Things are off to a fast and busy start at the Colorado Legislature. We’ve just finished the last of the ceremonial formalities, which are time-consuming, but important for their historical significance and in recognizing the other branches of state government that the Legislature works with.
We attended the outdoor inauguration of the governor and were fortunate that it was a warmer day than when the arctic chill that was reaching into Denver last month. We also heard the governor’s state of the state address, as well as the chief justice of the Colorado Supreme Court’s state of the judiciary address.
I had the honor of serving as president of the Senate already, including for the state of the judiciary address. It was exciting to have the opportunity to serve in that capacity with the speaker of the House and the chief justice, as it’s likely the first time in Colorado that each of those roles was filled by a woman.
In the Senate, we’ve been running regular legislative business alongside the ceremonial activities. I’ve already had three of my bills in committees and, fortunately, all were passed out and are moving further along in the process.
The first bill comes from my work on the water interim committee and supports access to the best water conservation strategies for all land use planners who want that information. During the summer and fall, I was part of the water committee that held nine meetings all around Colorado. Citizens in every corner of the state were seeking more in terms of water conservation education and efforts by those managing water resources in the state.
This is a topic where I believe the people are ahead of some of those in governmental service. The bill had bipartisan support in the interim committee, and it will have bipartisan support as it moves through the process, because water conservation isn’t a partisan topic. Conservation is a practical and impactful way to maximize the use of our limited water resources, which Coloradans rightfully treasure, no matter where they live in the state.
The bill was amended to remove any link to financial support from the state which was done at the request of a few stakeholders. There is no mandate to use the educational strategies made available through the bill, but it will take advantage of the significant expertise on this topic in our semi-arid state and make that information accessible to those who play a very significant role in planning our communities’ future growth and the use of municipal and industrial water.
While today the vast amount of Colorado water is used in agriculture, there is an indisputable shift as more of that water is sold to municipalities to support their present and future growth. My personal belief is that keeping agricultural land in production and supporting family operations should be a high priority so that we can keep our food sources close.
That said, water rights are a valuable property right and available for sale at the water owner’s discretion. This bill recognizes those dynamics and will help Colorado make the most of our headwaters we’ve been blessed with but also must deliver downstream to neighboring states.
I’m missing being home in Southwestern Colorado, but the session is off to a good start, and I’m thankful to be here.
Ellen Roberts represents Senate District 6 in Colorado’s General Assembly. The district encompasses Archuleta, Dolores, La Plata, Montezuma, Montrose, Ouray, San Juan and San Miguel counties. Contact Sen. Roberts by phone at (303) 866-4884, or by email at ellen.roberts.senate@state.co.us.
