H_AWN_2024A 04/01/2024 01:47:45 PM Committee Summary

Representative Snyder, bill sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on House Bill 24-1343. The bill creates the Wildfire Evacuation Modeling Grant Program in the Office of Emergency Management in the Department of Public Safety (DPS). The program will award grants to common interest communities and non-profit organizations to conduct wildfire evacuation modeling and generate reports that include times, maps showing primary and secondary evacuation routes with identified refuge areas, and other metrics. The DPS must operate the program as a pilot and limit the number of participants and grant awards

Representative Snyder responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Brad White, representing
Colorado State Fire Chiefs Association, testified to amend the bill. Ms.
Dana Duggan, representing Westside Watch, testified in support of the bill.
Bill Wysong, representing Westside Watch, testified in support of the bill.



Submitted written
testimony can be found in Attachment A.

Representative Snyder provided closing comments on the bill.

Committee members provided closing comments on the bill.

Representative Martinez, bill co-prime sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on Senate Bill 24-137. The bill amends the Colorado Potato Seed Act to require potato growers to submit any uncertified potato seed stock to the certifying authority, the Department of Agriculture (CDA), for testing prior to planting. The CDA must then approve the uncertified potato seed stock if it meets standards established by the Commissioner of Agriculture.

Representative Holtorf, bill co-prime sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.

Dr. Andrew Houser,
representing Colorado Potato Certification Service - Colorado State University,
testified in support of the bill. Mr. Tyler Mitchell, representing themself,
testified in support of the bill. Mr. Wondirad Gebru, representing Colorado
Department of Agriculture - Plant Industry Division, answered committee
questions. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.



Submitted written
testimony can be found in Attachment C.

Representative Martinez and Representative Holtorf provided closing comments on the bill.

Committee members gave closing comments on the bill.

Representative Story, bill co-prime sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on House Bill 24-1375. The bill makes a variety of changes to current law governing compensation for a livestock owner after a loss from depredation and establishes requirements for nonlethal coexistence strategies to be used by livestock owners.

Representative Rutinel, bill co-prime sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.

Committee members discussed the bill with the bill sponsors.

Ms. Alexis Kissinger, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Iliana Salazar, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Philip Youngman, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Kent Abernethy, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Edie Engstrom, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Greta Anderson, representing Western Watersheds Project, testified in support of the bill.

Tyler Garrett, representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in opposition to the bill. Kathleen Curry, representing Gunnison County Stockgrowers Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Jesse Lasater, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Renee Deal, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Julie McCaleb, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Kenny Rogers, representing Colorado Livestock Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Dr. John Williams, representing Colorado Wolf Tracker, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Gaspar Perricone, representing Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. John Field, representing Colorado WoolGrowers Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Mark Surls, representing Project Coyote, testified in support of the bill. Mr. David Hand, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Lulu Colby, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Karin Mahuna, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Krisztina Gayler, representing National Wolfwatcher Coalition, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Michael Wenzl, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Josh Rosenau, representing the Mountain Lion Foundation, testified in support of the bill. The witnesses answered several committee questions.

Taylor Szilagyi, representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in opposition to the bill. Richard Orf, representing Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. Melody Anderson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Greg Peterson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Robin Knox, representing Western Landowners Alliance, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Don Gittleson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Lenny Klinglesmith, representing Colorado Cattleman's Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Philip Anderson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Jennifer Burbey, representing Colorado Outfitters Association, testified in opposition to the bill.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. Rhonda Dern,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Debra Taylor,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Rainer Gerbatsch,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. John Emerick,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Allyson Dallmann,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Delia Malone,
representing ColoradoWild, testified in support of the bill. Ethan Ray,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dallas Gudgell,
representing International Wildlife Coexistence Network - Buffalo Field
Campaign, testified in support of the bill.



Panelists responded
to questions from the committee.



Submitted written testimony can be found in Attachment D.

Representative Story and Representative Rutinel provided closing comments on the bill.

Committee members gave closing comments on the bill.