LEGISLATION & policy issues
Issues & Policies tracker
Click on the links to the right to follow issues and polices dealing with wildlife, conservation, and hunting and angling related matters.
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Initiative #91, was initiated by extreme animal rights groups who are seeking to prohibit the harvest of Mountain Lion, Bobcat and Lynx and more broadly apply a standard of “trophy hunting” that could be overlayed on other manners of take and subsequent species. CWCP is strongly opposed to this effort.
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Stay up to date on the development of the wolf management plan at: https://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/CON-Wolf-Management.aspx
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Item description
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Stay up to date on the USFS Mad Rabbit Trails Proposal at: https://www.keeprouttwild.com/
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Check back for more information in 2023.
Legislation tracker
Click on the topics at right for updates and information on legislation dealing with wildlife, conservation, and hunting and angling related matters.
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CWCP Position: Support
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The bill renews the public engagement requirement for the members of the parks and wildlife commission in the department of natural resources who are appointed by the governor and adds the same public engagement requirement for members of the state agricultural commission and the Colorado water conservation board who are appointed by the governor. The bill requires the public engagement meetings be held in person.
Commission and board members subject to the public engagement requirement are entitled to reimbursement for their reasonable costs in holding public meetings. Status updates on the commission and board members' compliance with the public engagement requirement must be reported to the chair of each member's respective commission or board and included in each member's respective executive department's annual "SMART Act" presentation to the general assembly.
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CWCP Position: Support
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Concerning the conservation easement income tax credit, and, in connection therewith, extending the conservation easement oversight commission and the certified holder program indefinitely, increasing the limit on conservation easement income tax credits available to donors in one calendar year, and allowing multiple transfers of conservation easement income tax credits.
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CWCP Position:
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The bill prohibits a person from carrying a firearm, both openly and concealed, in public locations specified in the bill. A violation is an unclassified misdemeanor, punishable by a maximum $250 fine; except that a second or subsequent offense is punishable by a maximum $1,000 fine. The bill includes exceptions for law enforcement officers, members of the United States armed forces or Colorado National Guard, security personnel, firearms stored in locked containers in vehicles, and possession for instruction in conjunction with an organized class, extracurricular activity, or athletic team authorized by a college or university.
Existing law prohibits openly carrying a firearm within any polling location or central count facility, or within 100 feet of a ballot drop box or any building in which a polling location or central count facility is located, while an election or any related ongoing election administration activity is in progress. The bill prohibits carrying a firearm in any manner at those locations.
Learn more here
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CWCP Position:
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The bill would eliminate annual requirement that counties report to the chief information officer on county budget, revenue, and expenditures (sections 21, 22, and 23).
In the department of early childhood:
The date of the report on the evaluation of the child abuse prevention trust fund is changed from November 1, 2026, to November 1, 2029 ( section 28 );
The date of the report on the child care services and substance use disorder treatment pilot program is changed from June 30, 2023, to June 30, 2028 , and an annual requirement, in effect for four years, to report on the pilot program in the intervening years to the health and human services committees of the house of representatives and of the senate is added ( section 29 );
The annual report on early intervention services is eliminated ( section 30 );
The date of the report on the evaluation of the early childhood mental health consultation
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CWCP Position:
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The bill amends certain requirements and procedures related to licenses and passes from the Colorado parks and wildlife commission (commission).
The bill lowers the age threshold for senior annual fishing licenses to 64 years of age and amends the definition of "low-income senior" for the purposes of discounted parks and wildlife licenses. The bill also lowers the disability level threshold for veterans with disabilities from 60% to 50% disability for the purpose of granting licenses to disabled veterans. The bill also lowers the cost of the youth small game hunting license and the youth big game hunting license by 25 cents to account for the inclusion of the backcountry search and rescue fund surcharge that is added by the commission when the licenses are purchased.
The bill authorizes the commission to establish, by rule, a harvest permit surcharge for the taking of small game when doing so is necessary for the proper management of wildlife resources. The bill specifies that revenues generated from the sale of keep Colorado wild passes may be used for capital construction projects.
The bill establishes procedures for hearings conducted by the commission when a river outfitter license holder or applicant is alleged to have committed a violation and when the applicant or license holder may have their application or license denied, suspended, or revoked. The bill authorizes a hearing officer to conduct hearings on behalf of the commission in relation to the denial, suspension, or revocation of a river outfitter license.
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CWCP Position: No official position yet.
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TThe bill adds rare plants and invertebrates to the species that may be studied and conserved under the current "Nongame, Endangered, or Threatened Species Conservation Act", which is renamed the "Nongame, Endangered, or Threatened Wildlife and Rare Plant Conservation Act". The general assembly is required to make a general fund appropriation to study invertebrates.
Imperiled or potentially imperiled plants are added to the species conservation trust fund, and this addition allows the money in the fund to be spent for conservation of these plants.
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CWCP Position: Oppose
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The bill requires firearm owners to maintain a liability insurance policy that covers losses or damages to a person, other than the policyholder, who is injured on the insured property as a result of any accidental or unintentional discharge of the firearm (firearm liability insurance). Failure to maintain a firearm liability insurance policy is a civil infraction. A first offense is punishable by a minimum $500 fine, half of which may be suspended if the person has obtained firearm liability insurance. A second offense within 5 years of a prior offense is punishable by a minimum $1,000 fine.
The bill permits a person who was denied firearm liability insurance by 2 or more insurers or a person who is indigent and cannot afford the insurance to petition a court for an order declaring that the person is excused from the firearm liability insurance requirement. The court shall issue the order if it finds that the person is likely to behave prudently and safely in the storage, carrying, and use of a firearm and that the person has a gun safe or other secure container to store the firearm. The requirement to maintain firearm liability insurance does not apply to a person who holds a valid court order declaring the person is excused from the requirement.
The bill requires an insurer to make available to an applicant the opportunity to include in a homeowners or renters insurance policy coverage that satisfies the firearm liability insurance requirement. An insurer may deny firearm liability coverage to an applicant based on the insurer's individualized assessment of the risk related to covering the applicant.
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CWCP Position:
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The bill defines the term "assault weapon" and prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of an assault weapon. The bill further prohibits a person from possessing a rapid-fire trigger activator. A person in violation of the prohibitions will be assessed a first-time penalty of $250,000 and $500,000 for each subsequent violation.
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CWCP Position:
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Subject to voter approval at the November 2024 general election, beginning April 1, 2025, the bill levies an excise tax on firearms dealers, firearms manufacturers, and ammunition vendors at the rate of 11% of the gross taxable sales from the retail sale of any firearm, firearm precursor part, or ammunition in this state and allows the state to collect and spend all revenue generated by the tax notwithstanding any limitations in section 20 of article X of the state constitution or any other provision of law. Such retail sales to peace officers and law enforcement agencies are exempt from the excise tax. In addition, such retail sales made during any month are exempt from the excise tax if the total amount of gross taxable sales made by the firearms dealer, firearms manufacturer, or ammunition vendor during the month are less than $2,000.
Excise tax. Every firearms dealer, firearms manufacturer, and ammunition vendor engaged in the retail sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts, or ammunition in this state is required to file a return and remit the excise tax due on a monthly basis, provide specified information to the department of revenue (department) in the return, and maintain specified records that must be available for inspection by the department. Allocation of tax revenue. The bill requires all money received and collected in payment of the excise tax to be transmitted for ultimate deposit in the firearms and ammunition excise tax cash fund (fund) created in the bill. All such money and any fund investment earnings must then be transferred according to a long list of prescriptions.