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April 10, 2023 SB 23-267
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 23-0994
Sen. Van Winkle; Cutter
Rep. Titone; Bradley
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
April 10, 2023
Senate Agriculture
Matt Bishop | 303-866-4796
matt.bishop@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: CHATFIELD STATE PARK WATER QUALITY FEE
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☒ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☒ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill institutes a fee to support water quality efforts by the Chatfield Watershed
Authority. It increases state revenue and expenditures in FY 2023-24 through
FY 2028-29.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2023-24, the bill requires an appropriation of $250,000 to the Department of
Natural Resources.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts Under SB 23-267
Budget Year
FY 2023-24
Out Year
FY 2024-25
Revenue Cash Funds $250,000 $500,000
Expenditures Cash Funds $250,000 $500,000
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts - -
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April 10, 2023 SB 23-267
Summary of Legislation
From 2024 through 2028, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) must charge a water quality fee
to visitors to Chatfield State Park. The fee is $1 per visit for a daily admission, or $3 annually for a
person who uses certain annual passes. The DNR must pay the total water quality fees collected to
the Chatfield Watershed Authority quarterly, less three percent to cover administrative expenses. The
authority must use the money to provide for a regional, coordinated approach to pollution control,
including water quality monitoring and pollution mitigation projects.
Background and Assumptions
The Chatfield Watershed Authority includes Jefferson county, Douglas county, the town of Castle
Rock, the city of Littleton, the town of Larkspur, and water and wastewater providers monitor and
protect water quality in the Chatfield reservoir and watershed. In FY 2021-22, Chatfield State Park
received an estimated 1.82 million visitors. Park entry is $10 per vehicle for a day pass. Attendance
estimates are based on park entry data collected by DNR and uptake of the Keep Colorado Wild pass.
State Revenue
The bill increases revenue to the Parks and Recreation Cash Fund in the DNR from the water quality
fee by an estimated $500,000 per year, with half-year impacts in FY 2023-24 and FY 2028-29, based on
the assumptions above. Because Colorado Parks and Wildlife has enterprise status, this revenue is
not subject to TABOR.
Fee impact on park visitors. Colorado law requires legislative service agency review of measures
which create or increase any fee collected by a state agency. The table below identifies the fee impact
of this bill based on the fee levels in the bill and the assumptions above.
Table 2
Fee Impact on Visitors to Chatfield State Park
Fiscal Year
Type of
Fee
Proposed
Fee
Number
Affected
Total Fee
Impact
FY 2023-24 Water Quality—Daily $1.00 13,889 $13,889
Water Quality—Annual $3.00 78,704 $236,111
FY 2023-24 Total $250,000
FY 2024-25 Water Quality—Daily $1.00 27,779 $27,779
Water Quality—Annual $3.00 157,407 $472,221
FY 2024-25 Total $500,000
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April 10, 2023 SB 23-267
State Expenditures
The bill increases state expenditures in DNR by the same amount as the revenue generated, paid from
the Parks and Outdoor Recreation Cash Fund. Less administrative expenses, fees collected are passed
through DNR to the Chatfield Watershed Authority. Expenditures are shown in Table 3.
Table 3
Expenditures Under SB 23-267
FY 2023-24 FY 2024-25
Department of Natural Resources
Payment to Chatfield Watershed Authority $242,500 $485,000
Administrative Costs $7,500 $15,000
Total Cost $250,000 $500,000
Local Government
The Chatfield Watershed Authority is an intergovernmental agency whose members are counties,
municipalities, and certain municipal districts and authorities in the watershed. The bill increases
revenue and expenditures in the Chatfield Watershed Authority by the amounts of the payments
shown in Table 3.
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 an appropriation of $250,000 from the Parks and Outdoor Recreation
Cash Fund to the Department of Natural Resources.
State and Local Government Contacts
Natural Resources
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.