Bipartisan Disaster Relief Package Moves Forward
(Jan. 29) – Four disaster relief and prevention bills passed with bipartisan support in committee today. Two of the bills dealt specifically with wildfire prevention while the other two emerged from the Flood Disaster Study Committee.
HB14-1009, sponsored by Rep. Tony Exum (D-Colorado Springs), will create a tax credit up to $2,500 for homeowners who take actions around their homes to mitigate the threat of fires. It passed the Finance Committee on a bipartisan 10-2 vote and is headed to the House Appropriations Committee.
“This bill will reward homeowners who are reducing the threat of fire around their property and creating safer neighborhoods,” Rep. Exum said. “Ultimately this is about protecting people’s lives and their property and creating safer environments for firefighters to work in.”
The Finance Committee also approved HB14-1006, by Rep. Jonathan Singer (D-Longmont), which targets businesses that saw their profits plunge after the September floods and will increase their access to state revenues unanimously. The bill is headed to the House Appropriations Committee
“This is about building for the future and cutting red-tape for businesses,” Rep. Singer said. “It will increase tourism by allowing businesses to more easily advertise to potential tourists.”
Earlier in the day the House Agriculture, Livestock & Natural Resources Committee unanimously passed HB14-1010 by Rep. Millie Hamner (D-Dillon) to clarify regulations about who may oversee a prescribed burn. The bill will now be heard on the House floor.
“The bill will give our hard-working firefighters the support they need to prevent more wildfires across Colorado,” Rep. Hamner said. “This is especially important in my district because many residents live in high wildfire danger areas.”
HB14-1003 by Reps. Lori Saine (R-Firestone) and Dan Nordberg (R-Colorado Springs) to exempt out-of-state disaster relief workers from Colorado income taxes also passed the Finance Committee 11-0 and will move the House Appropriations Committee.