Denver (KDVR) – A new bill in Capitol Colorado will temporarily stop the state’s gray wolf and redirect to help cover health insurance costs.
The proposal, sponsored by Representative Matthew Martinez, will move about 264,000 dollars from the wolf program in Colorado Parks, wildlife and to the Colorado Health Insurance Corporation.
Martinez said the change is necessary because legislators are facing a budget deficiency of more than one billion dollars. He pointed out that the wolf program was much more expected than he was originally expected, as 3.4 million dollars were informed last year alone compared to 800,000 voters when the proposal was approved 114 in 2020.
Martinez said: “You are looking at what the initial polling initiative mentioned … 800,000 dollars for this entire program – we are looking for a little more than $ 3.4 million in the last budget year alone.”
Supporters of this measure, including livestock producers, say it is an opportunity to temporarily stop when the infection is restored while the state controls its financial resources.
But wildlife defenders argue that the bill goes beyond the transfer of funds. Michael Saul said with wildlife defenders that the legislation would prevent CPW from launching any additional wolves, describing it as an attempt to undermine the will of the voters.
Saul said: “If you read the text of this bill, it does much more than just moving a relatively small amount of money. It explicitly prohibits the gardens and wildlife from Colorado from re -introducing any other wolves.”
Colorado voters agreed to the 114th proposal in 2020, which requires CPW to restore gray wolves to the western slope. Since 2023, the agency has issued dozens of wolves, with raising packages and already spread.
Legislation is expected to be presented on Thursday as part of a special session focusing on the Colorado budget crisis. It is possible that it will cause a sharp debate about whether the financial pressures should exceed the conservation efforts imposed by the voters.