House Bill 26-1067 Introduced

A Bill for an Act

• Page 1, Line 101Concerning using money in the diseased livestock indemnity

• Page 1, Line 102fund to address threats to livestock health.

Bill Summary

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.)

Currently, money in the diseased livestock indemnity fund may be used only to pay indemnity to a livestock owner whose herd has been sold for slaughter or destroyed because the herd was exposed to or diagnosed with an infectious or contagious disease. The bill expands the permissible uses of the money in the diseased livestock indemnity fund by allowing the commissioner of agriculture to authorize using the money to prepare for and respond to certain emerging threats to livestock health.

The bill renames the fund the "livestock health preparedness, response, and diseased livestock indemnity fund" (fund).

Money in the fund consists of the unexpended and unencumbered balance appropriated by the general assembly for the services of commissioned or appointed personnel in the animal health division of the Colorado department of agriculture. Civil penalties collected for violations of the "Livestock Health Act" are also credited to the fund. The bill preserves these statutory funding streams and does not alter the amount of money in the fund.

• Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

• Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-50-114, amend

• Page 2, Line 3(3); and add (2.5) as follows:

• Page 2, Line 435-50-114.  Indemnification of livestock owners - livestock

• Page 2, Line 5health preparedness, response, and diseased livestock indemnity

• Page 2, Line 6fund.

• Page 2, Line 7(2.5)  The commissioner, upon the recommendation of the

• Page 2, Line 8state veterinarian, may authorize the department to expend

• Page 2, Line 9money in the livestock health preparedness, response, and

• Page 2, Line 10diseased livestock indemnity fund to prepare for and respond to:

• Page 2, Line 11(a)  Infectious or contagious diseases that pose a threat to

• Page 2, Line 12livestock; and

• Page 2, Line 13(b)  Biological or chemical contaminants of animals that

• Page 2, Line 14pose a threat to livestock.

• Page 2, Line 15(3) (a)   There is created in the state treasury the livestock

• Page 2, Line 16health preparedness, response, and diseased livestock indemnity

• Page 2, Line 17fund. The unexpended and unencumbered balance of money appropriated

• Page 2, Line 18by the general assembly for payments for the services of commissioned

• Page 2, Line 19or appointed personnel pursuant to section 35-50-104 shall be credited to

• Page 2, Line 20the livestock health preparedness, response, and diseased livestock

• Page 3, Line 1indemnity fund, upon approval of the commissioner, at the end of each

• Page 3, Line 2fiscal year. The money in the fund is continuously appropriated for the

• Page 3, Line 3purpose of making payments as provided in this section.

• Page 3, Line 4(b) (I)  On June 30, 2025, the state treasurer shall transfer two

• Page 3, Line 5hundred fifty thousand dollars from the diseased livestock indemnity fund

• Page 3, Line 6to the general fund.

• Page 3, Line 7(II)  This subsection (3)(b) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.

• Page 3, Line 8SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-50-118, amend

• Page 3, Line 9(5) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 1035-50-118.  Civil penalties.

• Page 3, Line 11(5)  All penalties collected pursuant to this section shall be

• Page 3, Line 12transmitted credited to the livestock health preparedness,

• Page 3, Line 13response, and diseased livestock indemnity fund created in section

• Page 3, Line 1435-50-114 (3).

• Page 3, Line 15SECTION 3.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

• Page 3, Line 16takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the

• Page 3, Line 17ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August

• Page 3, Line 1812, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a

• Page 3, Line 19referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the

• Page 3, Line 20state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act

• Page 3, Line 21within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect

• Page 3, Line 22unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in

• Page 3, Line 23November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the

• Page 3, Line 24official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.