Majority Leader Fenberg’s Effort to Prioritize Health and Safety of Coloradans, Empower Local Communities Passes the Senate

March 13, 2019

Denver, CO -- Majority Leader Steve Fenberg’s top legislative priority this session, SB19-181, Protect Public Welfare Oil and Gas Operations, today passed the Senate by a vote of 19-15 (one excused).

In addition to a robust stakeholder process with all sides, the legislation was debated for more than 30 hours over three public committee hearings and two Senate floor debates. The legislation now heads to the Colorado House of Representatives where it will also undergo three committee hearings that are open to the public and two floor debates.

"This is a giant step forward for local governments and the health and public safety of all Coloradans," said Majority Leader Fenberg. "I'm extremely proud of all the progress we made to make this bill better through hearings, debate, and conversations with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle. We are long overdue for meaningful reforms to our oil and gas regulations in this state, and today we passed a commonsense solution that will empower local governments and prioritize public health and safety over industry profits."

The bill is the most significant and meaningful reform to oil and gas regulations that have passed the Senate in over 60 years. The bill seeks to provide peace of mind for Coloradans by clarifying that the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission’s mission is to regulate, not foster, the industry. It will empower local governments to take control over what is happening in their backyards and equip them with the tools they need to stand up for their community’s best interests.

To learn more about SB19-181 and the bill’s amendments, please visit https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb19-181.

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