Forest Health committee hears legislative updates as budget uncertainty stalls bills
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Summary
At its March 7, 2025 meeting, the Legislative Committee of the Colorado Forest Health Council heard staff updates that several tracked bills (including Senate Bill 199 and Senate Bill 7) are stalled pending budget actions; staff also reported Department of Natural Resources figure‑setting preserved CSFS program funding after a proposed $2 million reduction.
The Legislative Committee of the Colorado Forest Health Council met March 7, 2025, and received updates from legislative staff about several bills and the state budget that are holding up committee priorities. Staff told the committee that a newly introduced Senate Bill 199 was filed late the previous day, and that multiple other bills remain in appropriations pending passage of a budget.
"This could be what you're referring to," said James, the committee's legislative staff, after noting Senate Bill 199 had been introduced late. He told members the bill's language left some confusion about which interim committees will meet in 2025 and that he would dig into the measure and report back.
James said the committee's other priorities are largely stalled in appropriations. He reported that the CSU extension workforce bill is awaiting a House Appropriations hearing and that Senate Bill 7 — a bill to increase prescribed fire inspired by The Nature Conservancy — remains in appropriations. "That one started with a $1,000,000 fiscal note," James said, "they did work on amendments to get that to only be a quarter of $1,000,000," an amendment that reduced the original fiscal note.
On DNR figure‑setting, James said department staff successfully defended program funding. A staff‑initiated proposal sought to cut $2,000,000 from the Healthy Forest Vibrant Communities and related grant projects, but "we were able to keep those programs whole," he said, and CoSWAP funding was preserved at current levels.
Committee Chair Larimer County Commissioner Jody Shab McNally said she had been checking on a separate federal bill reportedly being developed with local members of Congress to fund forest cleaning and major water projects and that she would share any draft language with the Department of Natural Resources when available. McNally also told the committee she had been hearing that many interim committees were being suspended this year to save money and asked staff how the council should route its 2026 legislative priorities if the usual interim committee process is curtailed.
Next steps: staff will monitor Senate Appropriations and the introduced bills, circulate any drafts to the committee, and report back on the effect of SB199 on interim committee work and on any funding changes in the budget process.