HB 1205 — Colorado State Forest Service Good Neighbor Authority

NOTE:HOUSE BILL 26-1205 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Velasco and Mauro, Smith, Suckla, Bacon, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Clifford, Duran, Froelich, Goldstein, Hamrick,Lieder,Lindsay,Martinez,McCormick,Nguyen,Rutinel, Slaugh, Stewart K., Titone, McCluskie;

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.

HOUSE BILL 26-1205 BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Velasco and Mauro, Smith, Suckla, Bacon, Boesenecker, Brown, Camacho, Clifford, Duran, Froelich, Goldstein, Hamrick,Lieder,Lindsay,Martinez,McCormick,Nguyen,Rutinel,Slaugh, Stewart K., Titone, McCluskie;

CCONCERNINGCHANGESTOSTATELAWTOREFLECTTHEFEDERALEXPANSION ONCERNINGCHANGESTOSTATELAWTOREFLECTTHEFEDERALEXPANSION OF GOOD NEIGHBOR AUTHORITY AGREEMENTSAGREEMENTS. .

Be it enacted by the GeneralGeneralAssembly Assemblyofthe of the State ofofColorado: Colorado:

118-234, enhances Colorado's ability to partner with federal agencies, local governments, and tribes to improve the health and accessibility ofofColorado's Colorado's forests;

dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsdeletionsfrom from existing law andandsuch such material is notnotpart part of the act.

goals for wildfire risk reduction, rural economic development, sustainable outdoor recreation, and wildlife habitat by incorporating recreation infrastructure, cross-boundary project authority, and flexible reinvestment ofofproject project revenue into good neighbor authority agreements.

(2) It is therefore the intent of the general assembly to modernize references to good neighbor authority in the Colorado Revised Statutes to reflectthesefederaladvancementsandensurethattheColoradoStateForestreflectthese federal advancements and ensurethattheColoradoStateForest Service and its partners can fully utilize the broadened federal authority to protect and enhance Colorado's forested landscapes and communities.

SECTION2.SECTION 2.

InColoradoRevisedStatutes,23-31-311,amend(2)In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-31-311, amend (2) introductory portion and (2)(c)(II)(A)(2)(c)(Il)(A) as follows:

and other interested public and private entities to recommend the use ofofmoneys moneysMONEYMONEYmade made available pursuant to section 37-95-112.5.

(A) Applying the principles ofofthe the state ofofColorado Colorado good neighbor authority programs entered into between the Colorado state forest service and the United States forest service and between the Colorado state forest serviceser vice and the United States bureaubmea-u ofofland landmanagement managemenDEPARTMENTDEPARTMENTOF OFTHEINTERIOR,UNITEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFAGRICULTURE,ORAGENCY THEINTERIOROFTHEUNITED ,UNITEDSTATESDEPARTMENTOFTHEINTERIORORUNITEDSTATES SDEPARTMENTOFAGRICULTURE; TATESDEPARTMENTOFAGRICULTURE ,ORAGENCY OF THE U NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR OR U NITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE ;

(3) Definitions.Asusedinthissection,unlessthecontextotherwiseDefinitions. requires:

(e)As "Goodused neighborinthis authority"section, meansunlessthecontextotherwise thereqmres: authority of the state of Coloradopursuanttosection331ofthefederal"DepartmentofInteriorand Related Agencies Appropriation Act of 2001", Pub.L.

(e) "Good neighbor authority" means the authority of the state of Coloradopursuantto section331 ofthe federal "Departmentoflnterior and Related Agencies Apprnpriation Act of2001", Pub.L.

922,16U.S.C.sec.2113a,16U.S.C.sec.8571,oranyanalogoussuccessor922; authority.

16 U.S.C.

sec.

2113a, 16 U.S.C.

sec.

8571, or any analogous successor authority.

(a) In orderorderto to support communities and land managers in efforts to reduce risk to people and property and increase firefighter safety, and in supportoflong-termecologicalrestorationsothattheunderlyingconditionsupport oflong-termecological restoration sothatthe underlying condition of Colorado's forests supports a variety of values, including public water supply and high-quality wildlife habitat, the forest service shall:

(IV) Conduct, or contract with one or more entities to conduct, one or more demonstration projects that utilize Colorado's good neighbor authority with the United States forest service to implement forest managementtreatments PROJECTS thatimproveforesthealth,andresilience, WILDLIFE HABITATHABITAT' , OR OUTDOOR RECREATION OPPORTUNITIESOPPORTUNITIES, , and supply forest products to Colorado businesses.

on the day following the expiration of the ninety-dayperiodninety-day period after final adjournment ofofthe the general assembly(Augustassembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026);

except that, if a referendumpetitionisfiledpursuanttosection1(3)ofarticleVofthestatereferendum petition is filed pursuantto section 1(3) ofarticle V ofthe state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless PAGE 3-HOUSE BILL 26-1205 approvedbythepeopleatthegeneralelectiontobeheldinNovember2026approved bythepeople atthe general election to be held inNovember2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date ofofthe the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.

____________________________Ju~ ____________________________ Julie McCluskie James Rashad Coleman, Sr.

SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE PRESIDENT OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE ____________________________ ____________________________ Vanessa Reilly Esther van Mourik CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE SECRETARY OF OF REPRESENTATIVES THE SENATE APPROVED________________________________________APPROVED on YV\01ol°'f\rn·1 l'½l-~2<d~-tl1"-~ (Date and Time) _________________________________________ Jared S.

Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO PAGE 4-HOUSE BILL 26-1205