Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources

Thursday, February 5, 2026·1h 34m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee unanimously advanced two bills — one expanding eligibility for Colorado's agricultural land loan program and one creating hiring preferences for coal transition workers and unlocking higher-yield investments for coal settlement funds — both placed on the consent calendar for the full Senate.

Key Actions

·SB26-064 – Modify Colorado Agricultural Future Loan ProgramPassed

+ 1 more action

Controversies

Whether the SB26-052 hiring preference effectively mandates hiring coal transition workers

Senator R. Pelton stated the bill's language 'almost requires that these employees be at the front of the line.' Senator Roberts countered that the preference only applies if the worker is qualified, stating: 'If they are not qualified or if the role is not transferable, or if the new position doesn't include qualifications from the previous Cole related work, then that worker doesn't receive that hiring preference.'

+ 4 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“We bring forward for your consideration Today Senate Bill 26064 concerning modifying the Colorado Agricultural Future Loan program to expand some of the eligibility and some some outcomes. So some of my talking points. Colorado currently leads the nation in the lot in”
Senator Cleave Simpson — Senator Simpson, prime sponsor of SB26-064, opened his testimony by establishing the scale of Colorado's farmland loss as the central problem the bill is designed to address.

+ 3 more quotes

Votes

Move SB26-064 to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendationPassed

Yes (7)Senator Catlin, Senator Jodeh, Senator Kipp, Senator Pelton B., Senator Pelton R., Senator Roberts, Mr. Chair

Place SB26-064 on the consent calendarPassed

Adopt Amendment L003 to SB26-052Passed

Move SB26-052, as amended, to the Senate Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendationPassed

Yes (7)Senator Catlin, Senator Jodeh, Senator Kipp, Elton B., Elton R., Roberts, Mr. Chair

Place SB26-052 on the consent calendarPassed

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TranscriptPreview

The Senate Ag and Natural Resources Committee will come to order. On our agenda we have two items. Consideration of House bill, Consideration of Senate Bill rather 64 and consideration of Senate Bill 52. We will start with Senate Bill 64. Yeah, we should take roll call first. That would be a good idea. Ms. Jackson, could you please do that for us? Senator Catlin. Here. Senator Judah. Here. Senator Kipp. Here. Senator B. Pelton. Present. Senator R. Pelton. Here. Senator Roberts. Here. Mr. Chair. Here. We have a quorum now. It seems appropriate to consider Senate Bill 64. Senator Simpson, your hand went up first. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Thank you committee members. Happy to be in front of you for the first time this session. Thank my co prime sponsor, Senator Roberts and I do this quite often together. So it's always a pleasure and honor to work with him. We bring forward for your consideration Today Senate Bill 26064 concerning modifying the Colorado Agricultural Future Loan program to expand some of the eligibility and some some outcomes. So some of my talking points. Colorado currently leads the nation in the lot in the loss of farm and…

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