HOUSE BILL 24-1024
BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Story and Velasco, Snyder, Amabile, Bacon,
Bird, Boesenecker, Brown, Clifford, Daugherty, Duran, English, Epps,
Froelich, Hernandez, Herod, Jodeh, Joseph, Kipp, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens,
Mabrey, McCormick, Ortiz, Parenti, Ricks, Rutinel, Sirota, Valdez,
McCluskie;
also SENATOR(S) Cutter, Jaquez Lewis, Buckner, Danielson, Exum,
Fields, Gonzales, Michaelson Jenet, Priola, Fenberg.
C
ONCERNING THE CONTINUATION OF PUBLIC OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS
RELATING TO WILDFIRE RISK MITIGATION IN THE WILDLAND
-URBAN
INTERFACE
, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH , MAKING AN
APPROPRIATION
.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-31-313, amend
(9.5)(c) and (9.5)(e)(I); and add (9.5)(f) as follows:
23-31-313. Healthy forests - vibrant communities - funds created
- outreach working group - loan program - legislative declaration -
definitions - repeal. (9.5) Wildfire risk mitigation public outreach and
educational campaign - legislative declaration - report - appropriation.
NOTE: This bill has been prepared for the signatures of the appropriate legislative
officers and the Governor. To determine whether the Governor has signed the bill
or taken other action on it, please consult the legislative status sheet, the legislative
history, or the Session Laws.
________
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes
through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of
the act. (c) After considering feedback from the working group, and subject to
available appropriations, the forest service:
(I) Shall implement an enhanced wildfire awareness month outreach
campaign in conjunction with the division of fire prevention and control in
the department of public safety and the United States forest service in 2023
and 2024, and, subject to available appropriations, may implement
enhanced wildfire awareness month outreach campaigns in subsequent
years THROUGH 2027; and
(II) May SHALL implement other outreach efforts during the
2022-23 and 2023-24 THROUGH 2026-27 state fiscal years and subsequent
state fiscal years that are expected to increase awareness of wildfire risk
mitigation by residents in the wildland-urban interface.
(e) (I) During the 2023 and 2024 THROUGH THE 2027 legislative
interims, the state forester shall submit a report to the wildfire matters
review committee created in section 2-3-1602 concerning outreach efforts
implemented pursuant to this subsection (9.5)
OR, IF THE WILDFIRE MATTERS
REVIEW COMMITTEE IS REPEALED
, TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AGRICULTURE
, WATER, AND NATURAL RESOU RCES COMMITTEE AND THE
SENATE AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES COMMITTEE
, OR THEIR
SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES
.
(f) (I) F
OR PURPOSES OF CONDUCTING ONGOING WILDFIRE
AWARENESS MONTH OUTREACH CAMPAIGNS AND OTHER OUTREACH EFFORTS
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION
(9.5)(c) OF THIS SECTION, THE GENERAL
ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE FORTY THOUSAND DOLLARS TO THE
HEALTHY FORESTS AND VIBRANT COMMUNITIES FUND CREATED IN
SUBSECTION
(10) OF THIS SECTION.
(II) T
HIS SUBSECTION (9.5)(f) IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2028.
SECTION 2. Appropriation. For the 2024-25 state fiscal year,
$40,000 is appropriated to the healthy forests and vibrant communities fund
created in section 23-31-313 (10), C.R.S. This appropriation is from the
general fund. The department of higher education is responsible for the
accounting related to this appropriation.
SECTION 3. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
PAGE 2-HOUSE BILL 24-1024 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state
institutions.
____________________________ ____________________________
Julie McCluskie Steve Fenberg
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
____________________________ ____________________________
Robin Jones Cindi L. Markwell
CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF
OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE
APPROVED________________________________________
(Date and Time)
_________________________________________
Jared S. Polis
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 24-1024