Colorado Corn Cultivating Opportunities

Colorado Corn Public Policy Committee Members:  Chairman Doug Melcher, Trent Bushner, Dave Eckhardt, Casey Goddard, Greg Larson, Rick Palkowitsh, Don Rutledge, Steve Scott, Bruce Unruh and Byron Weathers.

The Public Policy Committee conducts conference calls every Friday at 7 AM during the legislative session to discuss policy that affects corn growers and the agricultural community as a whole.

The following is a list of bills that have been introduced in the current session that we have either taken a position on or are currently monitoring. To view the bills in their entirety, click on:  http://www.leg.state.co.us/

Please contact one of our committee members if you have an interest in a bill not listed.

CCGA Public Policy Committee

February 26, 2010 (updated)

POSITION TAKEN:

SUPPORT SB 52—Concerning the ability of the Groundwater Commission to alter the boundaries of a designated groundwater basin.  Brophy/Curry   3^rd reading Senate

SUPPORT - SB 98 - Concerning the allocation of moneys to promote conservation of the state’s natural resources. Trochtrop/Sonnenberg

SUPPORT - HB 1107—Concerning limitations on the inclusion of agricultural lands within urban renewal areas.  Fischer/Carroll, M.  House Ag. 2/2

SUPPORT - HB 1123—Concerning controlled agricultural burns in arson cases.  Sonnenberg/Renfroe
House Judiciary

OPPOSE—HB 1188—Concerning clarification of the scope of the existing right of navigation of guides employed by river outfitters.  Senate State Affairs

OPPOSE - HB 1293—Concerning the creation of a task force to study property tax assessment issues related to the use of land for agricultural purposes.  Massey  House State Affairs

MONITORING:

Water Issues

HB 1051—Concerning additional information regarding covered entities’ water efficiency plans.  Pommer/    House Ag.

SB 25—Concerning the long-term funding of the water efficiency grant program.  Whitehead/Baumgardner   Senate Ag

SB 27—Concerning a fine for the unauthorized diversion of surface water.  Sandoval/Roberts   Senate Ag

Agricultural Issues

HB 1101—Concerning the registration of a vehicle used for agricultural production.  Baumgardner/   House Transportation 2/4

SB 34—Concerning the administration of laws regulating pesticides, and, in connection therewith, amending the “Pesticide Act” to authorize the commissioner of the Department of Agriculture to inspect refillers, impose residue removal and record-keeping requirements, and set expiration dates for pesticide and device registration by rule.  Whitehead/Looper   2^nd reading Senate

SB 38—Concerning the “Organic Certification Act”, and, in connection therewith, authorizing the commissioner of agriculture to contract with independent organics certification advisory board.  Hodge/Fischer 3rd reading Senate

SB 72—Concerning creation of the “Colorado Seed Potato Act”.  Schwartz/Vigil Senate Ag

Counties and/or Land Use Issues

Miscellaneous

HB 1124—Concerning laws relating to animal welfare.  McKinley/   House Ag  2/3

SB 74—Concerning incentives for the generation of electricity from cleaner-burning fuels.  Penry/   Senate Ag

SB 80—Concerning allowing court-entered civil protection orders to include directives concerning animals.  Newell/Frangas   Senate Judiciary

SB 81—Concerning creation of the “Farm-to-School Healthy Kids Act”, and, in connection therewith, establishing an interagency task force to develop farm-to-school program policies.  Sandoval/Solano   Senate Ed

 Tax Issues

HB 1169—Concerning a perpetual conservation easement in gross for which a state income tax credit is claimed.  McKinley/   House Finance

HB 1172—Concerning the registration of mobile machinery in order to pay specific ownership tax.  Bradford/   House Transportation

HB 1173—Concerning circumstances in which the fee for late registration of a vehicle is not imposed.  DelGrosso/Renfroe    House Transportation

BILLS LOST

SUPPORT - SB 67—Concerning the exemption of certain school wells from the laws governing the administration of water rights.  Hodge/ Senate AgSB 78--Concerning the use of reusable effluent that has been treated discharged back to a water body from a domestic wastewater facility after being put to beneficial use.  Hodge/Senate Ag

HB 1006—Concerning increased funding for the division of water resources from the operational account of the severance tax trust fund.  Curry/Brophy    House Approp.

HB 1086—Concerning a limitation of landowners’  liability, and, in connection therewith, limiting landowners’  liability arising from facilities related to water rights and from the use of land for recreational purposes.  Curry/Hodge   House Judiciary 1/28

HB 1159—Concerning mitigation for water exports.   Pace/Gibbs   House Ag 2/3

BILLS SENT TO THE GOVERNOR

OPPOSE – HB 1190—Concerning the suspension of the exemption from the state sales and use taxes for fuels used for industrial purposes.  Pommer/Heath

OPPOSE - HB 1191—Concerning the narrowing of the existing exemption from the state sales and use taxes for food, and, in connection therewith, subjecting candy and soft drinks to the states sales and use taxes.  Pommer/Heath  

OPPOSE - HB 1194—Concerning the narrowing of the existing exemptions from the state sales and use taxes for articles sold to sellers of items intended for human consumption that are furnished by the sellers to their customers with such items without the addition of a separate charge.  Ferrandino/Heath  

OPPOSE - HB 1195—Concerning the suspension of the exemption from the state sales and use taxes for certain items used in agricultural production.  Ferrandino/Heath  

OPPOSE - HB 1196—Concerning the disqualification of category 7 motor vehicles from the state income tax credit for the purchase of vehicles using alternative fuels.  Ferrandino/Heath  

OPPOSE - HB 1197—Concerning a decrease in the maximum amount of a state income tax credit that may be claimed for the donation of a conservation easement in gross.  Ferrandino/Heath