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S_AGR_2020A 02/13/2020 01:42:36 PM Committee Summary

PUBLIC
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING
SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE & NATURAL RESOURCES
Date 02/13/2020
Attendance
Coram X
Rodriguez X
Sonnenberg X
Danielson X
Donovan X
Time 01:42:36 PM to 06:14:38 PM
Place SCR 357
This Meeting was called to order by Senator Donovan
This Report was prepared by Matt Becker
Hearing Items Action Taken
SB20-135 Referred to Senate Finance
SB20-101 Amended, referred to Senate Finance
SB20-125 Lay Over
SB20-155 Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
SB20-153 Postponed Indefinitely

X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

SB20-135 - Referred to Senate Finance

01:42:54 PM  
Senators Sonnenberg and Donovan, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 20-135, which makes several changes to the Conservation Easement Tax Credit program.
01:49:41 PM  
Jillane Hixson testified in support of
the bill and provided a handout to the committee (Attachment A).
01:53:13 PM  
Jessica Jay, House Bill 19-1264 working
group member, testified on the bill.
01:59:59 PM  
Aaron Citron, The Nature Conservancy, testified on the bill.
02:01:49 PM  
Alan Gentz, co-chair of the House Bill 19-1264 working group, testified on the bill. Mr. Gentz responded to committee questions.
02:14:06 PM  
Tom Grasmick, Prowers County Commissioner,
testified remotely from Lamar in support of the bill.  Belinda Groner
testified remotely from Lamar in support of the bill.  Jim Guire testified
remotely from Grand Junction in support of the bill.  JD Wright, Landowners
United Advocacy Foundation, testified remotely from La Junta in support
of the bill.  Ed Fisa testified remotely from La Junta in support
of the bill.  Rick Markus testified remotely from La Junta in support
of the bill.
02:30:37 PM  
Ariel Steele, Tax Credit Connection, testified
on the bill.  Dianna Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado,
testified in support of the bill.  Jodie Barbour read written testimony
for Janice Hotchkiss in support of the bill.  Erik Glenn, co-chair
of the House Bill 19-1264 working group, testified in support of the bill.
02:40:00 PM  
Jim Butcher testified in support of the
bill and distributed a handout to the committee  (Attachment B).  Melissa
Daruna, Keep It Colorado, testified in support of the bill.  John
Eichorn testified in support of the bill.  Todd Lambert, GP Ranches
and Prowers Aggregates, testified in support of the bill and distributed
a handout to the committee  (Attachment C).
02:55:55 PM  
Bill Boortz testified against the bill.
 Kevin McCarty testified against the bill.  Greg Gerke testified
on the bill.  The panel responded to committee questions.
03:10:43 PM  
Emily Ibach, Colorado Farm Bureau, testified
in support of the bill.  Don Brown testified in support of the bill.


03:22:29 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 20-135 to the Committee on Finance.
Moved Sonnenberg
Seconded
Coram Yes
Rodriguez Excused
Sonnenberg Yes
Danielson Yes
Donovan Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB20-101 - Amended, referred to Senate Finance
03:29:41 PM  
Senator Sonnenberg presented Senate Bill
20-101, which was laid over for action only on February 6, 2020.


03:30:47 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 20-101, as amended, to the Committee on Finance.
Moved Sonnenberg
Seconded
Coram Excused
Rodriguez Excused
Sonnenberg Yes
Danielson Yes
Donovan Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 0   EXC: 2   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB20-125 - Lay Over

