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S_AGR_2018A 03/01/2018 01:30:22 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY
Date 03/01/2018
Attendance
Cooke X
Coram X
Donovan X
Fenberg *
Fields X
Garcia X
Jones *
Marble *
Scott X
Baumgardner X
Sonnenberg X
Time 01:30:22 PM to 02:45:01 PM
Place SCR 357
This Meeting was called to order by Sonnenberg
This Report was prepared by David Beaujon
Hearing Items Action Taken
Conf 18-Energy Impact Assistance Advisory Committee Favorably Refer to Full Senate
Conf 18-Water Resources And Power Development Authority — Colorado Favorably Refer to Full Senate
Conf 18-Stock Inspection Commissioners — State Board Of Favorably Refer to Full Senate
Conf 18-Agricultural Commission — State Favorably Refer to Full Senate
HB18-1183 Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
HB18-1051 Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
HB18-1073 Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar

01:31:11 PM
The chair called the meeting to order and
announced changes to the order of the committee's calendar.



Conf 18-Water Resources And Power Development Authority — Colorado - Favorably Refer to Full Senate
01:34:45 PM  
Mike Brod, Executive Director of Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority, introduced the Governor's appointments to the Colorado Water Resources and Power Development Authority and discussed the role and activities of the authority.
01:36:13 PM  
Roy Ellsworth Heald of Colorado Springs, reappointed for a term expiring October 1, 2021, and to serve as a representative of the Arkansas Drainage Basin, discussed his experience and interest in serving another term on the authority [Attachment B].
01:36:33 PM  
H. Webster Jones of Steamboat, reappointed for a term expiring October 1, 2021, and to serve as a representative of the Yampa White Drainage Basin, and planning and development, discussed his experience and interest in serving another term on the authority [Attachment B].


01:39:10 PM
 Motion Refer the appointment of H. Webster Jones and Roy Heald to the Conf 18-Water Resources And Power Development Authority — Colorado to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Baumgardner
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Excused
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 10   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



Conf 18-Energy Impact Assistance Advisory Committee - Favorably Refer to Full Senate
01:31:42 PM  
Rachel Harlow-Schalk, Deputy Director of
the the Division of Local Affairs in the Department of Local Affairs, introduced
the Governor's appointments to the Energy Impact Assistance Advisory Committee
and discussed the role and the activities of the committee.
01:33:00 PM  
Kelly Eugene Arnold of Windsor, reappointed
for a term expiring August 24, 2021, discussed his experience and interest
in serving another term on the committee [Attachment A].


01:34:33 PM
 Motion Refer the appointment of Kelly Arnold to the Conf 18-Energy Impact Assistance Advisory Committee to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Baumgardner
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Excused
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 10   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



Conf 18-Agricultural Commission — State - Favorably Refer to Full Senate
01:44:02 PM  
Don Brown, Commissioner of Agriculture, introduced the Governor's appointments to the State Agriculture Commission and discussed the role and activities of the commission.
01:45:20 PM  
Rebecca Lynn Larson of Longmont, appointed for a term expiring March 1, 2019, and as an Unaffiliated, from the Second Agricultural District to serve as a member from the State at-large, discussed her experience and interest in serving on the commission [Attachment D].
01:45:38 PM  
Marty Joe Gerace of Golden, appointed for a term expiring March 1, 2021, and as a Republican, from the First Agricultural District to serve as a member from the State at-large, discussed his experience and interest in serving on the commission [Attachment D].
01:47:29 PM  
Brett Brand Rutledge of Yuma, reappointed for a term expiring March 1, 2021 a Democrat, from the Second Agricultural District, discussed his experience and interest in serving another term on the commission [Attachment D].
01:48:02 PM  
Michael Conrad Hirakata of Rocky Ford, reappointed for a term expiring March 1, 2021, a Republican, from the Third Agricultural District to serve as a member from the State at-large, discussed his experience and interest in serving another term on the commission [Attachment D].
01:49:39 PM  
Commissioner Brown explained that Steve
Dale Young of Holyoke, was unable to attend today's hearing and spoke in
support of his reappointment.  Mr Young was reappointed for a term
expiring March 1, 2021, a Republican, from the Second Agricultural District,
to serve as a member from the State at-large [Attachment D].


01:51:41 PM
 Motion Refer the appointment of Steve Young, Michael Hirakata, Brett Rutledge, Rebecca Larson, and Marty Gerace to the Conf 18-Agricultural Commission — State to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Baumgardner
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Excused
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 10   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



Conf 18-Stock Inspection Commissioners — State Board Of - Favorably Refer to Full Senate
01:39:24 PM  
Chris Whitney Director, Brand Inspection
Division and Don Brown, Commissioner of Agriculture, introduced the Governor's
appointments to the State State Board of  Stock Inspection Commissioners
and discussed the role and activities of the commission.


