Forestry & Firefighter Workforce & Education

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. Section 1 of the bill authorizes the Colorado cooperative extension service (extension) to expand and implement outreach programs and initiatives recommended by the Colorado forest health council for the purpose of increasing awareness of and interest in areas of forestry, wildland fire, and natural resources (forest health) in youth and young adults. The outreach programs and initiatives may be implemented for the 2025-26 state fiscal year through the 2027-28 state fiscal year and may include, in part:

• The expansion of 4-H programs and curricula in forest health;
• Partnerships with the forest health industry, local school districts, higher education institutions, conservation districts, the Colorado state forest service, the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety (division), and others to facilitate career and workforce readiness and entry into forest health careers;
• Outreach and support to youth and young adults relating to 2- and 4-year programs and certificates in forest health;
• Industry partnerships and scholarships for forest health certifications, such as wildland fire or chain saw certifications;
• Paid natural resources summer internships focused on forestry for high school students, including the potential to earn high school credit for completing the internship; and
• Paid internships in forest health careers offered by the extension, with mentoring of young adults by the extension, Colorado state university, the Colorado state forest service, and the division.

The bill requires the extension to report annually to the department of natural resources and the house of representatives agriculture, water, and natural resources committee and the senate agriculture and natural resources committee on the implementation and outcomes of the outreach programs and initiatives. Section 2 authorizes the division to use money in the local firefighter safety and disease prevention fund to:

• Provide need-based grants to fire service governing bodies and volunteer fire departments for the cost of certain firefighter certification courses, course materials, textbooks, instructors, and written testing and to provide fire instructor I or equivalent certification for instructors who want to participate in a train-the-trainer program created by the division;
• Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a train-the-trainer program to ensure that all instructors providing grant-funded certification classes described in the bill teach a consistent curriculum; and
• Subject to appropriations by the general assembly, create a statewide outreach program to promote fire service careers, including marketing materials targeted to youth, an online portal to access career pathways and resources, and marketing materials that include social media.

The bill requires the state treasurer to make an interest-free loan of $50 million from the unclaimed property trust fund (UPTF loan) to the department of local affairs (department). The department shall use the UPTF loan to create a zero-interest revolving loan program (loan program) to benefit fire departments. Eligible fire departments include town, city, county, and city and county fire protection organizations, fire protection districts, or other districts that provide fire protection, as well as volunteer fire departments.

Eligible uses of loans made to fire departments under the loan program may include:

• The purchase of rolling stock, such as fire trucks, brush trucks, and fast attack vehicles, and associated apparatus;
• Capital improvements for existing or new facilities;
• The purchase of other facilities, infrastructure, or equipment for the state's firefighter workforce to respond to emergencies and ensure public safety; and
• Temporary bridge loans to cover unusual costs in response to emergencies.

Prior to making loans to fire departments, the department shall consult with statewide associations representing fire chiefs and firefighters and the division of fire prevention and control in the department of public safety.

The department may charge an administrative fee of up to one-half of one percent on the principal amount of the loans made to fire departments and may use earnings from the investment of the UPTF loan to administer the loan program.

The bill creates a fund in the state treasury for use by the department for the UPTF loan and requires the department to pay the UPTF loan back to the UPTF not later than July 1, 2065.

In addition, the bill creates the firefighter first homeownership program (homeownership program) and, if implemented, authorizes the state treasurer to invest money from the UPTF in the homeownership program. If implemented, the Colorado housing and finance authority or another entity selected by the state treasurer will serve as the program manager. The state treasurer shall purchase from the program manager mortgage products in tranches of reasonable amounts. The program manager shall establish guidelines and underwriting criteria that:

• Prioritize first-time homebuyers who use the home as a primary residence;
• Provide shared equity down payment assistance to firefighters;
• Allow appreciation-sharing benefits between the homeownership program and homeowner;
• If the program manager is the Colorado housing and finance authority, pair a borrower with a mortgage loan provided through the program manager's network of lenders that bears an interest rate at or below market rate; and
• Serve homebuyers across diverse geographic areas and housing markets.

The program manager is entitled to normal and customary fees for managing the homeownership program and other costs related to the homeownership program, and shall annually report to the state treasurer concerning the homeownership program.

(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)

(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)