A 17-year-old Colorado Springs student who’s involved in search-and-rescue had no trouble today urging lawmakers to support a bill to allow emergency crews to train for free in state parks.
And get this: The bill, which Kristopher Poskey proposed, is his second of the legislative session.
The confident kid got a big laugh from the House Agricultural Committee when he assured members he would be able to answer any questions they had. He rattled off park fees and rescue stats with ease.
The committee voted unanimously in favor of Senate Bill 182.
In an earlier interview, Poskey said he has been involved in search-and-rescue since age 12, first in North Carolina, and then after his family moved to Colorado when he was 15.
He became active in the Colorado Wing of the Civil Air Patrol and helped set up training exercises.
“I began realizing there’s a lot of costs involved in conducting the exercises for search and rescue, and there is no slack on the fees for members,” the cadet colonel said.
The fees at the parks, while not steep, added up for the volunteers, who pay their own training costs, he said.
Poskey in December contacted Rep. Amy Stephens, R-Monument, presented his idea for waiving state-parks fees and submitted a draft proposal for a bill. He was 16 at the time.
“I about fell out of my chair when I met him,” Stephens recalled. “This kid is so mature. I think he might be replacing me. Really, he’s that good.”
Stephens had already hit her five-bill limit, but she was so impressed, she went to Senate Minority Leader Josh Penry, R-Grand Junction, who got late-bill status. They are sponsoring the bill together.
“Here we are charging fees for guys to train so they can save our lives,” Stephens said.
The bill exempts public or nonprofit search-and-rescue organizations from all state-park fees when conducting certain training activities at a state park or facility.
Poskey is home-schooled and also takes classes at Pikes Peak Community College.
This year, he also pushed for a bill that would have allowed home-school and private-school students to take college classes at no cost to themselves. Currently, public-school students can take college classes, and their district pays the costs.
That bill died, but Poskey met success today.
“I feel like something’s been accomplished,” he said after the hearing.
Lynn Bartels: 303-954-5327 or lbartels@denverpost.com
