74577FB130A27E4B872587FA0072CAC9 Hearing Summary

Senator Jaquez Lewis and Senator Priola, co-prime sponsors, presented Senate Bill 22-131. The bill restricts the use of pesticides on the grounds of schools, preschool programs, child care centers, and children’s resident camps, and requires notifications when pesticides are applied. It requires the Department of Natural Resources to study pollinator decline in the state, and creates a pilot grant program in the Department of Agriculture to test noncoated seed-applied systemic insecticides on crops. The Commissioner of Agriculture is required to adopt rules to classify certain neonicotinoid and sulfoximine pesticides as restricted-use pesticides by March 1, 2023.

Senator Jaquez Lewis presented amendment L.003 (Attachment D), a strike-below amendment.

Committee members questioned the sponsors about the bill.

Chris Wiseman, Pueblo County Commissioner, testified against the bill. Don Brown, former Colorado Commissioner of Agriculture, representing self, testified against the bill. Mitch Yergert, representing self, testified against the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Bret Turner, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Mr. JaSon Auguste, representing FrontLine Farming, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Danny Katz, representing Colorado Public Interest Research Group, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Alan Lewis, representing Natural Grocers, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Lewis and Mr. Turner responded to questions from committee members.

Wondirad Gabru and John Scott, representing Colorado Department of Agriculture, answered questions from the committee.

Questions continued.

Ms. Rita Berberian, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Anyll Markevich, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Tammie Stevens, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Alan Vajda, representing self, testified in a neutral position on the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Andrew Hamrick, representing Colorado Apartment Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Robert Mari, representing Colorado Sugar Beet Growers Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Christopher Finarelli, representing The Household & Commercial Products Association, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Dr. Sarah Evans, representing the Children's Environmental Health Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York, New York, testified in support of the bill.

Kyra Naumoff Shields, representing Healthy Babies Bright Futures, Bright Cities Program, testified in opposition to the bill. Dr. Evans responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Jules Van Thuyne, representing self, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Scott Schlagel, representing self, testified in opposition to the bill. Cate Schlagel, representing self, testified in opposition to the bill. Bruce Talbott, representing Colorado Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Ms. SaraJo Light, representing the Sierra Club, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Rex Wilmouth, representing Environment Colorado, testified in support of the bill.

Eric Hinton, representing the Rocky Mountain Agribusiness Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Erik Frank, representing Colorado Sugarbeet Growers Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Chad Maranville, representing the Rocky Mountain Agribusiness Association, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Questions continued.

Mrs. Ingrid Moore, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Jason Lewis, representing self, testified in support of the bill.

Mr. Mitch Savage, representing Rocky Mountain Golf Course Superintendents Association (RMGCSA), testified in opposition to the bill. Jeff Wichman, representing RMGCSA, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Kevin Kallas, representing RMGCSA and Saddle Rock Golf Course, testified to amend the bill. Mr. Paul Sibley, representing RMGCSA, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Stephen Sarro, representing RMGCSA, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Roland Halpern, representing Colorado Voters For Animals, testified in support of the bill. Christal Markevich, representing self, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Jennifer Boulton, representing Audubon Rockies and Colorado Trout Unlimited, testified in support of the bill.

Mrs. Vicky Schlagel read the testimony of Kayla Schlagel, representing self, in opposition to the bill. Mr. Dan Waldvogle, representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in opposition to the bill. Dallas Vaughn, representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in opposition of the bill. Mr. Leonard Felix, representing Colorado Agricultural Aviation Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Felix responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Richard Andrews, representing self, testified to amend the bill.

Mr. Jerol Mariotti, representing Senske Services, testified in opposition to the bill. Jason Schmidt, representing Weed Man Lawn Care and Colorado Arborists & Lawn Care Professionals, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Kelly Gouge, representing SavATree, testified in opposition to the bill.

John Prather, representing self, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. George Rich, representing Senske Services, testified in a neutral position on the bill. Mike Verde, representing self, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Mark Linnebur, representing Colorado Association of Wheat Growers, testified in opposition to the bill. The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Mr. Donald McBee, representing Prowers Conservation District, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Ryan Pessah, representing Western Wood Preservers Institute, testified in opposition to the bill. Ms. AJ Doran, representing self, testified in opposition to the bill. Tina Booton, representing Weld County Public Works Weed Division, testified in opposition to the bill.

Sue Anderson, representing People and Pollinators Action Network, testified in support of the bill.  Written testimony submitted about the bill can be found in Attachment E.

The committee took a recess.

Senator Jaquez Lewis and Senator Priola gave final comments on the bill.

Committee members made final comments on the bill.