01:43:32 PM
 Motion Refer the appointment of Daniel McCarty to the Conf 18-Stock Inspection Commissioners — State Board Of to the full Senate with a favorable recommendation and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Baumgardner
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Excused
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 10   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB18-1183 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
01:52:35 PM  
Senator Baumgardner, prime sponsor, discussed
the provisions of House Bill 18-1183 concerning the sunset repeal of the
Department of Agriculture's regulation of home sale of meat.  As recommended
by the Department of Regulatory Agencies 2017 sunset review, the reengrossed
bill repeals the Sale of Meat Act under which the Department of Agriculture
regulates home food service plans.  Under current law, the department
will have 12 months to wind down the regulatory program.  The bill
removes the program from statute.
01:53:41 PM  
Hollis Glen, Director, Inspection and Consumer
Services Division in the Colorado Department of Agriculture, spoke in support
of the bill and explained why the program is no longer needed.
01:55:03 PM  
Saul Larson, Colorado Department of Regulatory
Agencies, explained that he prepared the sunset report on the Department
of Agriculture's regulation of home sale of meat and offered to answer
any questions from the committee regarding that report.


01:58:14 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 18-1183 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Baumgardner
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Yes
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 11   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB18-1051 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
02:00:59 PM  
Senator Coram and Senator Merrifield, co-prime
sponsors, discussed the provisions of House Bill 18-1051 concerning statutory
provisions for unattended fires.  Under current law, the penalty for
leaving a campfire unattended or failing to extinguish a campfire is a
class 2 petty offense punishable by a fine of $50.  The reengrossed
bill specifies that anyone who knowingly or recklessly fails to attend
to a campfire or fails to thoroughly extinguish a campfire before leaving
the site commits the offense of leaving a campfire unattended.  For
a person who leaves a campfire unattended in a forested or grassland area,
or on Colorado Parks and Wildlife land (CPW), the bill changes the penalty
to a class 3 misdemeanor, punishable by a minimum $50 fine and a maximum
of six months in jail, or a $750 fine, or both.  In addition, the
bill removes the requirement that counties post certain notices related
to unattended campfires. The bill applies to offenses committed on or after
July 1, 2018.
02:04:13 PM  
Mike Morgan, Director, Division of Fire
Prevention and Control in the Department of Public Safety, spoke in support
of the bill.  He also responded to questions from the committee about
the bill.  
02:07:08 PM  
Eric Bergman, Colorado Counties, Inc.,
 spoke in support of the bill and announced that the Colorado Municipal
League also supports the bill.  He also distributed a fact sheet on
the bill [Attachment E] and responded to questions from the committee about
the bill as amended in the House of Representatives.
02:09:29 PM  
Dianna Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.
02:10:46 PM  
Carrie Thompson, Colorado Criminal Defense
Bar, responded to questions from the committee about the amendments to
the bill that were adopted by the House of Representatives.  She also
discussed the levels of penalties for arson that are specified in Colorado
statute.  



(Staff resumed recording the hearing during Ms. Thompsons testifmony after
inadvertently leaving it paused following a recess).
02:30:00 PM  
The chair closed testimony and Senator Coram and Senator Merrifield closed their remarks.


02:33:44 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 18-1051 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Coram
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Yes
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 11   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



HB18-1073 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
02:33:58 PM  
Senator Gardner, prime sponsor, discussed
the provisions of House Bill18-1073 concerning the ability of water districts
to contract water assets.  Under current law, a water conservancy
district may contract to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of the use of
its water to public corporations, persons, mutual ditch companies, water
users' associations, and other private corporations for irrigation, domestic,
or commercial use.  This reengrossed bill allows a water conservancy
district to also contract to sell, lease, or otherwise dispose of capacity
in works (facilities) and expands the allowable recipients to include districts
and utilities, and the uses of water and works to include municipal, industrial
and other authorized uses.  It also allows a water district or its
water activity enterprise to contract with any other person, including
a district or a water activity enterprise of another district for the use
of water or a water project or facility.  
02:36:32 PM  
Bennett Raley, Northern Colorado Water
Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill and announced that the
Colorado Water Congress supports the bill.  He also discussed financing
for the Windy Gap Firming Project.  Mr. Raley responded to questions
from the committee about the bill's effect on municipal water providers.
02:38:21 PM  
Dee Wisor, Northern Colorado Water Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill and discussed the bond financing process.
02:42:29 PM  
The committee recessed.
02:42:40 PM  
The committee returned from recess.


02:44:56 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 18-1073 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Coram
Seconded
Cooke Yes
Coram Yes
Donovan Yes
Fenberg Yes
Fields Yes
Garcia Yes
Jones Yes
Marble Yes
Scott Yes
Baumgardner Excused
Sonnenberg Yes
Final YES: 10   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


02:45:01 PM   Committee Adjourned