While the conservation community has prioritized a Colorado Clean energy agenda this year, there are many other bills conservationists are also supporting.
Proposed Legislation
House Bill 1001 – Income Tax Credit for Colorado Job Growth – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This measure promotes growth in the New Energy Economy and other industries through temporary tax credits. Sponsored by Representative Rice and Senator Heath. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1014 – Conservation Easement Oversight – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill ensures adequate oversight and administration of conservation easements to ensure that Colorado tax credits are being used to meet the purpose of protecting valuable lands for future generations. Sponsored by Representative Judd and Senator Isgar. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1017 – Water Efficiency Grant Fund – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill gives the Colorado Water Conservation Board the authority to use severance tax funds for a grant program to improve water efficiency. Sponsored by Representative Pace and Senator Hodge. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1035 – Clean Technology Medical Device Refund – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill creates tax incentives for small clean energy and medical firms headquartered in Colorado. Sponsored by Representative Riesberg and Senator Heath. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1056 – Solid Waste Disposal Administrative Penalties – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill protects water quality by increasing the penalties for solid waste disposal violations. Sponsored by Representative McCann and Senator Kopp. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1060 – Rocky Flats Refuge Signs Information – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
This bill protects public health by posting warning signs at the entrances to Rocky Flats alerting visitors to the presence of plutonium and other toxic materials. Sponsored by Representative McKinley. The bill was defeated in the House Agriculture, Livestock, Natural Resources Committee. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1067 – Instream Flow Tax Incentives - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This measure protects the health of our rivers and streams by providing financial incentives for water right holders who choose to permanently donate their water rights to the state to allow water to remain in the river. Sponsored by Representative Pommer and Senator White. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1070 – Lands Prohibited from Urban Renewal Areas - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
This measure prevents local governments creating Urban Renewal Areas from declaring agricultural land as blighted. Sponsored by Representative Fischer. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1098 – Streamline Clean Coal PUC Environmental Requirements – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment WIN
This bill would accelerate the development of pollution generating coal based power plants. Sponsored by Representative Baumgardner and Senators Brophy and Kopp. The bill was defeated in the House Transportation & Energy Committee. NO is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1129 – Precipitation Harvesting Pilot Programs – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill directs the Colorado water conservation board (board) to select the sponsors of up to 10 new residential or mixed-use developments that will conduct individual pilot projects to collect precipitation from rooftops and impermeable surfaces for nonpotable uses. Sponsored by Representative Looper and Senator Romer. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1142 – Water Conservancy District Director Election – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
This bill would ease the petition requirements for candidates in Water Conservancy District elections. Sponsored by Representative Fischer and Senator Bacon. The bill was defeated in the House Agriculture, Livestock and Natural Resources Committee. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1156 – Study Electric Plant Closure Costs – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment WIN
This bill slows the switch to clean energy generation by requiring the Public Utilities Commission to conduct studies with public comment phases any time an outdated electric producing facility is closed. Sponsored by Representative Bradford and Senator Mitchell. The bill was defeated in the House Transportation & Energy Committee. NO is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1199 – Healthy Forests Vibrant Communities Act – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill increases efforts to address wildfire risk and provides resources to the CO Forest Service to augment technical outreach capabilities and provide loans and grants for market-based solutions to reduce wildfire risk. Sponsored by Representative Scanlan and Senator Gibbs. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1259 – Impact Fees For Auth Local Purposes – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status - Defeated – Environment LOSS
This bill allows local governments to impose fees on new development to pay for government capital projects that are necessitated by the new development. Sponsored by Representative Hullinghorst. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1268 – Decrease Fossil Fuel Consumption – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment WIN
This bill reclassifies nuclear power as a clean technology, examines the possibility of retrofitting Colorado’s dams to generate hydroelectric power, and requires the state to investigate renewable energy generation on state lands, including state parks. Sponsored by Representative Cory Gardner and Senator Kopp. NO is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1277 – Electric Utility Customer Info Fuel Mix – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
