Senate Committee on Agriculture, Natural Resources & Energy (03/09/2006)

Final
STAFF SUMMARY OF MEETING

SENATE COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE, NATURAL RESOURCES & ENERGY

Date:	03/09/2006	ATTENDANCE

Time:	02:12 PM to 03:53 PM	Brophy	X
		Entz	E
Place:	SCR 353	Groff	X
		Taylor	X
This Meeting was called to order by		Tochtrop	X
	Senator Isgar	Grossman	X
		Isgar	X
This Report was prepared by
	Geoff Johnson
		X = Present, E = Excused, A = Absent, * = Present after roll call

Bills Addressed:		Action Taken:
Conf 06-Agriculture Commission HB06-1239 SB06-194		Recommended to the Full Senate Referred to the Committee of the Whole Referred to the Committee of the Whole

02:13 PM

Sheldon Jones, Department of Agriculture, said that Don Rutledge of Yuma is in the hospital and is unable to attend the confirmation hearing. He commented on the duties of the Commission. He said that the state is broken up into nine Agriculture districts.

02:16 PM -- Brad Rock, Wray, said that he is the current Vice Chairman of the Commission and has served on the Commission for nine years.

02:18 PM -- Del Chase, Lamar, commented on his involvement with agriculture.

02:21 PM -- Sheldon Jones described the agricultural experiences of Don Rutledge.


BILL:	Conf 06-Agriculture Commission
TIME:	02:22:51 PM
MOVED:	Brophy
MOTION:	Moved to recommend the confirmation of the three members of the Agriculture Commission to the Full Senate. The motion passed 6-1-0.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Entz	Excused
	Groff	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Grossman	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
Final YES: 6 NO: 0 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

02:28 PM -- House Bill 06-1239

Senator Isgar, prime sponsor, commented on House Bill 06-1239 which addresses the regulation of commercial applicators of pesticides. The bill extends the sunset date on the program.

02:30 PM -- Brian Tobias, Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA), commented on the sunset review of the Pesticide Applicator's Act. He said that DORA supports the bill, and that the bill contains most of the recommendations that DORA made in the sunset report. The bill moves the sunset date to 2015.

02:33 PM -- Sheldon Jones, Department of Agriculture, complemented DORA on this sunset review. He said that the Department supports almost all of DORA's recommendations, and that they support the bill in its current form.

02:38 PM -- Mr. Tobias commented on requirements for continuing education in the bill.

02:39 PM -- Mitch Yeager, Department of Agriculture, commented on the licensure of devices under the Pesticide Applicator's Act. He commented on how persons are added to the Pesticide Sensitive list. He said that there are about 91 people state-wide on this list.

02:42 PM -- Claude Oleyar, Colorado Springs, commented on the Act. He discussed his activities related to wildlife control.


BILL:	HB06-1239
TIME:	03:06:02 PM
MOVED:	Isgar
MOTION:	Moved that the bill be referred to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 5-1-1.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	No
	Entz	Excused
	Groff	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Grossman	Yes
	Isgar	Yes
Final YES: 5 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS

03:07 PM -- Senate Bill 06-194

Senator Tochtrop, prime sponsor, described Senate Bill 06-194 addressing the authority of the Wildlife Commission to issue youth hunting licenses. The bill would allow 16 and 17 year-old youths to acquire hunting licenses at a reduced rate, and would allow the Division to issue special licenses for terminally ill youths.

03:09 PM -- David Lovell, Colorado Division of Wildlife, commented on the activities of a working group (the License Allocation Working Group) which studied youth hunting licenses.

03:35 PM -- Mike Yeary, Hunt-of-a Lifetime Foundation, discussed his organization's activities. He commented on the benefits of the bill to his organization.

03:38 PM -- Ivan James, Colorado Bowhunter's Association, commented on the activities of his organization and its benefits to youth. He said that the bill will help to develop a new generation of hunters.

03:44 PM -- Kent Ingram, Colorado Wildlife Federation, said that the population of hunters in the U.S. has declined to eight percent of the population. He said that the objective of the bill is to develop interest in hunting among youth.


BILL:	SB06-194
TIME:	03:51:14 PM
MOVED:	Tochtrop
MOTION:	Moved that the bill be referred to the Committee of the Whole. The motion passed 5-1-1.
SECONDED:
		VOTE
	Brophy	Yes
	Entz	Excused
	Groff	Yes
	Taylor	Yes
	Tochtrop	Yes
	Grossman	No
	Isgar	Yes
Not Final YES: 5 NO: 1 EXC: 1 ABS: 0 FINAL ACTION: PASS