03:31:42 PM  
Senator Zenzinger, co-prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 20-125, which prohibits the use of exotic animals in traveling animal acts and creates a misdemeanor.
03:42:21 PM  
Michelle DeLaria testified in support of
the bill.  Kent Drotar, The Wild Animal Santuary, testified in support
of the bill and distributed a handout to the committee  (Attachment
D).  Marlon Reis testified in support of the bill.
03:52:06 PM  
Emily Davenport, Nature's Educators, testified
in opposition to the bill.  Karen Green, Zoological Discovery Center,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Linda Hart, Colorado Federation
of Dog Club Owners, testified in opposition to the bill and distributed
a handout to the committee  (Attachment E).
04:06:24 PM  
Bill Swain testified in opposition to the
bill.  Vivianna Swain, Trunks and Humps, testified in opposition to
the bill.  Angie Cue, Colorado Association of Fairs and Shows, testified
in opposition to the bill and distributed a letter to the committee  (Attachment
F).  The panel responded to committee questions.
04:14:23 PM  
Traveler Hawk testified in opposition to
the bill.  Donna Lorraine Asher, Colorado Rennaissance Festival, testified
in opposition to the bill.  Jeremiah Bogenhager, Colorado Association
of Fairs and Shows, testified in opposition to the bill.  Eric Mindykowski,
Colorado Renaissance Festival, testified in opposition to the bill.
04:33:40 PM  
Darla Smith, Colorado Renaissance Festival,
testified in opposition to the bill.  Kristen Joregensen Smith, testified
in opposition to the bill.  Janice Grennon testified in opposition
to the bill.  Howard Smith, Colorado Renaissance Festival, testified
in opposition to the bill.
04:49:16 PM  
Kristen Ekiss, Colorado Renaissance Festival,
testified in opposition to the bill. Susanne Cochran, Avlon Aviary, testified
in opposition to the bill.  John Olson testified in opposition to
the bill.  Carolyn Lance testified in opposition to the bill and distributed
a handout to the committee  (Attachment G).
05:02:42 PM  
Randy Lewis testified on the bill.  Lori
Greenstone read testimony for Peggy McClarren in support of the bill.  Jennifer
Fedak, In Defense of Animals, testified in support of the bill.  Christina
Scaringe, Animal Defenders International, testified in support of the bill
and discussed a handout that was distributed to the committee  (Attachment
H).
05:14:37 PM  
Cordelia Stone testified in support of
the bill.  Valerie Hunter-Goss testified in support of the bill.  Tina
Evans testified in support of the bill.  Ashlea Miller, Luvin Arms
Animal Santuary, testified in support of the bill.
05:26:51 PM  
Jen Irelan testified in support of the
bill.  Karen Kalavity testified in support of the bill.  Dr.
Anne Elizabeth Nash, Reptile Humane Society, testified in support of the
bill.  Ellen Kessler testified in support of the bill.
05:39:50 PM  
Andrea Rose Vendittis testified in support
of the bill.  Jeff Hersch testified in support of the bill.  Kim
Murdock testified in support of the bill.  Christine Vercellino testified
in support of the bill.
05:50:11 PM  
Tim Hackett, Colorado State University College of Veterinary Medicine, testified in support of the bill. Roland Halpern, Colorado Voters for Animals, testified in support of the bill.
05:57:21 PM  
Senators Ginal and Zenzinger made closing comments on the bill. Senator Donovan laid the bill over for action only at a future hearing.



SB20-155 - Referred to the Committee of the Whole - Consent Calendar
06:03:25 PM  
Senator Sonnenberg, prime sponsor, presented Senate Bill 20-155, which maintains the presumption of noninjury to other water rights for a water well that is located on land that is divided into multiple parcels.


06:06:38 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 20-155 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.
Moved Sonnenberg
Seconded
Coram Yes
Rodriguez Yes
Sonnenberg Yes
Danielson Excused
Donovan Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 0   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS



SB20-153 - Postponed Indefinitely
06:06:59 PM  
Senator Coram requested that the committee postpone indefinitely Senate Bill 20-153, which creates the Water Resource Financing Enterprise.
06:12:42 PM  
Chris Piper, Denver Water, testified in opposition to the bill.


06:14:08 PM
 Motion Postpone Senate Bill 20-153 indefinitely.
Moved Coram
Seconded
Coram Yes
Rodriguez Yes
Sonnenberg No
Danielson Excused
Donovan Yes
Final YES: 3   NO: 1   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS


06:14:38 PM   The committee adjourned.






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