Increase Prescribed Burns

Initial funding transfer reduced from $1 million to $250,000 effective July 1, 2025.

Removed the 10% cap on payments from the fund per claim.

Removed references to 'Amended 2nd Reading' and 'April 29, 2025' Senate date markers.

Updated Senate committee assignments to include Agriculture & Natural Resources and Appropriations.

New provisions added to create a dedicated fund that receives interest and income from deposits and investments.

The Division can now seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources.

A new $250,000 transfer from the General Fund to the Fund will occur on July 1, 2025.

Removed 'Rerevised' status and updated version description to reflect amendments adopted on second reading.

Removed several House sponsors from the bill's sponsorship list.

Updated document status from '3rd Reading Unamended' to 'Revised' with updated date.

Added 15 new House sponsors (Bacon, Bird, Brown, Clifford, Duran, Feret, Froelich, Joseph, Lieder, Lindsay, McCluskie, McCormick, Paschal, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Titone) to the bill sponsorship list.

Updated document header from 'PREAMENDED' to 'REREVISED' and changed status from 'Committee Amendments Not Yet Adopted' to 'All Amendments Adopted in the Second House'.

Removed several lines in the funding section (lines 19-22, 25-26) that appear to be formatting artifacts or previously deleted text related to fund interest and gifts.

The initial transfer amount to the Prescribed Fire Claims Cash Fund was increased from $250,000 to $1 million effective July 1, 2025.

The maximum payment per certified claim was changed from the greater of $20,000 or 10% of the fund to a flat 10% of the fund balance at the time the claim is filed.

New guidelines were added requiring claimants to demonstrate that costs resulted from a burn conducted in full compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.

The definition of 'certified burner' was expanded to include individuals who meet reciprocity requirements and hold valid certifications from other states or entities, in addition to those who completed Colorado's training program.

The bill now explicitly requires claimants who receive full payment to waive all future claims related to the prescribed burn against the manager, funding sources, and landowners.

The bill text was reorganized with new committee listings, bill summary, and formatting updates to reflect the official legislative process.

Created a new Prescribed Fire Claims Cash Fund with an initial $250,000 transfer from the General Fund on July 1, 2025, to pay claims for damages from prescribed burns.

Established a $100 administrative fee (subject to increase) that certified prescribed burn managers must pay before conducting burns, with the Division able to adjust fees based on burn complexity.

Set maximum payment limits of $20,000 or 10% of the fund balance for each certified claim, and added a 60-day requirement between burn completion and damage occurrence.

Added new definitions for 'Certified Prescribed Burn Manager' and expanded the definition of 'Certified Burner' to include reciprocity requirements.

Created a claims certification process requiring detailed documentation of suppression costs and compliance with burn regulations before payments are authorized.

Corrected formatting inconsistencies in the fund creation language and standardized capitalization throughout the statute text.

Initial transfer amount increased from $1 million to $250,000 effective July 1, 2025

Added provision for interest and income from fund investments to be credited to the fund

Added authority for the division to seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations from private or public sources

Maximum claim payment limit changed from 10% of fund to the greater of $20,000 or 10% of the fund at time of claim filing

Added requirement for division to prioritize payments for claims before processing other claims related to the same prescribed burn

Clarified fund definition to include interest and income derived from deposit and investment of money in the fund

Added three new Senate sponsors (Kipp, Michaelson Jenet, Roberts) to the bill sponsorship list.

Removed a provision that limited maximum payments for certified wildfire claims to 10% of the fund balance at the time of filing for any single prescribed burn.

Updated the bill summary header from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' and changed the summary date to April 30, 2025, reflecting amendments adopted in the House of Introduction.

The definition of the Prescribed Fire Claims Cash Fund was restructured to list all funding sources (gifts, grants, donations, appropriations, transfers, and interest) in a single, clearer subsection, removing the previous fragmented listing.

A specific requirement to transfer one million dollars from the General Fund to the Fund on July 1, 2025, was removed, leaving funding subject to annual appropriation instead.

The requirements for certifying claims related to prescribed burns were consolidated and reorganized to improve clarity on what costs and compliance standards must be demonstrated.

The bill was formally marked as 'Engrossed' with all amendments adopted on Second Reading in the House of Introduction, indicating it has passed its final stages in the legislative process.