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April 3, 2023 HB 23-1060
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 23-0144
Rep. Story
Sen. Cutter
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
April 3, 2023
House Appropriations
Josh Abram | 303-866-3561
josh.abram@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: UPDATES TO STATE FOREST SERVICE TREE NURSERY
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☐ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill requires upgrades and improvements to the Colorado State Forest Service
tree nursery in Fort Collins. It increases expenditures in FY 2023-24 and FY 2024-25
only.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2023-24, the bill requires an appropriation of $5.38 million for use by the
Colorado State Forest Service.
Fiscal Note
Status:
This revised fiscal note reflects the introduced bill, as amended by the House
Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee. The bill was recommended by
the Wildfire Matters Review Committee.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts Under HB 23-1060
Budget Year
FY 2023-24
Out Year
FY 2024-25
Revenue - -
Expenditures General Fund $5,382,500 -
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts General Fund Reserve $807,375 -
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April 3, 2023 HB 23-1060
Summary of Legislation
The bill requires the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) to upgrade and improve its seedling tree
nursery to expand capacity and contribute to reforestation efforts. Specifically, the nursery must:
upgrade fields where bare-root trees and shrubs are grown, including installing a new pump and
pump house, overhauling the irrigation system, and improving the roads in the fields;
purchase a new seed storage cooler;
expand shade storage;
improve seed storage and seedling processing; and
purchase two refrigerated box trucks.
All funding provided for nursery upgrades, including appropriations provided for the current
FY 2022-23, may be expended by CSFS through FY 2024-25. The bill repeals the nursery upgrade
requirements on January 1, 2026.
Background
In the 2022 legislative session, the General Assembly passed House Bill 22-1323, which required that
CSFS upgrade the nursery greenhouses, shade house structures, container and shipping supplies, and
to contract with a nursery professional to conduct an analysis of priority investments necessary to
address reforestation needs in response to more frequent weather and disease incidents. The General
Assembly appropriated $5 million in FY 2022-23 for these upgrades with spending authority through
FY 2023-24.
State Expenditures
The bill increases state expenditures in the CSFS by $5.38 million in FY 2023-24 from the General Fund.
New expenditures are shown in FY 2023-24; however, the CSFS is given authority to spend through
FY 2024-25. Expenditures are shows in Table 2 and detailed below.
Table 2
Expenditures Under HB 23-1060
FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25
Colorado State Forest Service
Greenhouses $3,250,000 -
Shade Structure Expansion $200,000 -
Bare Root Fields $1,300,000
Growing Containers $32,500
Seed Storage & Seedling Processing $500,000
Delivery Trucks $100,000 -
Total Cost $5,382,500 - Page 3
April 3, 2023 HB 23-1060
Estimated nursery improvements are the result of research conducted by nursery staff. The CSFS
solicited an estimate of costs from various vendors for necessary nursery improvements. The estimate
for field upgrades are based on costs of materials and equipment used for upgrades to the nursery
over the past few fiscal years.
Other Budget Impacts
General Fund reserve. Under current law, an amount equal to 15 percent of General Fund
appropriations must be set aside in the General Fund statutory reserve beginning in FY 2022-23. Based
on this fiscal note, the bill is expected to increase the amount of General Fund held in reserve by the
amounts shown in Table 1, which will decrease the amount of General Fund available for other
purposes.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, assuming no
referendum petition is filed.
State Appropriations
For FY 2023-24, the bill requires a General Fund appropriation of $5,382,500 to the Department of
Higher Education for allocation to the Colorado State Forest Service at Colorado State University. This
appropriation may be spent through FY 2024-25.
The bill also extends the spending authority for the FY 2022-23 appropriation to the Colorado State
Forest Service, which may be spent through FY 2024-25.
State and Local Government Contacts
Forest Service Information Technology
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit: leg.colorado.gov/fiscalnotes.