s_agr_2018a_2018-02-01t13:32:10z1 Hearing Summary

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For SB18-042

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY
Date Feb 1, 2018
Location SCR 357

SB18-042 - Referred to Senate Appropriations

Attachment Tag

File Name

Attachment

180201 AttachE.pdf

01:50:39 PM

Senator Donvan and Senator Crowder, co-prime
sponsors, discussed the provisions of SB18-042 concerning the Agricultural
Workforce Development Program. This bill, recommended by the Young
and Beginning Farmers Interim Study Committee, requires the Colorado Department
of Agriculture to create by rule an agricultural workforce development
program to incentivize agricultural businesses to hire interns by January
1, 2019. Eligible businesses may be reimbursed up to 50 percent of
the costs to employ an intern, including wages, fixed expenses, and other
costs. The program is repealed July 1, 2024.

01:53:09 PM

Molly Pitts, Colorado Timber Industry Association,
spoke in support of the bill. She requested that the program be expanded
to allow internships for foresters if such internships are not currently
allowed by the bill.

01:59:25 PM

Emily Ibach, Colorado Farm Bureau, spoke
in support of the bill. She also responded to questions from the
committee about why farmers and ranchers would need the internship program.

02:03:14 PM

Meghan Lovelace, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, spoke in support of the bill.

02:04:45 PM

James Dula, Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, spoke in support of the bill.

02:06:16 PM

Allen Funk, National Young Farmers Coalition,
spoke in support of the bill and distributed a letter of support for the
bill from Richard Murphy, Veterans to Farmers, [Attachment D].

02:08:17 PM

The chair closed testimony on the bill.
Senator Crowder and Senator Donovan closed their remarks on the bill
and explained that the bill drafter said the internship program authorized
by the bill would be available to foresters, as well as farmers and ranchers.

02:11:30 PM	Motion	Refer Senate Bill 18-042 to the Committee on Appropriations.
	Moved	Donovan
	Seconded

	Cooke	Yes
	Coram	Yes
	Donovan	Yes
	Fenberg	Yes
	Fields	Yes
	Garcia	Yes
	Jones	Yes
	Marble	No
	Scott	Yes
	Baumgardner	No
	Sonnenberg	Yes
	Final	YES: 9 NO: 2 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

SB18-042 - Referred to Senate Appropriations

Colorado General Assembly