A bill to strictly limit the inclusion of prime agricultural land in urban renewal authorities got its first hearing in the Senate this week, but HB 1107 is still a work in progress and will get another hearing on Monday, the Fort Morgan Times reports. The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Wednesday took testimony on the bill sponsored by Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora. Due to time constraints, the committee delayed action on amendments and a vote on the bill until Monday.

Urban renewal zones carved out of open farmland, such as the one at east Loveland’s Centerra development, would be mostly disallowed under provisions of a measure passed Monday by the Colorado House of Representatives, The Loveland Reporter-Herald reports. The bill that now moves to the Colorado Senate targets communities such as Timnath that have taken advantage of state law permitting declarations that farmland is “blighted” in establishing vast urban renewal districts. In the case of Timnath, an urban renewal authority covers the entire town, or more than 5,000 acres of land.

A bill that proposes to raise the minimum standard for training of animal control officers and limits their authority over livestock drew hours of passionate testimony Wednesday in the House Agriculture Committee, The Pueblo Chieftain reports. Introduced by state Rep. Wes McKinley, D-Walsh, HB1124 would also change the rules governing bonds required of people accused of animal cruelty. Those bonds pay for the care of animals while they are in the care of agencies that house them while the cases involving them are adjudicated.