Senate Finance advances bill to add voluntary animal‑protection tax checkoff

The Senate Finance Committee voted 8-0 to send House Bill 1299 to the committee on appropriations after testimony from animal‑welfare advocates, a farmers group and the Colorado Department of Agriculture. The bill would create a voluntary tax checkoff on Colorado income tax returns to raise money for the Animal Protection Fund, which the department would use for emergency housing, feed and veterinary care for pets and livestock.

Senator Roberts, the bill sponsor, told the committee the proposal would add “one more” option to existing checkoffs that let Coloradans donate part or all of a tax refund to causes they support. Roland Halpern, executive director of Colorado Voters for Animals, said the Division of Animal Welfare created by last year’s law needs additional, reliable funding. “These funds come from public citizens who graciously give all or a portion of…