of the bill. Justin Clark, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.
01:59:21 PM  
Mr. Clifton Beasley, representing National Wild Turkey Federation, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Connor Blaxton, representing National Wild Turkey Federation, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Jeff Finn, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Richard Orf, representing Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Ian Escalante, representing Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Dustin Lovell, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.  Joe Kelleghan, representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Jennifer Burbey, representing Colorado Outfitters Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panel responded to questions from the committee.
02:27:10 PM  
Dan Gates, representing Coloradans for Responsible Wildlife Management, testified in opposition to the bill and answered questions from the committee.
02:30:50 PM  
Mr. Roland Halpern, representing Colorado Voters for Animals, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Mark Surls, representing Project Coyote, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Reed Glenn, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Marije terEllen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Cordelia Stone, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
02:30:51 PM  
Additional written testimony can be found in Attachment B.
02:50:57 PM  
The bill sponsors discussed amendment L.001 (Attachment C) with the committee.

02:55:58 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001
Moved Story
Seconded Velasco
Johnson No
Lindsay Yes
Lukens Yes
Martinez Yes
Smith Yes
Soper No
Stewart K. Yes
Story Yes
Suckla No
Velasco Yes
Winter T. No
Mauro Yes
McCormick Yes
YES: 9   NO: 4   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS
02:57:23 PM  
The bill sponsors provided closing comments on the bill.
03:08:59 PM  
Committee members gave closing comments on the bill.

03:13:31 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 25-1258, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Moved Story
Seconded Velasco
Johnson No
Lindsay Yes
Lukens No
Martinez No
Smith No
Soper No
Stewart K. No
Story Yes
Suckla No
Velasco Yes
Winter T. No
Mauro No
McCormick No
YES: 3   NO: 10   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  FAIL

03:13:59 PM
 Motion Postpone House Bill 25-1258 indefinitely using a reversal of the previous roll call. There was no objection to the use of the reverse roll call, therefore, the bill was postponed indefinitely.
Moved Mauro
Seconded Soper
Johnson Yes
Lindsay No
Lukens Yes
Martinez Yes
Smith Yes
Soper Yes
Stewart K. Yes
Story No
Suckla Yes
Velasco No
Winter T. Yes
Mauro Yes
McCormick Yes
Final YES: 10   NO: 3   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS