The 2025 general appropriations act is amended to balance and make adjustments to the total amount appropriated to the department of a natural resources. The general fund, cash funds, reappropriated funds, and federal funds portions of the appropriation are decreased.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act changes state law to reflect changes to federal law that expand the authority of states, counties, and tribal governments to enter into good neighbor agreements with the federal government to carry out recreation and improvement services on land by:Specifying that the Colorado state forest service may enter into good neighbor authority agreements with the United States department of the interior, the United States department of agriculture, or any agency of the United States department of the interior or United States department of agriculture; andClarifying that the Colorado state forest service is required to conduct, or contract with one or more entities to conduct, demonstration projects that utilize Colorado's good neighbor authority to implement forest management projects that improve forest health, resilience, wildlife habitat, or outdoor recreation opportunities.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Senate Bill 25-163, enacted in 2025, requires a battery stewardship organization to complete an assessment of the opportunities and challenges associated with the end-of-life management of certain batteries in the state. A battery stewardship organization is required to complete the assessment on or before December 1, 2028, and submit the completed assessment to the general assembly on or before March 1, 2028.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
HB 1306 creates a special Colorado license plate for vehicles, requiring owners to pay a $50 initial donation to the Wild Horse Fund and a $25 one-time fee to obtain the plate. To renew the plate annually, owners must make an additional $25 donation to the fund. All collected funds support the state’s wild horse population management program, as specified in the bill. This option is available to any Colorado resident who qualifies for standard vehicle registration.
Beginning January 1, 2028, the bill requires a person that owns, leases, operates, controls, or supervises a building, structure, facility, or installation that emits or may emit an air pollutant (owner or operator) to make all emissions records that the owner or operator is required by state or federal law to maintain (records) publicly available and accessible on the owner or operator's public website. Except in certain circumstances, the owner or operator is required to update the records following the same schedule as the records are made available to the state or the United States. These requirements apply only to records that are generated on or after December 1, 2027.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The act encourages the state forest service, the department of natural resources, the department of personnel, and the department of transportation (covered agency) to prioritize the use of ecoregionally specific plant material that supports pollinator habitats when certain conditions are met. In planning and executing a vegetation project, each covered agency is required to satisfy certain requirements. To the extent practicable, each covered agency shall coordinate with the other covered agencies with regard to purchasing. Each covered agency, subject to available funding, shall establish a training program for relevant staff that includes certain minimum components. On and after January 1, 2028, to the extent practicable, each covered agency shall integrate mowing and grazing based on recommendations included in the 2022 study commissioned by the department of natural resources pursuant to Senate Bill 22-199. The act requires the office of the state architect to support and encourage the development and renovation of sustainable sites to maximize pollinator health on properties within the state capitol complex, other state buildings, and, where applicable, on leased property. The act requires the Colorado state university cooperative extension service (extension) to perform a Colorado native plant availability study (study) in consultation with certain parties. On or before August 1, 2031, the extension shall issue a report summarizing the results of the study. The extension shall make the report publicly available on its website and provide copies of the report to the governor and specified legislative committees of reference. The extension may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purpose of implementing the act. The extension is not required to perform the study or issue a report unless and until the extension acquires sufficient gifts, grants, and donations to pay for the performance of such duties.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill recreates the wildfire matters review committee (interim committee) to succeed the wildfire matters review committee that repealed on September 1, 2025. The purpose of the interim committee is to review the implementation and effectiveness of state policies and resources for wildfire prevention and mitigation and to consider and recommend legislation or other policy changes to address all matters relating to wildfire prevention and mitigation including public safety, forest health, and cooperation with appropriate federal agencies and local governments.The interim committee consists of 10 members of the general assembly appointed as follows:5 members of the senate: 3 appointed by the president of the senate and 2 appointed by the minority leader of the senate; and5 members of the house of representatives: 3 appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives and 2 appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives. The appointing authorities