House Bill 25-1283 Rerevised

A Bill for an Act

• Page 1, Line 101Concerning measures that implement the wild horse working

• Page 1, Line 102group's legislative recommendations.

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.)

The wild horse working group is given the duty in statute to study wild horse management in Colorado and make recommendations. The group has made a report with its preliminary recommendations. The bill adds many of these recommendations in the wild horse statutes.

Under current law, the wild horse project is a nonprofit, state-owned corporate entity that manages and operates programs benefitting wild horses and supports wild horse management. The bill repeals the wild horse project and transfers the statutory duties concerning wild horses to the department of agriculture (department). The bill repeals and replaces the wild horse stewardship program and the wild horse fertility program with support efforts managed by the department and with an immunocontraception program managed by the department.

The bill authorizes the department to provide immunocontraception and material support in herd management areas to keep wild horse populations at appropriate management levels. The material support may include:

• Using state employees or contracting with others to administer immunocontraception;
• Providing funding to or administrative support to other state agencies, federal agencies, and nonprofit entities to hire employees or contract with agents to administer immunocontraception;
• Coordinating events where immunocontraception is administered;
• Buying or funding the purchase of equipment or technology; and
• Coordinating with educational institutions to provide training, certification, or internships to individuals administering immunocontraception.
• Expand efforts to engage nonprofit organizations and foundations that are not normally associated with wild horse advocacy organizations;
• Engage individuals and businesses for funding, promotion, and education using iconic wild horse imagery; and
• Develop a logo and brand.
• Develop a system of shared equipment and staff expertise to loan out;
• Develop training programs and certifications;
• Cooperate with the federal bureau of land management to develop additional training, holding, or adoption opportunities; and
• Cooperate with the department of corrections to create and expand opportunities for people confined in a correctional facility.
• Financial and material support for wild horse adopters, sanctuaries, preserves, and refuges;
• The content and delivery of outreach, education, training, and certification;
• Working with the federal bureau of land management and wild horse preserves, sanctuaries, and refuges to coordinate the movement of wild horses off herd management areas and other lands into temporary holding, adoption events, and other options;
• Coordinating or assisting with compliance checks to ensure that adopted wild horses are well cared for and that wild horse adopters have the support needed to successfully care for wild horses;
• Coordinating and cooperating with other entities to ensure comprehensive information about adoption and adoption success is widely publicized and is available to the public; and
• Any different or additional scientifically proven immunocontraceptive fertility control method the department may consider using.

The department may primarily address federally protected wild horses but may also address other wild horses.

The department may, when reasonable and effective:

The department may provide staff, resources, or information to:

The bill creates a wild horse advisory committee. The wild horse advisory committee has the same makeup as the current wild horse working group, but legislative appointments are changed to at large appointment and the mandatory appointments are made by the commissioner of agriculture. The advisory committee will meet at least once every year and may have additional meetings as necessary. The advisory committee shall advise the commissioner of agriculture and the department concerning:

The wild horse advisory committee sunsets on September 1, 2030, which is in 5 years. Before the repeal, the advisory committee is scheduled for sunset review.

• Page 3, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

• Page 3, Line 2SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-1-119, repeal (2) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 335-1-119.  Wild horse population management. (2)  This section is repealed, effective December 31, 2025.

• Page 3, Line 4SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-66-101, amend (6); and repeal (4), (5), (7), and (9) as follows:

• Page 3, Line 535-66-101.  Definitions. As used in this article 66, unless the

• Page 3, Line 6context otherwise requires:

• (4)  "Director" means the director of the wild horse project.

• Page 4, Line 1(5)  "Fertility control program" means the wild horse fertility control program created in section 35-66-107 (1).

• Page 4, Line 2(6)  "Fund" means the wild horse project fund created in section 35-66-104 (1).

• Page 4, Line 3(7)  "Stewardship program" means the wild horse stewardship program created in section 35-66-106 (1).

• Page 4, Line 4(9)  "Wild horse project" means the Colorado wild horse project created in section 35-66-102 (1).

