Date: 04/23/2015

Final
BILL SUMMARY for SB15-232

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES, & ENERGY

Votes: View--> Action Taken:
Refer Senate Bill 15-232 to the Committee of the WPASS



02:45 PM -- SB 15-232

Senator Baumgardner and Senator Sonnenberg, co-prime sponsors, described the provisions of Senate Bill 15-232 concerning the Colorado Federal Land Management Commission. The bill creates the 15-member Colorado Federal Land Management Commission, which is comprised of 12 county commissioners from different regions of the state, appointed by boards of county commissioners, and 3 other members appointed by organizations representing the Western Slope, southern Colorado, and northeastern Colorado. The commission is required to study the transfer of public lands in Colorado from the federal government to the state, if authorized by Congress. The study must include development of a plan for the management, lease, sale, and use of federal lands and an economic analysis of the impact of transferring federal lands to the state. The commission is required to hold its first meeting by November 1, 2015, and submit initial reports to the agriculture committees of the General Assembly by April 1, 2016, and April 1, 2017. A final report must be submitted by November 1, 2017, and a presentation on the final report given at a joint meeting of the agriculture committees by January 30, 2018.

The following persons testified on the bill:

02:56 PM -- John Martin, Garfield County, spoke in support of the bill and discussed the effect of federal land management policies on county tax revenue or other impacts.

03:04 PM -- Dianna Orf, Associated Governments of Northwest Colorado, spoke in support of the bill.

03:05 PM -- Kelly Sloan, Mesa County, spoke in support of the bill and distributed a letter of support for the bill from the Mesa County Board of County Commissioners (Attachment D).

150423 AttachD.pdf150423 AttachD.pdf

03:08 PM -- Anne Rickenbaugh, Colorado Wild Public Lands, Inc., spoke in opposition to the bill and submitted a copy of her written remarks (Attachment E).

150423 AttachE.pdf150423 AttachE.pdf

03:13 PM -- Tom Verry, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill.

03:14 PM -- Suzanne O'Neill, Colorado Wildlife Federation, spoke in opposition to the bill.

03:19 PM -- John Singletary, representing himself, spoke in opposition to the bill and identified boards and commissions that he has served on including the Wildlife Commission and the Great Outdoors Colorado Board of Directors.

03:25 PM -- Scott Braden, Conservation Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill and distributed a handout that identifies similar studies commissioned in other states? (Attachment F).

150423 AttachF.pdf150423 AttachF.pdf

03:31 PM -- Julie Mach, Colorado Mountain Club, spoke in opposition to the bill (Attachment G).

150423 AttachG.pdf150423 AttachG.pdf

03:34 PM -- Greg Holm, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, spoke in opposition to the bill and submitted a copy of his written testimony (Attachment H).

150423 AttachH.pdf150423 AttachH.pdf

03:38 PM -- Jason Bertalocci, Outdoor Alliance Colorado, spoke in opposition to the bill and submitted a copy of his written testimony (Attachment I).

150423 AttachI.pdf150423 AttachI.pdf

03:42 PM -- Steve Bonowski, Colorado Chapter of Conserve Colorado, Conservatives for Responsible Stewardship, spoke in opposition to the bill and discussed the findings of a similar study conducted in Idaho and submitted to the Idaho legislature.

03:46 PM -- Jen Boulton, Colorado Audubon, Colorado Trout Unlimited, National Audubon, National Trout Unlimited, spoke in opposition to the bill.

03:48 PM -- Doug Holland, Sierra Club, spoke in opposition to the bill and submitted a copy of his written testimony (Attachment J).

150423 AttachJ.pdf150423 AttachJ.pdf

03:51 PM -- Rachel Richards, Pitkin County, spoke in opposition to the bill and explained that Colorado Counties, Inc., did not take a position on the bill.

03:54 PM -- Matt Shimanek, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, spoke in opposition to the bill.

03:56 PM -- George Wallace, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, spoke in opposition to the bill (Attachment K).

150423 AttachK.pdf150423 AttachK.pdf

04:01 PM -- Robert Harris, Western Resource Advocates, spoke in opposition to the bill.

04:02 PM -- Steven F. Childs, Chair of the Pitkin County Board of County Commissioners, submitted a letter of opposition to the bill (Attachment L).

150423 AttachL.pdf150423 AttachL.pdf

04:04 PM

The chair closed testimony on the bill. Senator Baumgardner and Senator Sonnenberg closed their remarks on the bill.

04:05 PM

Members of the committee explained how they intended to vote on the bill.

BILL:SB15-232
TIME: 04:09:10 PM
MOVED:Sonnenberg
MOTION:Refer Senate Bill 15-232 to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed on a vote of 5-4.
SECONDED:
VOTE
Baumgardner
Yes
Cooke
Yes
Donovan
No
Garcia
No
Hodge
No
Jones
No
Scott
Yes
Roberts
Yes
Sonnenberg
Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 4 EXC: 0 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS




04:12 PM

The committee adjourned.