Date: 04/29/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB15-1380

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, LIVESTOCK, & NATURAL RESOURCES

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer House Bill 15-1380 to the Committee on FinanPASS



12:37 PM -- HB 15-1380

Representative KC Becker, sponsor, presented House Bill 15-1380, concerning state financial incentives to encourage watershed health. The bill creates a refundable, transferable income tax credit for taxpayers who make expenditures for a watershed health project and creates a watershed health project grant program. For tax years 2015 through 2017, an income tax credit is available to taxpayers who make expenditures for a watershed health project, defined as science-based ecosystem restorations of watersheds, forests, grasslands, riparian zones, streams, lakes, or reservoirs. Taxpayers claiming the credit must obtain a credit certificate from the Colorado Water Conservation Board (CWCB). CWCB is responsible for determining the value of the individual credit certificates, which may be worth up to 50 percent of the amount

12:40 PM -- Peter Nichols, Lower Arkansas Water Conservancy District, spoke in support of the bill and distributed a handout depicting the damage done by recent large wildfires from 2000 through 2013 (Attachment B). Mr. Nichols explained that the Colorado State Water Plan should include the program.

150429 AttachB.pdf150429 AttachB.pdf

12:46 PM -- Travis Smith, San Louis Valley Irrigation Director, spoke in support of the bill.

12:49 PM -- Carol Ekarius, Coalition of the Upper South Platte and Coalitions and Collaborative, spoke in support of the bill. Ms. Ekarius explained that the tax credit in the bill is valuable in order to improve watershed health.

12:52 PM -- Benjamin Waters, Colorado Coalition of Land Trusts, spoke in support of the bill.


12:53 PM

Representative Becker concluded her comments on the bill.

BILL:HB15-1380
TIME: 12:53:44 PM
MOVED:Becker K.
MOTION:Refer House Bill 15-1380 to the Committee on Finance. The motion passed on a vote of 10-2.
SECONDED:Danielson
VOTE
Arndt
Yes
Becker J.
Yes
Brown
Yes
Buck
No
Coram
Yes
Danielson
Yes
Dore
Yes
Ginal
Yes
Lebsock
Excused
Mitsch Bush
Yes
Saine
No
Becker K.
Yes
Vigil
Yes
Final YES: 10 NO: 2 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




12:58 PM

The committee adjourned.