• Page 4, Line 5SECTION 3.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal 35-66-102, 35-66-106, and 35-66-107.

• Page 4, Line 6SECTION 4.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-66-103, amend (1) as follows:

• Page 4, Line 735-66-103.  Wild horse management report - repeal. (1)  On or

• Page 4, Line 8before January 31, 2024, and on or before January 31 of each year

• Page 4, Line 9thereafter, the department shall submit a written report to the governor

• Page 4, Line 10and the appropriate committees of reference as determined in accordance

• Page 4, Line 11with section 2-7-203 (1). The department shall also present the report to

• Page 4, Line 12the appropriate joint committee of reference, in accordance with section

• Page 4, Line 132-7-203 (2), as part of the department's "SMART Act" hearing. The

• Page 4, Line 14report must include a description of the money spent, grants made, and

• Page 4, Line 15actions taken to implement this article 66, including the number of horses

• Page 4, Line 16treated, under the fertility control program, the number of foals born the

• Page 4, Line 17prior year in each herd management area, and the actions taken and

• Page 4, Line 18accomplished in accordance with the stewardship program this article 66.

• Page 4, Line 19SECTION 5.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-66-104, amend (1)(b) and (4); and repeal (2)(b)(II) as follows:

• Page 5, Line 135-66-104.  Wild horse fund - legislative declaration - repeal.

• Page 5, Line 2(1) (b)  The wild horse project fund is created in the state treasury. The

• Page 5, Line 3fund consists of gifts, grants, and donations; payments from the federal

• Page 5, Line 4government in connection with assisting in the management of wild

• Page 5, Line 5horses; and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund.

• Page 5, Line 7(2) (b) (II)  This subsection (2)(b) will be repealed when the

• Page 5, Line 8department creates the wild horse project. The commissioner shall notify

• Page 5, Line 9the revisor of statutes in writing of the date on which the condition

• Page 5, Line 10specified in this subsection (2)(b) has occurred by e-mailing the notice to

• Page 5, Line 11revisorofstatutes.ga@coleg.gov. This subsection (2)(b) is repealed,

• Page 5, Line 12effective upon the date identified in the notice that the department has

• Page 5, Line 13created the wild horse project or, if the notice does not specify that date, upon the date of the notice to the revisor of statutes.

• Page 5, Line 14(4)  The wild horse project department may seek and accept

• Page 5, Line 15gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources for the purposes

• Page 5, Line 16of section 35-1-119 and this article 66. The wild horse project shall

• Page 5, Line 17transmit all money received as gifts, grants, or donations under this

• Page 5, Line 18subsection (4) to The state treasurer who shall credit the money gift, grant, or donation to the fund.

• Page 5, Line 19SECTION 6.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 35-66-108, 35-66-109, and 35-66-110 as follows:

• Page 5, Line 2035-66-108.  Wild horse fertility - immunocontraception - grants

• Page 5, Line 21- annual reporting. (1)  The department may implement an

• Page 5, Line 22immunocontraception program. The department may provide

• Page 6, Line 1staff and material support for immunocontraception for wild

• Page 6, Line 2horses in herd management areas to keep wild horse populations

• Page 6, Line 3at the designated appropriate management levels in each herd

• Page 6, Line 4management area. The department may consider using different

• Page 6, Line 5or additional scientifically proven immunocontraceptive

• Page 6, Line 6fertility control methods after consulting with the wild horse advisory committee. The material support may include:

• Page 6, Line 7(a)  Using state employees to or contracting with agents to administer immunocontraception;

• Page 6, Line 8(b)  Providing funding to or administrative support to

• Page 6, Line 9other state agencies, federal agencies, and nonprofit entities to

• Page 6, Line 10hire employees or contract with agents to administer immunocontraception;

• Page 6, Line 11(c)  Coordinating events where immunocontraception is administered;

• Page 6, Line 12(d)  Buying or funding the purchase of equipment, such as

• Page 6, Line 13vehicles, or technology, such as equine facial recognition software, to support immunocontraception; and

• Page 6, Line 14(e)  Coordinating with educational institutions to provide

• Page 6, Line 15training of, certification of, or internships to individuals administering immunocontraception.

