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House Committee Hears Testimony on DOW/State Park Merger

A black bear near Bailey, Colorado.
David Hannigan
/
Division of Wildlife
A black bear near Bailey, Colorado.

A House Committee will hear testimony this afternoon on a proposed merger between the Colorado Division of Wildlife and Colorado State Parks.

The move requires approval from both the House and Senate, which passed the measure in April. Proponents say that it would makes services more efficient, and could save the state up to $3 million every year.

“Senate Bill 208 would help create more efficiencies in government by doing away with duplication of jobs,” says State Representative Jerry Sonnenberg, a sponsor of the bill. “So we would be able to become more efficient within the parks and DOW and quite frankly [have] leaner government.”

Opponents say the merger needs to be researched more before the state makes a decision. But Sonnenberg counters that the bill would set up a framework that would study the merger, allowing the two divisions to determine the best way to make cuts.

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