RMFU: Legislature Sends More Bills (including Oil & Gas) To Governor
By Ed Bowditch, RMFU Government Relations For Colorado
The session will end in two weeks and the legislature is moving full speed ahead! Committee schedules and floor work continue to carry into the early morning hours as calendars are being stacked with bills hoping to make it through the legislative process in the next 14 days. Major bills continue to move, although, some more quickly than others. First, the sex education and full day kindergarten bills lead the pack as they face their last committee hearings on Tuesday before moving to their final readings on the Senate floor. Speaker Becker’s de-Brucing bills are close behind having passed the House this week and facing their first Senate committee hearings next Tuesday. Next are the FAMLI and vaccination bills which both passed committee hearings this week and move to their second readings on the floor.
Another major piece of legislation introduced this week is the School Finance Act which is constitutionally required to be passed each year to allocate the state share of K-12 education funding. Highlights include $102 million to buy down the budget stabilization factor and $20 million for small, rural schools.
The Governor signed more bills into law in the past week including the new oil and gas reform bill and the extreme risk protection gun safety bill. Next week will see more late nights and legislative juggling as the legislature works to maximize the number of bills able to be considered before adjourning on May 3.
Bill action this week:
- HB19-1132 School Incentives To Use Colorado Food And Producers – passed Senate Ed and moves to Approps.
- HB19-1202 Food Systems Advisory Council – passed Senate Ag and moves to Approps.
- HB19-1247 Study Agricultural Applications For Blockchain – passed Senate Ag and moves to 2nd reading.
- HB19-1264 Conservation Easement Tax Credit Modifications – passed House Finance.
- SB19-186 Expand Ag Chemical Management Program Protect Surface Water – passed Senate Finance and Approps.
- SB19-240 Industrial Hemp Products Regulation – passed Senate Ag and moves to 2nd reading.
Upcoming bill action:
- HB19-1168 State Innovation Waiver Reinsurance Program – Senate Health 4/25.
- SB19-220 Hemp Regulation Alignment With 2018 Federal Farm Bill – House State Affairs 4/23.
Here is our full bill report.