• Page 6, Line 1635-66-109.  Duties and powers. (1)  The department may

• Page 6, Line 17primarily address federally protected wild horses but may also address nonfederally protected wild horses.

• Page 6, Line 18(2)  To implement this article 66, the department may, when reasonable and effective:

• Page 6, Line 19(a)  Expand efforts to engage nonprofit organizations and

• Page 7, Line 1foundations, such as community foundations and veterans'

• Page 7, Line 2organizations, that are not normally associated with wild horse advocacy organizations;

• Page 7, Line 3(b)  Engage individuals and businesses for funding,

• Page 7, Line 4promotion, and education through horse sponsorships that license, leverage, or use iconic wild horse imagery; and

• Page 7, Line 5(c)  Develop an engaging logo and brand to emotionally

• Page 7, Line 6and financially connect the public and potential supporters to the purposes described in this article 66.

• Page 7, Line 7(3)  The department may provide staff, resources, or information to:

• Page 7, Line 8(a)  Develop a system of shared equipment and staff

• Page 7, Line 9expertise to loan to private adopters, sanctuaries, preserves, and refuges;

• Page 7, Line 10(b)  Develop training programs and certifications for

• Page 7, Line 11horse trainers to assist in making horses more adoptable and in training people to be successful horse adopters;

• Page 7, Line 12(c)  Cooperate with the bureau to develop additional training, holding, or adoption opportunities; and

• Page 7, Line 13(d)  Cooperate with the department of corrections to

• Page 7, Line 14create and expand opportunities for individuals confined in a

• Page 7, Line 15correctional facility to help the department implement this article 66.

• Page 7, Line 1635-66-110.  Wild horse advisory committee - membership -

• Page 7, Line 17definition - repeal - subject to review. (1)  As used in this section,

• Page 7, Line 18"advisory committee" means the wild horse advisory committee

• Page 7, Line 19created in subsection (2) of this section.

• Page 8, Line 1(2)  The wild horse advisory committee is created in the

• Page 8, Line 2department to advise the commissioner and the department on

• Page 8, Line 3issues concerning wild horses in Colorado beginning on July 1, 2026.

• Page 8, Line 4(3)  The advisory committee consists of at least fourteen members, including the following representation:

• Page 8, Line 5(a)  The commissioner shall appoint:

• (I)  A representative of the governor's office;

• Page 8, Line 6(II)  A representative of the department of natural resources;

• Page 8, Line 7(III)  A representative of the Colorado tourism office;

• (IV)  A representative of the department;

• Page 8, Line 8(V)  An at-large representative, appointed in consultation

• Page 8, Line 9with the majority leader of the senate and the majority leader of the house of representatives;

• Page 8, Line 10(VI)  An at-large representative, appointed in

• Page 8, Line 11consultation with the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader of the house of representatives;

• Page 8, Line 12(VII)  Two representatives of nonprofit advocacy

• Page 8, Line 13organizations that advocate for wild horses, appointed in

• Page 8, Line 14consultation with the majority leader of the house of representatives;

• Page 8, Line 15(VIII)  A resident of the western slope, appointed in consultation with the minority leader of the senate;

• Page 8, Line 16(IX)  A representative of a nonprofit environmental

• Page 8, Line 17conservation organization, appointed in consultation with the

• Page 8, Line 18majority leader of the senate;

• Page 9, Line 1(X)  Two representatives of the ranching and grazing

• Page 9, Line 2permit holder community, appointed in consultation with the minority leader of the house of representatives;

• Page 9, Line 3(XI)  A representative from each of the local on-range

• Page 9, Line 4wild horse organizations that maintain memoranda of

• Page 9, Line 5understanding with the bureau to conduct on-range activities; and

• Page 9, Line 6(XII)  A representative of the state board of land commissioners; and

• Page 9, Line 7(b) (I)  The Colorado state director of the bureau may

• Page 9, Line 8represent the bureau or may appoint a representative of the bureau;

• Page 9, Line 9(II)  The Southern Ute Indian Tribe may appoint a representative of the tribe;

• Page 9, Line 10(III)  The Ute Mountain Ute Tribe may appoint a representative of the tribe; and

• Page 9, Line 11(IV)  The region two regional forester of the United

• Page 9, Line 12States forest service may appoint a representative of the United States forest service.

