April 25, 2019 E-News

4/25/2019

April News

HB 1327 is MOVING!
Could Water Plan Funds be Derived in Part from Legalized Sports Gambling?

FOX 31 DENVER — A new bill introduced to the Colorado House this week which would legalize sports gambling at casinos passed the House Committee Monday.

“We know that people are betting illegally across the state of Colorado. If it’s already happening, it’s better to treat consumers fairly and to put it into a regulated marketplace,” said House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, who helped introduce the bill. You wouldn’t have to go far to place your bet, though, because casinos would have the ability to develop a sports gambling app that you could access right from a smartphone. They could also set up an online sports book.

“A casino could contract with an online sports operator — like Draft Kings or Fan Duel — and they could provide an application for consumers across the state to use,” Garnett said. That’s a concern for groups like the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado. “Not making clients go up into the casinos — and placing it right into every household throughout Colorado — does provide that access point. It’s only a matter of time where someone might get into trouble,” said PGCC president Lawrence Wall.

But Garnett says that’s already happening illegally. “The fingertip app structure already exists. That is the black market. We aren’t really expanding the marketplace — we’re just going to regulate that marketplace,” he said.

Casinos would be charged a 10 percent state tax on their net proceeds each year, starting in May 2020. “On the low end, you’ll see the state generate between $5-10 million in tax revenue. And on the higher end, as the market continues to mature, I think it plateaus around $20 million,” Garnett told FOX31. “It is a sustainable resource that will go toward conservation and protecting our water, which is really important to both rural and urban parts of the state.”

Wall told FOX31 he was happy to see $130,000 of that revenue also being designated for resources dealing with gambling addiction, like the Rocky Mountain Crisis Partners hotline. He would also like to see more safeguards in place, however, as casinos develop smartphone apps.

“Do we have Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado [on the app], or a help line when someone is frequently gambling? What about some education or awareness for those college kids — or signs or symptoms of a potential disorder?” Wall said.

Voters would have the final say on the November ballot — being asked to decide whether the state will take a 10 percent of net proceeds from legal sports betting.

READ FULL BILL BELOW

ASPINALL NOMINATIONS WILL OPEN SOON!

This award, established in 1980, is presented to that person exemplifying the courage, dedication, knowledge and leadership qualities shown by Wayne N. Aspinall in the development, protection and preservation of the water of the State of Colorado. The award need not necessarily be an annual one. Nominees may be any person who best demonstrated the “Aspinall” characteristics of leadership. The Aspinall Award shall be unique and meaningful in keeping with the qualities of the man for which the award was named. The leadership contribution shall have been significant in terms of the development, protection or preservation of some or all of Colorado’s waters.

Copies of each “Wayne N. Aspinall Water Leader of the Year” Award shall be prominently displayed in the CWC office and on the CWC website.

We'll need your help to nominate a water professional - Who will win this year?

By working within Colorado’s complex water laws, we take the tools and systems that were created to withdraw water from rivers and instead, use them to do the opposite; return water to rivers with low flows or no flows at all and restore them to health. Since our founding in 2001, we have returned over 9 billion gallons of water to nearly 400 miles of rivers and streams. We work very closely with the Colorado Water Conservation Board through their Instream Flow Program. They are the only entity in Colorado that can hold water rights for environmental purposes.

See more about what we do below:

Want to be featured as the next Member Spotlight? Contact us at kkucera@cowatercongress.org

It's official now! SWCD is on the search for a new executive director. The board is accepting applications through May 22.

We have all the information posted online at: https://swwcd.org/about-us/careers/

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The Nature Conservancy has an open position for the Sustainable Food & Water Program Director - Find out the desription and profiles at Sustainable Food & Water Program Director & Sustainable Food & Water Profile

Dedicated to the world’s most important resource, AWWA sets the standard for water knowledge, management and informed public policy. This year our Annual Conference, ACE19 will take place June 9-12 in Denver, Colorado. Learn, connect and be inspired to solve today’s global water challenges. Explore this year’s program and select sessions focused on asset management, utility risk and resilience and water quality challenges – along with the new smart water utility and potable reuse tracks. Be sure to take advantage of dedicated Exhibit Hall time to see cutting-edge products and services and meet new contacts.