First week of the legislative session.
Members of the legislature wasted no time introducing their priorities at the start of the 2018 session last Wednesday. On the first day alone, 125 bills were introduced, ranging from transportation funding to oil and gas regulations to student assessments.
The Chamber took positions on 15 of those bills, including, among others, supporting additional uses for reclaimed water and opposing various messaging bills. Click here for the official Chamber positions.
Expanding uses for reclaimed water. This week the Chamber supported three bills that implement parts of the Colorado Water Plan:
- House Bill 1053 allows reclaimed domestic wastewater to be used for marijuana cultivation
- House Bill 1069 allows reclaimed domestic wastewater to be used for toilet flushing
- Senate Bill 038 allows reclaimed domestic wastewater to be used for industrial hemp cultivation
In 2015, before the water plan was finalized, the Chamber worked with the business community to outline strategies to address water supply in Colorado, including increasing water recycling and reuse.
A number of states including Arizona, California, Oregon, Texas and Washington already allow for reuse both in urban development and agriculture. These expansions are thoughtful measures that have been proven to be safe for the public. We’re committed to maximizing the water we receive on the Front Range and not asking for more. We stand committed with our partners in supporting the Colorado Water Plan, a collaborative and balanced solution for our state’s water challenges, and we look forward to additional work from the legislature to help its implementation.
Additional money for transportation infrastructure from the general fund. This week the Chamber shared a letter with members of the General Assembly outlining our support for additional state funds for transportation. Identifying a statewide transportation infrastructure funding solution has long been a priority for the Chamber and its board of directors. We have joined with a diverse group of stakeholders to advocate for a statewide solution that gives local jurisdictions flexibility to prioritize their unique needs while also providing funds to the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) for maintenance and priority projects.
It’s encouraging to see that for the first time in over a decade our revenue forecast shows that the legislature and the governor will have additional funds to prioritize and invest in our statewide economy. Gov. Hickenlooper has proposed $148 million for transportation in his recent budget proposal, a meaningful step towards closing the existing gap in maintenance funding for CDOT. We strongly support his proposal. While this new funding will not be enough to address the $9 billion CDOT project list, we’re confident that this is a step in the right direction when combined with the additional funding committed through last year’s Senate Bill 267 and potential new revenue sources to be voted on at the ballot.