House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources

Thursday, February 26, 2026·3h 21m·▶ Watch / Listen

The House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee advanced two bills: HB 1033, expanding Colorado's Cottage Foods Act to allow home-based sales of temperature-controlled foods including tamales and burritos, passed 10-3 to Appropriations amid sharp public health opposition; and HB 1132, promoting native plants and pollinator corridors on state land, passed 9-4 to Finance.

Key Actions

·HB 1033 – Expanding the Colorado Cottage Foods Act ('Tamale Act')Passed

+ 1 more action

Controversies

Whether HB 1033 functions as a regulatory guardrail or enables greater foodborne illness risk

AML Winter challenged Tom Gonzales by asking 'Isn't this bill the speed limit sign?'—arguing the bill adds guardrails to activity already occurring informally. Gonzales countered: 'your guardrails are pretty loose here. This is going from no temperature controlled refrigerated foods to quite a few and $150,000 cap where we had nothing,' and argued bulk production above 50–100 items is where food safety breakdowns occur.

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“This bill says to her, your culture belongs in our economy. Your kitchen can be the start of your business, Your recipes are not illegal, and your dreams are not too small.”
Majority Leader Duran, co-prime sponsor of HB 1033 — Duran was explaining the bill's broader significance for immigrant and low-income home-based food producers in Colorado who currently sell temperature-controlled foods like tamales informally and without legal protection.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

HB 1033 as amended to AppropriationsPassed

Yes (10)Lori Garcia Sander, Lori Goldstein, Dusty Johnson, Mandy Lindsay, Matthew Martinez, Katie Stewart, Tammy Story, Larry Don Suckla, Ty Winter, Tisha Mauro

No (3)Meghan Lukens, Lesley Smith, Karen McCormick

HB 1132 as amended to FinancePassed

Yes (9)Lori Goldstein, Mandy Lindsay, Meghan Lukens, Matthew Martinez, Lesley Smith, Katie Stewart, Tammy Story, Tisha Mauro, Karen McCormick

No (4)Lori Garcia Sander, Dusty Johnson, Larry Don Suckla, Ty Winter

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TranscriptPreview

House Agriculture, Water and Natural Resources Committee will come to order. Ms. Kelly, please call the roll. Representatives Garcia, Sander. Present. Goldstein. Excused. Johnson. Excused. Lindsey. Here. Dukens. Here. Martinez. Here. Smith. Stuart. Here. Story. Excused. Sucla. Excused. Winter. Here. Tomorrow. Here. Madam Chair. Here. All right. We are hearing two bills today, and in the interest of time, I am going to say for our witnesses to do your very best to stick with two minutes so that we can be mindful of our afternoon committees. And we will allow a hearty 10 minutes per panel of witnesses. And we have two bills up today. Our first bill is House Bill 1033, and we have our bill sponsors in front of us. So who would like to begin? Representative Gonzalez. Thank you, Madam Chair, and members of the committee, thank you. It is good to be here today. Stand before you. While sitting before you to introduce the Tamale act, also known as expanding the College Foods Act. I just want to say I am very proud of the work that me and my co prime Majority Leader Duran have done extensive stakeholdering this time around for this bill…

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