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H_AWN_2023A 05/03/2023 10:12:16 AM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, WATER & NATURAL RESOURCES
Date 05/03/2023
Attendance
Holtorf X
Lindsay X
Lukens X
Martinez X
McLachlan X
Parenti X
Soper *
Story *
Titone X
Velasco *
Winter T. X
Catlin X
McCormick X
Time 10:12:16 AM to 02:33:35 PM
Place HCR 0107
This Meeting was called to order by McCormick
This Report was prepared by Alexa Kelly
Hearing Items Action Taken
SB23-275 Amended, referred to House Appropriations
SB23-295 Amended, referred to House Appropriations
SB23-092 Amended, referred to House Appropriations

SB23-275 - Amended, referred to House Appropriations


10:13:21 AM  
Minority Leader Lynch,
bill co-prime sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on Senate Bill
23-275.  The bill creates programs in the Colorado Department of Agriculture
to support the management of wild horses in Colorado, including the Wild
Horse Management Project, the Wild Horse Working Group, the Wild Horse
Stewardship Program, and the Wild Horse Fertility Control Program.
10:16:02 AM  
The bill sponsor responded to questions from the committee.
10:19:59 AM  
Mr. Jordan Beezley,
representing Colorado Department of Agriculture, testified to amend the
bill.  




Tessa Archibald,
representing Homes for Horses, testified in support of the bill.




Scott Wilson,
representing American Wild Horse Campaign, testified in support of the
bill.  




Tracy Wilson,
representing American Wild Horse Campaign, testified in support of the
bill.




The panelists
responded to questions from the committee.
10:36:24 AM  
Ginger Fedak, representing
Defense of Animals, testified in support of the bill.




Doug Vilsack,
representing Bureau of Land Management, testified in a neutral position
on the bill.  




Mr. Jett Coffeen,
representing themself, testified in support of the bill.




Director Vilsack
responded to questions from the committee.
10:50:24 AM  
Tyler Garrett, representing
Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified to amend the bill.  




Callie Hendrickson,
representing White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts, testified
to amend the bill.




Jennifer Best,
representing Friends of Animals, testified in opposition to the bill.




Andrea Lonseth,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.




Mr. Richard Karcich,
representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.




The panelists
responded to questions from the committee.
11:34:34 AM  
Craig Downer, representing
Andean Tapir Fund and the Wild Horse and Burro Fund, testified in opposition
to the bill.




Ms. Pamela True,
representing Stop Wild Horse Roundups Coalition, testified in opposition
to the bill.  




Mr. William Simpson
II, representing Wild Horse Fire Brigade, testified in opposition to the
bill.  
11:46:51 AM  
Gina Kutturus, representing
For the Love of Aria, testified in support of the bill.




Kerry Ferguson,
representing The Cloud Foundation, testified in support of the bill.
11:46:52 AM  
Submitted written
testimony can be found in Attachment A.  Handouts were distributed
to the comitttee (Attachments B and C).  
11:53:56 AM  
Minority Leader Lynch
introduced and made comments on amendment L.008 (Attachment D).


12:01:17 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.008
Moved Catlin
Seconded Titone
Holtorf
Lindsay
Lukens
Martinez
McLachlan
Parenti
Soper
Story
Titone
Velasco
Winter T.
Catlin
McCormick
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
12:01:17 PM  
Majority Leader Duran, bill co-prime sponsor, gave closing comments on the bill.
12:02:05 PM  
Minority Leader Lynch gave closing comments on the bill.
12:06:14 PM  
Committee members made closing comments on the bill.


12:15:44 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-275, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Catlin
Seconded Holtorf
Holtorf Yes
Lindsay Yes
Lukens Yes
Martinez Yes
McLachlan Yes
Parenti Yes
Soper Yes
Story Yes
Titone Yes
Velasco Yes
Winter T. Yes
Catlin Yes
McCormick Yes
Final YES: 13   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB23-295 - Amended, referred to House Appropriations


12:15:56 PM  
Speaker McCluskie, bill co-prime sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on Senate Bill 23-275. The bill creates the Colorado River Drought Task Force, which is tasked with developing recommendations for legislation that will provide tools to address drought in the Colorado River Basin.
12:26:16 PM  
Representative Catlin, bill co-prime sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.
12:38:44 PM  
Dianna Orf, representing
Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, testified to amend the bill.
 




Landon Gates,
representing Colorado Cattlemen’s Association, testified to amend the
bill.  




Kathleen Curry,
representing Orchard Mesa Irrigation District and Ute Water Conservancy
District, testified to amend the bill.  




Tyler Garrett,
representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in support of the
bill.  




Mr. Kenneth Curtis,
representing Dolores Water Conservancy District, testified in opposition
to the bill.  




Mr. Steve Pope,
representing Uncompahgre Valley Water Users, testified to amend the bill.
 




Callie Hendrickson,
representing White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts, testified
to amend the bill.
12:56:52 PM  
Aaron Citron, representing
The Nature Conservancy, testified in support of the bill.  




Mr. Austin Vincent,
representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in support of the bill.  




