Wildfire Resiliency Grant Money

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED HOUSE BILL 26-1310 LLS NO. 26-0393.02 Sarah Lozano x3858 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Story, SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING REQUIREMENTS FOR STATE MONEY THAT IS USED FOR WILDFIRE RESILIENCY ACTIVITIES.

Bill Summary (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at http://leg.colorado.gov.) The bill requires the general assembly, starting in state fiscal year 2027-28, to appropriate certain amounts to the wildfire resilient homes grant program cash fund, which amounts must be based on the amount of money in the wildfire mitigation capacity development fund that is used to fund grants in the prior state fiscal year. In awarding home hardening grants through the wildfire resilient homes grant program, the division of Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.

Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.

fire prevention and control in the department of public safety is required to prioritize homeowners who are income qualified or who lack the ability to perform the home hardening work because of age, disability, or illness.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1.

In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-1239, amend (2)(c); and add (1)(b.5), (1)(d), and (4)(c) as follows: 24-33.5-1239. Wildfire resilient homes grant program - fund - rules - report - definitions - repeal.

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(b.5) "INCOME QUALIFIED" MEANS A HOUSEHOLD INCOME AT OR BELOW SEVENTY PERCENT OF THE AREA MEDIAN INCOME, AS DETERMINED BY THE DEVELOPMENT.

(d) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN "WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND" MEANS THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND CREATED IN SECTION 24-33-117 (1).

(2) (c) (I) In awarding grants pursuant to the program, the division shall consider the location of the homeowner's property, whether the property is a primary residence of the homeowner, the income or assets from all sources of the homeowner, the type of improvement proposed by the homeowner, and any other criteria established by the division pursuant to subsection (3) of this section. The division may require applicants to provide information on the applicant's income, and the division may prioritize income levels of applicants in awarding grants.

(II) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION TO THE CONTRARY, IN AWARDING GRANTS PURSUANT TO THE PROGRAM, THE DIVISION SHALL PRIORITIZE HOMEOWNERS WHO ARE INCOME QUALIFIED OR WHO LACK THE ABILITY TO PERFORM THE STRUCTURE HARDENING WORK BECAUSE OF AGE, DISABILITY, OR ILLNESS.

(4) (c) (I) FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2027-28, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE FUND FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND IN AN AMOUNT THAT IS AT LEAST TEN PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND GRANTS THROUGH THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2026-27.

(II) FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2028-29, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE FUND FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND IN AN AMOUNT THAT IS AT LEAST THIRTY PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND DEVELOPMENT FUND IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2027-28.

GRANTS THROUGH THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY

(III) IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2029-30 AND IN EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE FUND FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND IN AN AMOUNT THAT IS AT LEAST FIFTY PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND GRANTS THROUGH THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2028-29 OR THE APPLICABLE PRIOR STATE FISCAL YEAR.

(IV) THIS SUBSECTION (4)(c)(IV) AND SUBSECTIONS (4)(c)(I) AND (4)(c)(II) OF THIS SECTION ARE REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2030. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33-117, add (6.4) as follows: 24-33-117. Wildfire mitigation capacity development fund established - financing - legislative intent - repeal.

(6.4) (a) FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2027-28, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING GRANTS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS NO MORE THAN NINETY PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND GRANTS IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2026-27.

(b) FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2028-29, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING GRANTS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS NO MORE THAN SEVENTY PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND GRANTS IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2027-28.

(c) FOR STATE FISCAL YEAR 2029-30 AND IN EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER, FOR THE PURPOSE OF FUNDING GRANTS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SHALL APPROPRIATE AN AMOUNT OF MONEY TO THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS NO MORE THAN FIFTY PERCENT OF THE AMOUNT OF MONEY FROM THE WILDFIRE MITIGATION CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND GRANTS IN STATE FISCAL YEAR 2028-29 OR THE APPLICABLE PRIOR STATE FISCAL YEAR.

(d) THIS SUBSECTION (6.4)(d) AND SUBSECTIONS (6.4)(a) AND (6.4)(b) OF THIS SECTION ARE REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2030.

SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August 12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.