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Bill Summary for Bill Number HB17-1190 Date: 03/13/2017
Location: RM 271
Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB17-1190

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Adopt amendment L.001. The motion passed on a vote
Adopt amendment L.002. The motion passed on a vote
Refer House Bill 17-1190, as amended, to the Commi
PASS
PASS
PASS



07:49 PM -- HB 17-1190

Majority Leader Becker, sponsor, presented House Bill 17-1190, concerning the limited applicability of the Colorado Supreme Court's Decision in St. Jude's Co. v. Roaring Fork Club, LLC (St Jude's). The Colorado Supreme Court held in St. Jude's that the diversion of water from a surface stream into a private ditch on private property for aesthetic, recreational, and piscatorial purposes is not a beneficial use of water under Colorado water law. This bill limits the application of this decision to direct flow appropriations without storage made after July 15, 2015.

07:53 PM --
Chris Treese, Colorado River District, spoke in support of the bill, as it would be amended by Amendment L.001, which was distributed by Majority Leader Becker, and Amendment L.002, which was distributed by Representative Becker (Attachments C and D, respectively). Mr. Treese provided a background of the St. Jude's case and responded to further questions from the committee. Mr. Treese provided a list of water rights that could possibly be affected by the St. Jude's case (Attachment E).

170313 AttachC.pdf170313 AttachC.pdf170313 AttachD.pdf170313 AttachD.pdf170313 AttachE.pdf170313 AttachE.pdf

08:13 PM --
Dianna Orf, Colorado Water Congress, spoke in support of the bill.

08:25 PM --
Michael Browning, Eagle Reservoir Company, spoke in support of the bill. Mr. Browning responded to questions from the committee regarding the St. Jude's case and his concern that the decision could be applied retroactively to established water rights.

08:35 PM --
Pat Ratliff, South Metro Water Supply Authority, stated that she did not support the introduced version of the bill, but she would support the bill if amended by Amendment L.001.

08:39 PM --
Michael Mitchell, Creekside Coalition, spoke in support of the bill.

08:46 PM --
Kristen Moseley, Eagle River Water and Sanitation District, spoke in support of the bill and stated that the Ute Water Conservancy District also supports the bill.

08:51 PM --
Theresa Conley, Conservation Colorado, The Nature Conservancy, and the Audubon Society, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Conley responded to questions from the committee.

08:58 PM --
Joan Green, Water Rights Association of the South Platte, discussed her concerns with the bill, specifically the clarity of the language used in the bill. In response to some of Ms. Green's concerns, Majority Leader Becker stated that she would commit to working on the language of the bill.

09:04 PM --
Emily Ibach, Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke in support of the bill and stated that water rights adjudicated prior to the St. Jude's case should remain in tact.


09:07 PM

Committee discussion regarding the bill ensued.

BILL: HB17-1190
TIME: 09:07:29 PM
MOVED: Arndt
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.001. The motion passed on a vote of 8-5.
SECONDED: Mitsch Bush
VOTE
Becker J.
No
Buck
No
Danielson
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Hansen
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Lewis
No
McKean
No
Saine
No
Valdez
Yes
Willett
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Arndt
Yes
YES: 8 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

BILL: HB17-1190
TIME: 09:08:50 PM
MOVED: Mitsch Bush
MOTION: Adopt amendment L.002. The motion passed on a vote of 12-1.
SECONDED: Saine
VOTE
Becker J.
Yes
Buck
Yes
Danielson
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Hansen
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Lewis
No
McKean
Yes
Saine
Yes
Valdez
Yes
Willett
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Arndt
Yes
YES: 12 NO: 1 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS


09:09 PM

Majority Leader Becker made concluding comments on the bill, and committee discussion ensued.

BILL: HB17-1190
TIME: 09:12:11 PM
MOVED: Arndt
MOTION: Refer House Bill 17-1190, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 8-5.
SECONDED: Esgar
VOTE
Becker J.
No
Buck
No
Danielson
Yes
Esgar
Yes
Hansen
Yes
Lebsock
Yes
Lewis
No
McKean
No
Saine
No
Valdez
Yes
Willett
Yes
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Arndt
Yes
Final YES: 8 NO: 5 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS