HB 18-1122: Public Accounting of Conservation Easements

• State auditor must contract with an independent entity by November 1, 2018 to conduct a comprehensive accounting of all conservation easements created in Colorado since January 1, 1998.

• Accounting must include for each easement: creation documents, location and acreage by county, grantor and holder names, whether holder is a certified organization, conservation purposes and monitoring status, tax credits claimed, and any defects or issues identified.

• Accounting must include a map displaying easement boundaries relative to county lines and other relevant mapping information, with data made publicly available for download on the state auditor's website.

• State auditor shall present accounting findings to the legislative audit committee at a public meeting by December 31, 2019, and the committee must conduct a subsequent public hearing within 60-120 days to allow public testimony.

• State auditor must annually update the accounting information and map to reflect new easements and changes, with all information accessible and navigable by the general public on the auditor's website.