Kelly Romero-Heaney,
representing Colorado Department of Natural Resources, testified in a neutral
position on the bill.  




Mr. Zane Kessler,
representing Colorado River District, testified in support of the bill.
 




Mr. Lee Miller,
representing Southeastern Colorado Water Conservancy District, testified
in a neutral position on the bill.  




Mr. Marshall Brown,
representing Aurora Water, testified in a neutral position on the bill.
 




Troy Waters, representing
Grand Valley Water Users' Association, testified in support of the bill.
 




Commissioner Josh
Blanchard, representing Northwest Colorado Council of Governments Water
Quality/Quantity Committee and Summit County, testified in support of the
bill.
01:19:19 PM  
The panelists responded to questions from the committee.
01:19:32 PM  
Joan Green Turner,
representing Water Rights Association of the South Platte, testified in
a neutral position on the bill.  




Amy Ostdiek, representing
Colorado Water Conservation Board, Department of Natural Resources, answered
questions from the committee.  




Mr. Bart Miller,
representing Western Resource Advocates, testified in support of the bill.

01:25:09 PM  
Ms. Kristin Moseley, representing Eagle River Water & Sanitation District and Upper Eagle Regional Water Authority, testified in support of the bill.
01:25:10 PM  
Submitted written
testimony can be found in Attachment E.
01:28:38 PM  
Speaker McCluskie
discussed amendment L.013 (Attachment F).


01:30:58 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.013
Moved Catlin
Seconded Lukens
Holtorf
Lindsay
Lukens
Martinez
McLachlan
Parenti
Soper
Story
Titone
Velasco
Winter T.
Catlin
McCormick
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
01:30:59 PM  
Speaker McCluskie
and Representative Catlin gave closing comments on the bill.  
01:34:13 PM  
The committee made final comments on the bill.


01:37:49 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-295, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Catlin
Seconded Soper
Holtorf Yes
Lindsay Yes
Lukens Yes
Martinez Yes
McLachlan Yes
Parenti Yes
Soper Yes
Story Yes
Titone Yes
Velasco Yes
Winter T. Yes
Catlin Yes
McCormick Yes
Final YES: 13   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB23-092 - Amended, referred to House Appropriations


01:37:54 PM  
Representative McCormick, bill co-prime sponsor, introduced and gave opening comments on Senate Bill 23-092. The bill commissions grants and studies to evaluate the use of agrivoltaics and aquavoltaics.
01:43:01 PM  
Representative Soper, bill co-prime sponsor, gave opening comments on the bill.
01:44:59 PM  
Mr. Jordan Beezley,
representing Colorado Department of Agriculture, testified in support of
the bill.  




Mr. Austin Vincent,
representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in support of the bill.  




Tyler Garrett,
representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in support of the
bill.
01:58:55 PM  
Mr. Duncan Gilchrist,
representing The Nature Conservancy, testified in support of the bill.
 




Ms. Jan Rose,
representing Colorado Coalition for a Livable Climate, testified in support
of the bill.  




Josh Pens, representing
Department of Revenue, answered questions from the committee.  
02:04:15 PM  
Shawn Martini, representing
Renewable Energy Group, answered questions from the committee.  




Valley Lopez,
representing 350 Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  




Harmony Cummings,
representing Green House Connection Center, testified in support of the
bill.  




The panelists
responded to questions from the committee.        
   
02:04:16 PM  
Submitted written testimony can be found in Attachment G.
02:16:14 PM  
Representative Soper gave comments on the bill.
02:22:25 PM  
Representative McCormick
discussed amendment L.014 (Attachment H).



02:24:01 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.014
Moved McCormick
Seconded Soper
Holtorf
Lindsay
Lukens
Martinez
McLachlan
Parenti
Soper
Story
Titone
Velasco
Winter T.
Catlin
McCormick
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
02:24:40 PM  
Representative McCormick
discussed amendment L.015 (Attachment I).


02:25:04 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.015
Moved McCormick
Seconded Soper
Holtorf
Lindsay
Lukens
Martinez
McLachlan
Parenti
Soper
Story
Titone
Velasco
Winter T.
Catlin
McCormick
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
02:25:25 PM  
Representative McCormick
discussed amendment L.016 (Attachment J).


02:25:53 PM
Motion Adopt amendment L.016
Moved McCormick
Seconded Soper
Holtorf
Lindsay
Lukens
Martinez
McLachlan
Parenti
Soper
Story
Titone
Velasco
Winter T.
Catlin
McCormick
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
02:25:54 PM  
Representative Soper and Representative McCormick made final comments on the bill.
02:26:38 PM  
Committee members made final comments on the bill.


02:33:18 PM
Motion Refer Senate Bill 23-092, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved McCormick
Seconded Soper
Holtorf Yes
Lindsay Yes
Lukens Yes
Martinez Yes
McLachlan Yes
Parenti Yes
Soper Yes
Story Yes
Titone Yes
Velasco Yes
Winter T. Yes
Catlin Yes
McCormick Yes
Final YES: 13   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


02:33:35 PM   The committee adjourned.






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