Senate committee advances bill to continue Colorado's vessel registration program

The Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee advanced House Bill 11-97 to appropriations after hearing testimony that continuing Colorado's vessel registration program preserves boating safety funding and federal matching dollars.

Grant Brown, boating safety and registrations program manager for Colorado Parks and Wildlife, said the registration fees help fund boat-ramps, safety inspections, life-jacket loaner programs and CPW's marine evidence-recovery team. "Continuing this program will ensure that CPW can continue to provide safe, responsible recreational boating in the state of Colorado," Brown told the committee. He reported more than 71,000 registered vessels in fiscal year 2024.

Industry support: Kellen Friedlander, president of the Colorado Marine Dealers Association and owner of Great Lakes Marine, described boating's economic footprint and warned that allowing the registration program to sunset could reduce park access and harm jobs. Friedlander cited a study he said estimates boating-related economic impact in Colorado at about $1.8 billion and roughly 5,500 jobs tied to the sector.

Questions from senators focused on whether vessel registration funding ties to aquatic nuisance species work. Brown said aquatic-nuisance-species enforcement is funded separately but that CPW coordinates across its programs.

Outcome: Senators voted to refer HB 11-97 to the Committee on Appropriations; the clerk recorded affirmative votes during the poll and the motion passed unanimously.

What to watch: Committee members noted the program helps secure more than $1.1 million in federal matching Recreational Boating Safety grant dollars each year and that continuation preserves funding for inspections, education and infrastructure. Any potential out-year appropriation was noted in committee discussion.