must make their original appointments to the interim committee no later than June 1, 2026. The term of appointment is 2 years. Incumbent members may be reappointed to the committee.The bill requires the interim committee to meet at least twice and allows the committee to take 2 field trips during every interim. The committee's duties are to:Review the implementation and effectiveness of state policies and resources for wildfire prevention and mitigation;Seek presentations and comments from individuals with professional expertise relating to wildfire prevention and mitigation and from representatives of relevant state agencies, local governments, private industry, and impacted communities; andRecommend legislation or other policy changes to address matters related to wildfire prevention and mitigation, including public safety, forest health, and cooperation with appropriate federal agencies and local governments.The bill allows the committee to recommend up to 5 bills during each interim.The committee is repealed, effective June 30, 2031.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
The act creates the pesticide product disposal and container recycling enterprise (enterprise) in the department of agriculture (department). The board of directors of the enterprise (board) consists of the members of the state agricultural commission. The enterprise is tasked with developing and administering a program for the disposal of pesticide products not identified as exempt from the program by the board (eligible pesticide products) and with coordinating the recycling of pesticide product containers (program). Along with providing these business services, the program must:Organize eligible pesticide product disposal events for commercial applicators and private applicators across the state;Provide outreach and education to commercial applicators and private applicators on proper and safe disposal of eligible pesticide products and the recycling of their containers and the services provided by the program; andProvide certain business services to an applicant that registers an eligible pesticide product with the commissioner of agriculture for sale or distribution in the state (applicant). The enterprise operates as a government-owned business imposing:A pesticide product disposal fee for each eligible pesticide product that is disposed of through the program; andA pesticide registration product disposal fee on each applicant, which fee must be no more than $50 per eligible pesticide product. The fees are credited to the pesticide product disposal and container recycling enterprise cash fund (fund) for use by the enterprise to carry out the program. Money credited to the fund is continuously appropriated to the enterprise for the purposes set forth in the act. Commencing in 2028, the enterprise must annually report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over agricultural matters the following information for the previous 12 months: the amount of fees collected, the total revenue generated by the fees, the location and times of disposal events held, a summary of the amount and types of products disposed of, and a description of education and outreach activities conducted. $19,875 is appropriated from the legal services cash fund to the department of law to provide legal services for the department in implementing the act. The appropriation is from revenue received from the department that is continuously appropriated to the department from the fund.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The water quality control division (division) administers a program to test for and remediate water quality issues for mobile home parks (program). The program tests for water quality issues that pose a risk to not only health or safety but also the welfare of park residents. The act authorizes the division to require remediation of welfare-related water quality violations. One of the requirements of the program is for the park owner to certify that the park owner has made certain water-quality-related notices to park residents. The act authorizes the division to issue an order requiring the park owner to comply with the park resident notice certification requirement. Under the program, the park owner is prohibited from imposing the cost of compliance with certain remediation-related requirements on park residents. The act authorizes a park owner who is also a park resident to bear this cost. The program authorizes the division to issue orders requiring the park owner to perform additional water testing, perform temporary measures necessary to address acute health risks, make additional reports to the division, create a remediation plan, implement a remediation plan, or respond to the division in connection with a remediation plan. The act clarifies that a park owner may ask for a hearing only regarding the orders that concern remediation plans. The act also clarifies that:The division has authority to enforce the requirements of the program; andThe division has authority to issue cease-and-desist orders to address violations related to the program, regardless of whether the issues are related to water quality violations. The act also provides that:An additional monthly penalty of up to $5,000 for a continuing violation may be imposed for the first 30 days of noncompliance; andA park owner is not entitled to an administrative hearing to contest an imposed civil penalty but may seek judicial review.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Sunset Process - House Agriculture, Water, and Natural Resources Committee. The bill indefinitely continues the Colorado forest health council (council) until September 1, 2033. Before the repeal, the council will be given a sunset review. The bill also removes the 2 legislative members from the council.(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