• Page 9, Line 13(4)  The commissioner shall make the initial appointments to the advisory committee no later than July 1, 2026.

• Page 9, Line 14(5)  Each member of the advisory committee who is

• Page 9, Line 15appointed under subsection (3) of this section serves at the

• Page 9, Line 16pleasure of the appointing authority. The term of appointment is four years.

• Page 9, Line 17(6)  Members of the advisory committee serve without

• Page 9, Line 18compensation and without reimbursement for expenses from the

• Page 10, Line 1state; except that members who are state employees may be

• Page 10, Line 2compensated as state employees, and members who are

• Page 10, Line 3legislative members are paid in the same manner as provided in section 2-2-307 (3).

• Page 10, Line 4(7) (a)  The commissioner shall organize and call the first meeting of the advisory committee.

• Page 10, Line 5(b)  The advisory committee shall elect a chair from

• Page 10, Line 6among its members to serve for a term not to exceed two years, as determined by the advisory committee.

• Page 10, Line 7(c)  The advisory committee shall meet at least once every

• Page 10, Line 8year. The chair or the commissioner may call such additional

• Page 10, Line 9meetings as are necessary for the advisory committee to complete its duties.

• Page 10, Line 10(8)  The advisory committee shall advise the commissioner and the department concerning:

• Page 10, Line 11(a)  Financial and material support for wild horse adopters, sanctuaries, preserves, and refuges in Colorado;

• Page 10, Line 12(b)  The content and delivery of outreach, education, training, and certification regarding wild horses in Colorado;

• Page 10, Line 13(c)  Working with the bureau and wild horse preserves,

• Page 10, Line 14sanctuaries, and refuges to coordinate the movement of wild

• Page 10, Line 15horses off herd management areas and other lands into

• Page 10, Line 16temporary holding, adoption events, and other nonlethal options;

• Page 10, Line 17(d)  Coordinating or assisting with compliance checks to

• Page 10, Line 18ensure that adopted wild horses are well cared for and that

• Page 10, Line 19wild horse adopters have the support needed to successfully care for wild horses;

• Page 11, Line 1(e)  Coordinating and cooperating with the bureau and

• Page 11, Line 2other people to ensure comprehensive information about

• Page 11, Line 3adoption and adoption success is widely publicized and is

• Page 11, Line 4available to the public and wild horse adopters in a timely manner;

• Page 11, Line 5(f)  Any different or additional scientifically proven

• Page 11, Line 6immunocontraceptive fertility control method the department may consider using; and

• Page 11, Line 7(g)  Humane, nonlethal alternatives to long-term

• Page 11, Line 8confinement for wild horses that are taken off Colorado's wild horse ranges or held in federal holding facilities.

• Page 11, Line 9(9)  This section is repealed, effective September 1, 2030.

• Page 11, Line 10Before the repeal, this section is scheduled for review in accordance with section 2-3-1203.

• Page 11, Line 11SECTION 7.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 2-3-1203, add (21)(a)(II) as follows:

• Page 11, Line 122-3-1203.  Sunset review of advisory committees - legislative

• Page 11, Line 13declaration - definition - repeal. (21) (a)  The following statutory

• Page 11, Line 14authorizations for designated advisory committees will repeal on September 1, 2030:

• Page 11, Line 15(II)  The wild horse advisory committee created in section 35-66-110.

• Page 11, Line 16SECTION 8.  Act subject to petition - effective date. This act

• Page 11, Line 17takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the

• Page 11, Line 18ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except

• Page 11, Line 19that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V

• Page 12, Line 1of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this

• Page 12, Line 2act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take

• Page 12, Line 3effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in

• Page 12, Line 4November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.