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 their own money via tax returns because they believe in and see the value of supporting Colorado’s commitment and reputation,” Halpern said.

Jordan Deasley, deputy commissioner for external affairs at the Colorado Department of Agriculture, told the committee the department manages the state’s Emergency Support Function 11 (ESF‑11), which covers animal wellbeing during evacuations and protects the commercial food supply. “There are an increasing number of situations such as wildfires, floods, and blizzards that require emergency response or evacuation but do not rise to the level of a state or national declared emergency where other funds would be made available,” Deasley said. He noted statute allows up to 20 tax checkoffs and that the state currently has 15, so the checkoff created by this bill would fall within that statutory limit.

Deasley and other witnesses described how proceeds would be handled: a taxpayer who opts in would have the selected donation retained by the Department of Revenue; the department transfers the collected amounts once a year into the Animal Protection Fund, and the bill would give the Colorado Department of Agriculture continuous spending authority for the fund. Deasley described the revenue as TABOR‑exempt because it is a dedicated, voluntary contribution.

Jay Burrow, associate director of government relations for the Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, said the checkoff would help pay for costly evacuations and temporary care during emergencies and asked the committee for a yes vote. Committee members asked how broadly the fund could be used. In response to a question from Senator Snyder about whether smaller counties or emergency-shelter providers could access the funding to create pet‑friendly shelter options, a department witness said the funds “would be available to support those type of efforts” but that the intent was to offset emergency costs rather than provide ongoing program funding.

Committee members also asked about startup and administrative costs. The department said it expects to cover small initial expenses in the first year and that future Department of Revenue system costs could be paid from incoming checkoff donations. Senator Colquitt noted that those Department of Revenue expenses are not listed in the fiscal note and said he would raise that at appropriations.

Senator Roberts moved the bill to appropriations; the committee recorded an 8‑0 voice vote to advance House Bill 1299.

Votes at a glance: House Bill 1299 — Motion: “I move House Bill 1299 to the committee on appropriations.” Mover: Senator Roberts. Outcome: advanced to appropriations, 8‑0.