If passed, this bill would require electrical utilities to inform their customers about the fuels used to generate their power on a regular basis. Sponsored by Representative Labuda. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1282 – Electronic Device Recycling Task Force – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill creates a task force to make recommendations regarding electronic device recycling. Sponsored by Representative Fischer and Senator Schwartz. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1289 – Species Conservation Trust Fund List – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
Appropriates money from the species conservation trust fund for programs designed to conserve threatened native species. Sponsored by Representative Curry and Senator Isgar. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1294 - Renew Nongame & Wildlife Checkoff – Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill renews the checkoff box on state income tax forms that allows Coloradoans to contribute tot he state nongame and endangered wildlife fund. Sponsored by Representative Vigil and Senator Schwartz. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1300 – Clean Energy Dev Authority Increase Powers - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Envrionment LOSS
This bill allows the Colorado clean energy development authority to make direct commercial loans for projects consisting of electrical transmission, generation, and storage equipment and any land or facilities associated with such equipment. Sponsored by Representative Solano and Senator Romer. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1303 – Admin Mineral Development Water Wells - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill clarifies existing rules by allowing the state engineer to define which sources of ground water are considered to be non-tributary. Sponsored by Representative Curry and Senator Isgar. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1308 – Funding For Division Of Water Resources - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
This bill adds the Division of Water to the list of agencies eligible to receive funding from the severance tax trust fund. Sponsored by Representative Curry and Senator Isgar. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1312 – Renewable Energy Loans For Schools - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
Creates the renewable energy and energy efficiency for schools loan program to fund renewable energy projects and battery-powered and hybrid-electric bus projects in qualified school districts. Sponsored by Representative Kerr. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1317 – No State Lands To Expand Pinon Canyon - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
Prohibits the state board of land commissioners from selling or leasing lands to any federal governmental entity for purposes associated with the expansion of the Pinon Canyon maneuver site. Sponsored by Representatives Pace and McKinley and Senator Kester. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1327 – URL Mod Impacts Taxing Entities - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
Encourages local collaboration to ensure proper use of taxpayer funds for urban renewal projects. Sponsored by Representative Hullinghorst and Senator Tochtrop. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1331 – Incentives For Efficient Motor Vehicles - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
Creates tax incentives for the purchase of fuel efficient or alternative fuel vehicles. Sponsored by Representative Gagliardi and Senator Boyd. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1345 – Elec Util Integrate Trans Infrastructure - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
Orders the Public Utilities Commission to study the current planning by utility owners for improvements in Colorado’s electrical transmission abilities. Sponsored by Representative Solano. YES is the pro-environment vote.
House Bill 1350 – New Energy Jobs Creation Act - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Tabled – Environment LOSS
Creates the Colorado new energy improvement district, allowing bonds to be floated to fund development of renewable energy systems. Sponsored by Representative Miklosi and Senator Heath. YES is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 016 – Incentives To Harvest Bark Beetle Timber - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment WIN
Sponsored by Senator Kopp and Representative King. NO is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 018 – High Risk Wildfire Mitigation Grants- Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
This bill creates the high-risk communities wildfire mitigation grant program (program). Bill also creates the high-risk communities wildfire mitigation grant program fund (fund). Sponsored by Senator Gibbs and Senator Kopp and Representative Scanlan and Representative King. YES is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 031 – Clean Tech Research Grant Prog - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
SB31 creates grant funding for clean energy research in Colorado colleges. Sponsored by Senator Heath and Representative Riesberg. YES is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 080 – Precipitation Collect Limited Exemptions - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill allows residents in rural areas to collect roof runoff water for use in the home or for limited agricultural purposes. Sponsored by Senator Isgar and Representative Looper. YES is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 124 – Extend Ag Energy-related Projects - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill extends established agricultural energy research until 2012. Sponsored by Senator Isgar and Representative Roberts. YES is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 156 – Plastic Bag Reduction- Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Defeated – Environment LOSS
This bill creates the “Plastic Bag Reduction Act” (act), which limits the types of stores that can provide plastic bags to customers on and after July 1, 2012. Sponsored by Senator Viega and Representative Miklosi. Press coverage of final vote. YES is the pro-environment vote.
Senate Bill 235 – Wildlife Habitat Stamps and Passports - Full Text of Bill – Bill Details and Votes
Status – Signed by Governor – Environment WIN
This bill enhances the current Habitat Stamp program to generate funding for habitat preservation. Sponsored by Senator Gibbs and Representative Merrifield. YES is the pro-environment vote.