The bill provides that food is misbranded as “meat” or a cut of meat if it does not come from animals and that lab-grown meat is misbranded as “meat” or a cut of meat unless labeled as “lab-grown” or “artificially cultured”.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill also extends the increased wildfire mitigation income tax deduction that allows a landowner to claim 100%, rather than 50%, of the costs they incur in performing wildfire mitigation measures.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

“Renewable natural gas” is defined to mean any of the following products processed to meet pipeline quality standards or transportation fuel-grade requirements:

• Biogas that is blended with, or substituted for, geologic natural gas;
• Hydrogen gas derived from renewable energy sources; or
• Methane gas derived from any combination of biogas; hydrogen gas or carbon oxides derived from renewable energy sources; waste carbon dioxide; coalbed methane resulting from human activity; naturally occurring coalbed deposits; a municipal solid waste landfill; waste tire or municipal solid waste pyrolysis; or biogas recovery from manure management systems and anaerobic digesters.

If a large natural gas utility’s total incremental annual cost to meet the targets of the large renewable natural gas program exceeds 5% of the large natural gas utility’s total revenue requirement for a particular year, the large natural gas utility shall not make additional qualified investments under the large renewable natural gas program for that year without approval from the commission. The bill establishes the following portfolio targets for the percentage of gas purchased by large natural gas utilities that is renewable natural gas:

• By January 1, 2025, at least 5% must be renewable natural gas;
• By January 1, 2030, at least 10% must be renewable natural gas; and
• On and after January 1, 2035, at least 15% must be renewable natural gas.

Small natural gas utilities may opt in to the small renewable natural gas program as established by the commission by rule. The rule must include a rate cap limiting the small natural gas utility’s costs of procuring renewable natural gas from third parties and qualified investments in renewable natural gas infrastructure.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

In developing the plan, the executive director and the commissioner are required to study and make recommendations regarding organic waste management practices to encourage compost use on soil to promote carbon storage.

The executive director and the commissioner must also complete 2 statewide surveys as part of the plan, with one survey examining end uses for the major categories of organic waste feedstock generated within the state and the other survey examining existing organic waste generation facilities and processing capacity.

On or before February 1, 2023, the executive director, in collaboration with the commissioner, shall submit a report summarizing the plan to the legislative committees with jurisdiction over energy or agricultural matters.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill requires the state board of water well construction and pump installation contractors, on or before November 1, 2020, to promulgate rules for identifying high-risk water wells that should be prioritized for inspection. Thereafter, the state engineer shall use the rules to identify high-risk water wells and shall prioritize the inspection of high-risk water wells.

The bill clarifies that money in the well inspection cash fund shall be appropriated to and expended by the state engineer only for the well inspection program.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

• Authorizes and directs the university of Colorado, in collaboration with the Colorado water institute at Colorado state university, to conduct feasibility studies and pilot deployments of these new technologies to improve water management in Colorado; and
• Appropriates $40,000 from the general fund, contingent on the university of Colorado’s receipt of a matching $40,000 in gifts, grants, and donations, for the purpose of funding the studies and pilot programs.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

• Establishes standards for the care and treatment of dogs and cats by dog breeders and cat breeders;
• Prohibits the sale of a dog or cat in a public place by any person; and
• Prohibits the sale of dogs and cats by pet stores.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Entities eligible to receive REDI grant program money include local governments and organizations or individuals working in partnership with a local government, where the local government serves as the grant administrator, including intergovernmental agencies, councils of government, housing authorities, beginning farmers, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, nonprofit economic development organizations, and private employers.

The bill specifies criteria that the department is required to consider when evaluating grant applications and requires the department to prioritize applications that would create new jobs. The bill specifies the types of projects for which REDI grants may be awarded to eligible recipients and requires grant recipients to provide matching funds.

If the department determines that a rural community needs resources or assistance because it has been impacted by a significant economic event or an anticipated event that has been announced, the department may use all or a portion of the money appropriated for the purposes of the REDI grant program for the purposes of the “Rural Economic Advancement of Colorado Towns (REACT) Act”.

The executive director of the department is required to adopt policies and procedures for the administration of the REDI grant program and is also required to produce a report summarizing the use of all money that was awarded as grants from the REDI grant program in the preceding fiscal year.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

• With criminal negligence or recklessly is subject to a maximum daily fine of $12,500; and
• Knowingly or intentionally is subject to a maximum daily fine of $25,000. Section 1 of the bill makes a:
• Criminally negligent or reckless violation a misdemeanor and increases the penalty to $25,000, imprisonment of up to one year, or both; and
• Knowing or intentional violation a class 5 felony and increases the penalty to $50,000, imprisonment of up to 3 years, or both.

Current law specifies that a person who knowingly makes any false representation in a required record or who knowingly renders inaccurate any required water quality monitoring device or method is guilty of a misdemeanor and is subject to a fine of not more than $10,000, imprisonment in the county jail for not more than 6 months, or both. Section 2 makes these violations a class 5 felony and specifies that if 2 separate offenses occur in 2 separate occurrences during a period of 2 years, the maximum fine and imprisonment for the second offense are double the default amounts.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The air quality control commission, in consultation with the director of the division of oil and public safety in the department of labor and employment, shall promulgate rules regarding the blending standard, including rules to establish a waiver process and to require labeling of biodiesel-blended fuel to reflect the percentage of biodiesel included in the blended fuel.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

• The applicant does not have either a legally vested interest or a reasonable expectation of procuring such an interest in the lands or facilities to be served by the appropriation, unless the appropriator is a governmental agency or an agent in fact for the persons proposed to be benefited by the appropriation; or
• The applicant does not have a specific plan and intent to divert, store, or otherwise capture, possess, and control a specific quantity of water for specific beneficial uses.

The bill requires the executive director of the department of natural resources to convene a work group to explore ways to strengthen current anti-speculation law and to report to the water resources review committee by August 15, 2021, regarding any recommended changes.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Sections 3, 4, and 5 allow the board to use the recycling resources economic opportunity fund and the front range waste diversion cash fund to reimburse eligible recycling businesses for locally assessed personal property taxes paid in the current tax year in this state on personal property. Section 2 directs the board to establish a formula that it would use in awarding personal property tax reimbursements.

Section 6 requires the department, on and after October 1, 2020, to administer a statewide campaign to educate Colorado residents concerning recycling. The department shall ensure the campaign includes:

• Communications delivered via social media;
• Television and radio public service announcements; and
• The placement of written materials in public locations, such as community centers, recreation centers, and shopping centers.

In administering the campaign, the department shall consult with municipal governments, county governments, and private agencies that operate recycling programs. The department may contract with one or more public or private entities for the preparation of materials to be used in the campaign. The requirement is repealed, effective September 1, 2021.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The bill encourages retail food establishments and correctional facilities to donate apparently wholesome food to local nonprofit organizations for distribution to needy or poor individuals.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

• The commissioner is prohibited from suspending or revoking the person’s license or registration, or imposing civil penalties; and
• The person is immune from a criminal prosecution based on the facts alleged in the complaint.

The bill also requires the following proceedings to be brought within one year after the occurrence of the facts upon which they are based:

• A proceeding to discipline a licensee or registrant;
• A proceeding to impose civil penalties, not including failing to obtain the required license or registration; or
• A criminal prosecution, not including failing to obtain the required license or registration.
  (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)