The 2026 Colorado legislative session bills that CWF is following closely :
HR 26-1008, Colorado Outdoor Opportunities Act, “Concerning measures to enhance outdoor recreation opportunities in the State, and, in connection therewith, expanding the Division of Parks and Wildlife’s capability for outdoor recreation coordination, planning, and management.” The bill has been assigned to the House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee. Sponsors are Representatives Luken and Taggart and Senators Marchman and Rich. The bill was heard on February 23. and passed the committee on a 9-4 vote. Now it moves to House Finance Committee. CWF took a neutral position on the bill as we had urged and will continue to urge inclusion of the bedrock mitigation hierarchy: avoid, minimize, or as a last resort, mitigate impacts to wildlife especially CPW’s identified High Priority Habitats. https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110680/download
Another concern was the need to clarify that wildlife cash funds will not be expended to implement this bill but rather parks funds will be the source for expenditures. This concern was addressed with amended language in the Legislative Declaration.
SB 26-030, Local Access State Parks Grant Program. This bill would have modified how, “after allocation of the first $36 million paid by motorists into the Keep Colorado Wild pass fund, any remaining money is allocated. The bill would have created the state park and state wildlife area cash fund to support local governments in efforts to improve roads and other infrastructure that provide local access to state parks and state wildlife areas accessed from within a local government’s boundary (local access). ” The bill was assigned to the Senate State, Veterans & MiIitary Affairs Committee and heard on February 10. The bill failed on a 1-4 and was laid over. vote.https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110742/download CWF testified in opposition to the bill. The reason we opposed is that the Keep Colorado Wild pass fund proceeds after the first $36 million are designated under the 2021 legislation to be allocated to the wildlife cash fund and the parks fund. The wildlife cash fund includes the Colorado State Wildlife Action Plan. There are 182 vulnerable species and their habitats that require research and habitat restoration work. We acknowledge the great financial expenses faced by counties for maintenance of roads leading into state parks and state wildlife areas. But, eliminating the uses of the fund after the first $36 million is not the solution. We need, instead, a process for all of the parties to sit down together and work through this serious funding need the counties are facing.
CWF also is following other bills that are expected to be scheduled for hearings soon and will update this website page as new developments occur.