|
PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES
| Date |
01/25/2024 |
| Attendance |
| Marchman |
X |
| Pelton B. |
X |
| Pelton R. |
X |
| Priola |
X |
| Simpson |
X |
| Danielson |
* |
| Roberts |
X |
|
| Time |
01:36:19 PM to 04:21:12 PM |
| Place |
SCR 352 |
| This Meeting was called to order by |
Roberts |
| This Report was prepared by |
Julia Jackson |
|
| Hearing Items |
Action Taken |
| hSJR24-004 |
Referred to the Senate for final action |
| hSB24-028 |
Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations |
| hSB24-009 |
Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations |
| hSB24-031 |
Referred to the Committee of the Whole |
| hSB24-005 |
Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole |
|
|
SJR24-004 - Referred to the Senate for final action
|
|
|
01:36:34 PM |
Senator Roberts and Senator Simpson, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Joint Resolution 24-004. This annual resolution concerns the approval of water project revolving fund eligibility lists administered by the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority.
|
|
01:39:55 PM |
Mr. Keith McLaughlin, representing Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority, testified in support of the resolution. Ms. Heather Stauffer, representing Colorado Municipal League, testified in support of the resolution. Dianne Criswell, representing Special Districts Association of Colorado, testified in support of the resolution. Mr. McLaughlin responded to questions from the committee.
|
01:48:10 PM
|
Motion |
Referred to Full Senate for final action. |
|
| Moved |
Roberts |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton B. |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton R. |
Excused |
|
|
Priola |
Yes |
|
|
Simpson |
Yes |
|
|
Danielson |
Yes |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
SB24-028 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
|
|
|
01:50:29 PM |
Senator Will and
Senator Cutter, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 24-028. The bill
directs Colorado State University (CSU) to study the use of biochar in
wildfire mitigation efforts. Biochar is a type of charcoal produced by
burning organic material in a form that resists decay in order to sequester
its carbon content. The study must evaluate beneficial uses for biochar,
its impacts on forest health, and best practices for creating it. CSU must
submit a report on its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly
by July 1, 2026.
|
|
01:57:03 PM |
Ms. Quinn Antus,
representing Colorado Energy Office, testified in support of the bill.
Larimer County Commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally, representing Counties
and Commissioners Acting Together, testified in support of the bill. Ms.
Antus responded to questions from the committee. Dianna Orf, representing
Colorado Water Congress, testified in support of the bill.
|
|
02:08:41 PM |
Senator Cutter discussed amendment L.001 (Attachment A).
|
02:09:14 PM
|
Motion |
Adopt amendment L.001 |
|
| Moved |
Marchman |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
|
|
|
Pelton B. |
|
|
|
Pelton R. |
Excused |
|
|
Priola |
|
|
|
Simpson |
|
|
|
Danielson |
|
|
|
Roberts |
|
|
|
|
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection |
|
|
|
02:09:15 PM |
Committee members
discussed additional potential amendments with the sponsors. Senators Cutter
and Will wrapped up their presentation of the bill.
|
02:12:07 PM
|
Motion |
Refer Senate Bill 24-028, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. |
|
| Moved |
Marchman |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton B. |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton R. |
Yes |
|
|
Priola |
Excused |
|
|
Simpson |
Yes |
|
|
Danielson |
Yes |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
SB24-009 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
|
|
|
02:13:05 PM |
Senator Cutter and
Senator Jaquez Lewis, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 24-009.
The bill creates two programs to support local governments in wildfire
risk mitigation - a slash removal pilot program and a post-disaster debris
removal program. The sponsors provided a handout for the committee (Attachment
B) and responded to questions from the committee.
|
|
02:17:25 PM |
Grand County Commissioner
Rich Cimino, representing Counties and Commissioners Acting Together (CCAT),
testified in support of the bill. Eagle County Commissioner Matt Scherr,
representing CCAT, testified in support of the bill. Larimer County Commissioner
Jody Shadduck-McNally, representing CCAT, testified in support of the bill.
Commissioner Cimino responded to questions from the committee.
|
|
02:29:15 PM |
Mr. Matt McCombs, representing Colorado State Forest Service, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Heather Stauffer, representing Colorado Municipal League, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Tim Coldman, representing Colorado Rural Electric Association, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Mike Morgan, representing the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Stauffer responded to questions from the committee.
|
|
02:37:54 PM |
Senator Cutter presented amendment L.001 (Attachment C).
|
02:39:44 PM
|
Motion |
Adopt amendment L.001 |
|
| Moved |
Marchman |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
|
|
|
Pelton B. |
|
|
|
Pelton R. |
|
|
|
Priola |
Excused |
|
|
Simpson |
|
|
|
Danielson |
|
|
|
Roberts |
|
|
|
|
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection |
|
|
|
02:39:44 PM |
Senators Jaquez Lewis and Cutter wrapped up their presentation of the bill. Committee members commented on the bill.
|
02:45:00 PM
|
Motion |
Refer Senate Bill 24-009, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. |
|
| Moved |
Marchman |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton B. |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton R. |
Yes |
|
|
Priola |
Excused |
|
|
Simpson |
Yes |
|
|
Danielson |
Yes |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
SB24-031 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole
|
|
|
02:45:20 PM |
Senator Roberts, sponsor, presented Senate Bill 24-031. The bill allows for the additional local enforcement of the Colorado Noxious Weed Act.
