Policy Priorities in 2021
Keep It Colorado’s 2021 policy priorities include:
Promoting and supporting a strong and efficient conservation easement tax credit program.
Enhancing access to the tax credit program in ways that support more landowners and better align water and land conservation efforts.
Working toward new and innovative tools that support more conservation.
Supporting our partners and statewide efforts around natural climate solutions.
Conservation Easement Enhancement and Rural Stimulus Act (HB21-1233)
Keep It Colorado’s bill, the Conservation Easement Enhancement and Rural Stimulus Act (HB21-1233), was introduced in the Colorado State Legislature on March 19, 2021, passed the Senate on June 7, 2021, and was signed into law by Governor Polis on June 30, 2021. Key elements of our bill include:
Increases efficiencies of the tax credit program and creates a tracking system for tax credit transfers.
Expands the types of eligible entities that can donate easements and receive tax credits to include certain water conservation entities.
Allows landowners to receive up to 90% of the donated value of their easement.
Specifies that the Division of Conservation can hold easements in preparation for future work to resolve orphaned easements.
Read our fact sheet for more information.
We thank Senators Kerry Donovan and Faith Winter and Representatives Dylan Roberts and Perry Will for sponsoring our bill.
Additional State Legislation in 2021
Below are other bills Keep It Colorado worked on, supported or tracked in 2021.
SB21-033 – Conservation Easement Working Group Proposals – Failed in House Appropriations
Keep It Colorado took a supportive position of the bill after successfully including amendments to limit the impacts to the future use of the tax credit cap and ensuring a rule-making process that would define the eligible landowners for the reinstated credits. Late Monday evening, the House Appropriations Committee considered SB033. Representative Rich offered an amendment that surprised all of us, including the bill sponsors. The amendment reinstated the original fiscal note of the bill to roughly $4 million. Previously, in the Senate Appropriations Committee, one of the bill sponsors, Senator Winter, had brought an amendment to reduce that fiscal note so that the bill would have a better chance of passing. We are unclear why the subsequent amendment was offered. The bill failed on vote of 4 to 7.
We strongly believe in finding a resolution to the challenges from the past abuse of the program and helping those landowners who were truly harmed. We are eager to seek input about this topic from our members and other stakeholders for future policy platforms.
Congratulations to our partners at Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the Department of Natural Resources on the successful passage of SB21-249. We are thrilled to see a new program that will make it easier and more affordable for Coloradans to purchase an annual state parks pass.
This bill establishes an outdoor equity board in the division of parks and wildlife. The board will administer a grant program to increase access and opportunity for underserved youth and their families in the outdoors. The grant program will be funded with overflow funds from the Colorado Lottery and will not impact the current allocation of those funds to Great Outdoors Colorado, the conservation trust fund or Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
This bill increases labor rights for agricultural workers including developing a process for establishing overtime pay and removing the exception of agricultural works from state and local minimum wage laws. The bill was amended to reflect concerns raised by some agricultural organizations and ultimately passed and is awaiting the Governor’s signature.
This Senate Joint Resolution recognizes and supports the State’s efforts to increase wildlife habitat connectivity and, specifically, wildlife crossings.
This bill works toward enabling Colorado to meet its clean energy goals and creates a Colorado electric transmission authority. We tracked this bill and, along with partners, advocated for some amendments to help protect conserved lands as renewable transmission infrastructure is developed.
We envision a Colorado where people, lands, waters and wildlife thrive. Photo credit: Rio de la Vista
