Three bills relating directly to outdoor affairs remain active in the Colorado General Assembly, although one appears to be hanging by a thread.
Here’s a status synopsis:
SB 1069, giving Colorado Division of Wildlife officers authority to enforce federal land-use regulations inside the state, has passed both the Senate and House. It now will return to the Senate to resolve a House amendment stipulating a notification period prior to enforcement.
The measure, which focuses on violations of road and trail closures, largely retains its original integrity. Discussions in both chambers involved exceptions granted for agricultural and timber operations.
SB 69, the controversial bill by Sen. Jack Taylor that would have hamstrung DOW law enforcement efforts regarding poaching and waste of game, effectively was emasculated in the Senate. Derisively termed the “Poacher Protection Act” in its original form, it now serves only to insert the word “intent” into the regulatory language regarding certain felony offenses. Wildlife officials believe the concept of intent always was implied in the law.
Keeping this measure alive at all is viewed only as a face-saving ploy for a senator infamous for his longstanding attacks on the wildlife agency. This heavily amended version now awaits scheduling in the House.
SB 28, a bill that would have transferred water rights held by DOW and Colorado State Parks at Bonny Reservoir to an interstate water compact, was voted out of committee but bogged down during subsequent discussions.
Opposed by the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, the measure by Sen. Greg Brophy was designed to allow water flowing in the South Republican River to bypass the popular fishery to eliminate evaporation loss charges against the state as a way of meeting delivery obligations to Kansas under the compact.
Implementation would have involved possible violation of Colorado water law as well federal aid diversion issues involving millions of dollars.
In a curious move, the bill was held over until May 10, a date notable in that the legislative session ends May 9. A possibility exists it could be rescheduled.
HB 1137, a measure that would have severely limited DOW’s ability to acquire new property, died a much earlier death in committee.
