75155E025BA05053872587F3006C664F Hearing Summary

Minority Leader McKean, bill co-prime, introduced
HB22-1168. The bill allows a local education provider (LEP) to offer a
hunter education course as an elective to seventh grade students, as long
as the LEP:

•  enters into an agreement with an
  individual or entity to provide the course at no cost to the LEP or to
  the enrolled students; and
• receives gifts, grants, or private donations
  in an amount sufficient enough to pay any costs that arise from providing
  the course.

A hunter education
course must satisfy the same requirements as courses certified by Colorado
Parks and Wildlife (CPW) in the Department of Natural Resources, and must
be conducted by a CPW-certified instructor. The course need not include
hands-on activities, but if hands-on activities are offered, students must
receive parental permission to participate. The CPW may accept completion
of a hunter education course at an LEP toward meeting the requirement to
obtain a certificate of hunter education.

Bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Nephi Cole, National Shooting Sports Foundation, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Hayden White Eagle, representing herself, testified in support of the bill. Greg Brophy, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. The witnesses responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Kevin Allen, representing himself, testified in support of the bill. Luke Wiedel, representing Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Robett Edmiston, representing The Firearms Coalition of Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  Ellary Tucker Williams, representing Congressional Sportsmen's Foundation, testified in support of the bill.  The witnesses responded to questions from the committee. 

Mr. Hudson Mendez, representing himself, testified in support of the bill.  Mr. Wesley Mendez, representing Colorado Bowhunters Association, testified in support of the bill.

Submitted written testimony can be found in Attachment D.

Representative Mullica and Minority Leader McKean gave final comments on the bill.

Committee members made final comments on the bill.