Representative Titone and Representative Velasco, co-prime sponsors, introduced House Bill 26-1270. The bill creates the Agricultural Data Ownership and Market Competition Act. The act establishes ownership rights of agricultural data and refers a ballot measure to voters at the November 2026 election to create an excise tax on the sale of transformed agricultural data.

The bill sponsors responded to questions from the committee.

Questions for the sponsors continued.

Mr. Steven Richardson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Damon McGeary, representing American Implement, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Russell Ball, representing 21st Century Equipment, testified in opposition to the bill. Rick Ballinger, representing Deere & Company, testified in opposition to the bill. Dr. Amy Charkowski, representing themself, testified to amend the bill.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Questions for the panel continued.

Jacob Asare, representing Associated Equipment Distributors, testified in opposition to the bill. Paul McGeary, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Parker White, representing Colorado Competitive Council, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Eric Wareham, representing North American Equipment Dealers Association, testified in opposition to the bill. Mr. Brandon Melnikoff, representing Colorado Farm Bureau, testified in a neutral position on the bill.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

Madeline Robertson, representing Rocky Mountain Farmers Union, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Anthony Pahnke, representing Family Farm Defenders, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Willie Cade, representing themself, testified in support of the bill and distributed a handout (Attachment H). Andrew Brandt, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

The panelists responded to questions from the committee.

The bill sponsors and committee members gave closing comments on the bill.