Colorado Parks and Wildlife legislative analyst Sarah Hamming told the Southwest regional sportspersons caucus that CPW is running two bills this year and is closely tracking about 70 bills across the Department of Natural Resources.

Hamming said the two CPW-initiated measures are House Bill 1163, which would waive state park entrance fees for enrolled members of the Southern Ute Indian Tribe and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and a still-to-be-introduced wildlife trafficking bill that would expand CPW’s enforcement capacity, allow additional inventory and research of trafficking impacts and set penalties focused on native species of concern.

The agency is also monitoring other legislation that could affect CPW operations and wildlife management. Hamming highlighted several bills of particular interest: Senate Bill 3 (a semi-automatic firearm and rapid-fire device bill that has been amended to include a firearm-safety certification pathway), Senate Bill 38 (confidentiality for personal information in wildlife damage claims), Senate Bill 49 (permanent reauthorization of the Colorado Wildlife Habitat Stamp Program), and Senate Bill 52 (classifying some bison as big game unless considered livestock). She also discussed House Bill 1023 (requirements for local review of certain fencing projects on Sangre de Cristo land grant lands), House Bill 1133 (restrictions on ammunition sales to 18–21-year-olds and related retailer rules), House Bill 1215 (redistribution of lottery funding that would increase Outdoor Equity Grant Program funding but reduce some CPW cash fund spillovers) and House Bill 1258 (directing the Parks and Wildlife Commission to use best-available science in rulemaking and softening language that previously emphasized hunting, trapping and fishing as primary methods for affecting wildlife harvests).

Hamming said the wildlife trafficking proposal would make trafficking a predicate offense tied to an underlying crime and would prioritize native species such as bear gallbladders, turtles and reptiles that have been targeted for illegal trade. She described bipartisan sponsorship on many measures and noted that some bills were at earlier stages; the trafficking bill had been filed for introduction recently and was expected formal introduction soon.

On specific bills she described CPW positions and concerns: SB38 (support, with amendments that keep nonpersonal claim information public while protecting claimant privacy); SB49 (support — the Habitat Stamp provides core funding for habitat work and recreational access); SB52 (support-if-amended — CPW seeks statutory definition fixes, a delayed effective date to allow herd management planning and statutory language for license pricing and penalties should hunting be considered in the future); and HB1215 (supports boosting Outdoor Equity Grant Program funding but has concerns about reduced spillover to CPW cash funds). Hamming thanked Southwest Region staff who testified on bills and encouraged stakeholders with questions to contact CPW staff or check the General Assembly website for bill schedules and amendments.

She closed by inviting questions and providing contact options for stakeholders who want detailed tracking or follow-up information on specific bills.