HB 1387: Severance Tax Fund Expenditures - Colorado

Rerevised → Final Act · 4 edits · May 26, 2026

MODERATE

This bill amends Colorado statutes to create a new Species Conservation Trust Fund, allowing up to $3 million annually from the severance tax to be transferred to it. It also establishes a new annual transfer mechanism from the operational fund to the general fund, beginning in 2027, which adjusts based on revenue projections versus actual appropriations. Additionally, the bill reduces a specific 2026-27 appropriation for species conservation by $3 million to align with the new funding structure.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of severance tax usage by creating a dedicated fund for species conservation and modifies the timing and calculation of transfers between state funds to begin in April 2027.

FISCAL

Created a new Species Conservation Trust Fund that receives up to $3 million annually from the severance tax operational fund.

Reduced the 2026-27 appropriation for species conservation by $3 million to reflect the new funding mechanism.

TIMELINE

Changed the start date for annual transfers from the operational fund to the general fund from June 2027 to April 2027.

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement for the Executive Director of Natural Resources to calculate and report the transfer amount based on the difference between projected severance tax revenue and actual appropriations.

Revised → Rerevised · 3 edits · Apr 16, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-revised to include all amendments adopted in the second house, updating the version status from 'Revised' to 'Rerevised'. The document was also marked as the '3rd Reading Unamended' version for the Senate, indicating the legislative process has moved to a final stage. A significant portion of the text regarding funding recommendations and operational fund calculations was removed, suggesting a major restructuring or deletion of specific program funding mandates.

Scope change

The bill's scope appears to have been significantly altered by the removal of specific subsections detailing funding recommendations and calculations for the operational fund, though the exact policy impact depends on the new text replacing the deleted lines.

FISCAL

Deleted specific language regarding the executive director's determination of funding amounts from the operational fund starting in April 2027.

TIMELINE

Updated the document header to reflect the 'Rerevised' status and added a specific date of April 16, 2026, for the 3rd Reading Unamended in the Senate.

TECHNICAL

Changed the document title from 'Revised' to 'Rerevised' and updated the description of included amendments.

Reengrossed → Revised · 2 edits · Apr 15, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reclassified from 'Reengrossed' to 'Revised' to reflect amendments adopted during the second reading in the second house. The most significant substantive change is the removal of a specific provision that required the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources to calculate a precise funding difference based on a March revenue forecast and the state budget. This deletion simplifies the funding mechanism by eliminating the requirement to project revenue and compare it against appropriated amounts for specific programs, likely shifting the transfer process to a more straightforward statutory mandate without the need for annual recalculations.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding the calculation of severance tax transfers has been narrowed by removing a specific administrative requirement to project revenue and determine funding gaps.

REQUIREMENT

Eliminated the requirement for the Executive Director to calculate the difference between projected March revenue forecasts and appropriated amounts for specific programs.

TIMELINE

Updated the bill status header to indicate it is 'Revised' with amendments adopted on second reading, rather than 'Reengrossed' with amendments adopted in the House of Introduction.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 2 edits · Apr 11, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reengrossed to include all amendments adopted in the House of Introduction, updating the title page and adding a reading status note. Substantively, the text removed a provision requiring the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources to submit an annual report starting in April 2027, which previously mandated reporting an amount equal to the greater of zero or a specific determination.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding reporting requirements was reduced by removing the obligation for the Department of Natural Resources to submit annual reports beginning in April 2027.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the requirement for the Executive Director of the Department of Natural Resources to report an annual amount starting in April 2027.

TECHNICAL

Added a '3rd Reading Unamended' status note and updated the title page to reflect the bill is reengrossed.

Introduced → Engrossed · 3 edits · Apr 9, 2026

MINOR

The bill was reclassified from 'Introduced' to 'Engrossed,' indicating it has passed the House and includes amendments. The most significant substantive change is the deletion of a requirement to transfer up to $14.2 million annually from the Operational Fund to the General Fund, starting in 2027. The bill now only mandates the transfer of up to $3 million for species conservation, removing the obligation to fund general state operations from these specific severance tax receipts.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding fund transfers was narrowed by removing the mandate to transfer funds to the General Fund.

FISCAL

Removed the requirement to transfer up to $14.2 million annually from the Severance Tax Operational Fund to the General Fund.

Clarified that the only mandatory transfer from the Operational Fund is up to $3 million annually to the Species Conservation Trust Fund.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill status header from 'Introduced' to 'Engrossed' to reflect that it includes amendments adopted during the second reading.

Severance Tax Fund Expenditures

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