Specifically, it allows each board of county commissioners to assess and collect fines for violations of local laws that manage noxious weeds. In addition, under state law, the bill allows violations of the Noxious Weed Act, or any state or local regulation under the act, to be charged in county court as a civil infraction.
|
|
02:51:22 PM |
Ms. Tiffany Carlson,
representing Routt County, testified in support of the bill. Archuleta
County Commissioner Warren Brown, representing themself, testified in support
of the bill. Erick Knaus, representing Routt County, testified in support
of the bill. Commissioner Brown responded to questions from the committee.
|
|
03:02:17 PM |
Ms. Erin Meschke,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Thomas Davidson,
representing Counties and Commissioners Acting Together (CCAT), testified
in support of the bill, reading testimony from Gunnison County Commissioner
Liz Smith. Mr. Cedar Beauregard, representing themself, testified in support
of the bill. Mr. Davidson responded to questions from the committee.
|
|
03:13:16 PM |
Routt County Commissioner
Timothy Corrigan, representing Routt County, testified in support of the
bill and provided a handout to the committee (Attachment D). He responded
to questions from the committee.
|
|
03:18:51 PM |
Senator Roberts wrapped up his presentation of the bill.
|
03:21:20 PM
|
Motion |
Refer Senate Bill 24-031 to the Committee of the Whole. |
|
| Moved |
Roberts |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton B. |
No |
|
|
Pelton R. |
No |
|
|
Priola |
Yes |
|
|
Simpson |
No |
|
|
Danielson |
Yes |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 4 NO: 3 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
SB24-005 - Amended, referred to the Committee of the Whole
|
|
|
03:21:32 PM |
Senator Roberts and
Senator Simpson, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 24-005. Beginning
January 1, 2025, the bill prohibits local governments or home ownersâ
associations from installing, planting, or placing nonfunctional turf,
artificial turf, or invasive plant species on any commercial, institutional,
or industrial property or transportation corridor. Further, the Department
of Personnel and Administration must not use prohibited landscaping in
construction and renovation projects on state facilities. The bill does
not apply to artificial turf on athletic fields of play. The sponsors presented
strike-below amendment L.003 (Attachment E).
|
|
03:30:02 PM |
Mr. Andy Hill, representing
Denver Water, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Lindsay Rogers,
representing Western Resource Advocates, testified in support of the bill.
Ms. Kelly Romero-Heaney, representing the Department of Natural Resources,
testified in support of the bill with amendment L.003. Ms. Rogers and Mr.
Hill responded to questions from the committee.
|
|
03:49:21 PM |
Ms. Heather Stauffer, representing Colorado Municipal League, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. David Schlup, representing Rocky Mountain Sod Growers, testified in opposition to the bill. Dr. Casey Reynolds, representing Turfgrass Producers International, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Terence Stovall, representing National Association of Landscape Professionals, testified in support of the bill with amendment L.003.
|
|
04:01:53 PM |
Mr. Maximilian Bricker,
representing Eagle River Water & Sanitation District and Upper Eagle
Regional Water Authority, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Erin Meschke,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Frank Kinder,
representing Northern Water, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Katherine
Clough, representing Pueblo West Metropolitan District, testified in support
of the bill. Mr. John McMahon, representing Associated Landscape Contractors
of Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Amy Raaz, representing
Business for Water Stewardship, testified in support of the bill.
|
|
04:16:32 PM |
Senator Roberts presented amendment L.003. Senator Priola presented amendment L.004 (Attachment F).
|
04:17:56 PM
|
Motion |
Adopt amendment L.003 |
|
| Moved |
Roberts |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
|
|
|
Pelton B. |
|
|
|
Pelton R. |
|
|
|
Priola |
|
|
|
Simpson |
|
|
|
Danielson |
|
|
|
Roberts |
|
|
|
|
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection |
|
|
04:18:38 PM
|
Motion |
Adopt amendment L.004 |
|
| Moved |
Priola |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
|
|
|
Pelton B. |
|
|
|
Pelton R. |
|
|
|
Priola |
|
|
|
Simpson |
|
|
|
Danielson |
|
|
|
Roberts |
|
|
|
|
YES: 0 NO: 0 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: Pass Without Objection |
|
|
|
04:19:13 PM |
Senators Simpson
and Roberts wrapped up their presentation of the bill. Written testimony
on the bill is available as Attachment G.
|
04:21:03 PM
|
Motion |
Refer Senate Bill 24-005, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. |
|
| Moved |
Roberts |
|
| Seconded |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Marchman |
Yes |
|
|
Pelton B. |
Excused |
|
|
Pelton R. |
No |
|
|
Priola |
Yes |
|
|
Simpson |
Yes |
|
|
Danielson |
Excused |
|
|
Roberts |
Yes |
|
|
Final |
YES: 4 NO: 1 EXC: 2 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS |
|
|
| 04:21:12 PM |
The committee adjourned. |
