Bill Tracker

For educator preparation stipend programs, current law defines
eligible student to mean a student who is eligible for financial
assistance because the student's expected family contribution does not
exceed 200% of the maximum federal Pell-eligible expected family
contribution. The bill amends the definition of eligible student to mean
a student who is eligible for financial assistance because the student's
expected family contribution does not exceed 250% of the maximum
federal Pell-eligible expected family contribution.
Current law requires that a student eligible for the student educator
stipend program must be placed as a student educator in a school- or
community-based setting in Colorado. The bill allows a student to be
placed as a student educator in a school- or community-based setting in
Colorado or within 100 miles of the Colorado state border.
The bill creates an exception to the student educator stipend
program and the educator test stipend program for funds appropriated to
the department of higher education from the economic recovery and relief
cash fund. The Colorado commission on higher education (commission)
is authorized to approve criteria for students who qualify for the student
educator stipend program and the educator test stipend program. For the
student educator stipend program, the commission is required, first, to
consider students with an expected family contribution that does not
exceed 300% of the maximum federal Pell-eligible expected family
contribution. For the educator test stipend program, the commission is
required, first, to consider students with an expected family contribution
that does not exceed 300% of the maximum federal Pell-eligible expected
family contribution and, second, to consider graduates of an approved
program of preparation who were placed as student educators before
passing the assessment of professional competencies in state fiscal years
2019-20, 2020-21, and 2021-22.
Current law requires eligible applicants for the temporary educator
loan forgiveness program (forgiveness program) to be educators licensed
as teachers or school counselors. The bill broadens the program
requirements to allow eligible applicants to be educators licensed as
principals or special service providers.
The bill broadens the requirements of the forgiveness program.
The commission is required, first, to consider applicants who hold
educator licenses and prioritize the approval of those applications based
on the length of time each applicant has been employed under the license,
beginning with those who have been employed the shortest length of
time. The bill removes the forgiveness program requirement that the
commission approves applicants who have contracted for a qualified
position in a rural school or a rural school district or in a content shortage
area whose percentage of at-risk pupils exceeded 60% in the 2021-22
budget year.

• March 13, 2023: Senate Education Committee Report
• March 13, 2023: Senate Education Committee Report
• January 26, 2023: House Education Committee Report
• January 26, 2023: House Education Committee Report

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. The bill creates the timber,
forest health, and wildfire mitigation industries workforce development
program (program) in the state forest service. The program provides
partial reimbursement to timber businesses and forest health or wildfire
mitigation entities for the costs of hiring interns. The forest service must
adopt rules, policies, and procedures for the program, including criteria
for an internship to qualify, best practices for recruiting and selecting
interns to increase representation of historically underrrepresented
communities in the industries, the criteria to use in selecting qualified
interns, the required educational experience for an intern, and
administrative requirements for the program.
For income tax years beginning on or after January 1, 2023, but
before January 1, 2028, a business involved in forestry, logging, the
timber trade, the production of wood and secondary products, or forest
health and wildfire mitigation activities in Colorado may claim a credit
against state income tax for 20% of the cost incurred by the taxpayer in
purchasing certain equipment, vehicles, and equipment infrastructure. The
total aggregate credit in any one income tax year is limited to $10,000.
Any amount of the credit that exceeds the taxpayer's income tax liability
is not refundable but may be carried forward for up to 5 years.

• February 23, 2023: House Finance Committee Report
• February 23, 2023: House Finance Committee Report
• February 06, 2023: HB23-1018 L.001 House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources
• February 06, 2023: House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee Report
• February 06, 2023: House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee Report

Under existing law, an inmate in the custody of the department of
corrections (department) may have earned time deducted from the
inmate's sentence for meeting certain statutory requirements. The bill
permits an inmate sentenced for a nonviolent felony offense to have
earned time deducted from the inmate's sentence for each accredited
degree or other credential awarded by an accredited institution of higher
education to the inmate while the inmate is incarcerated, in the following
amounts:
  • One year of earned time for receiving an associate,
baccalaureate, or graduate degree; and
  • 6 months of earned time for receiving a certificate or other
credential.
The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate the
savings incurred during the prior state fiscal year as a result of the release
of inmates from correctional facilities because of earned time granted for
completion of a higher education degree or credential, as follows:
  • 50% of the savings to the department of corrections to
facilitate inmates enrolling in and completing accredited
higher education programs; and
  • 50% of the savings to the department of higher education
for allocation to institutions of higher education that offer
accredited programs in correctional facilities.

• March 13, 2023: Senate Judiciary Committee Report
• March 13, 2023: Senate Judiciary Committee Report
• February 07, 2023: HB23-1037 L.003 House Judiciary
• February 07, 2023: House Judiciary Committee Report
• February 07, 2023: House Judiciary Committee Report

Current law excludes expenses related to aviation training
programs for commercial pilots from qualified higher education expenses.
The bill expands the definition of qualified higher education expense
to include commercial pilot aviation training course expenses for fees,
books, supplies, and equipment if the course complies with the
requirements of federal law and the federal aviation administration.

• February 09, 2023: House Education Committee Report
• February 09, 2023: House Education Committee Report

The bill makes the following changes to the agricultural workforce
development program (program):
  • Allows internships under the program to last for up to one
year in duration; and
  • Extends the repeal date of the program by 7 years to July 1,
2031.

• April 06, 2023: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• April 06, 2023: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• March 23, 2023: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee Report
• March 23, 2023: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee Report
• March 10, 2023: House Appropriations Committee Report
• March 10, 2023: House Appropriations Committee Report
• January 30, 2023: House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee Report
• January 30, 2023: House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee Report

The bill requires the general assembly to annually appropriate $1.5
million from the general fund to the department of human services for
continued employment support and job retention services and to continue
to support work-based learning opportunities for Colorado employment
first participants.

• February 08, 2023: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee Report
• February 08, 2023: House Public & Behavioral Health & Human Services Committee Report

The purpose of the program established through this bill is to create a pathway for Coloradans who are 21 years of age or older and do not have a high school diploma to attend high school and ear a diploma at no cost. The bill goes on to lay out the requirements of the program.

Positions: The League of Women Voters . . . believes that the . . . government shares with other levels  of government the responsibility to provide equality o opportunity for education . . . for all person in the . . . regardless of their . . . age. . .

Employment opportunities in modern technological societies are closely related to education; . . .

Equal rights and equal opportunity should be secured for all.

The bill creates the Colorado adult high school program (program)
in the office responsible for adult education within the department of
education (department). The purpose of the program is to create a
pathway for Coloradans who are 21 years of age or older and do not have
a high school diploma to attend high school and earn a diploma at no cost.
Students may also earn industry-recognized certificates or college credits
at no cost.
The bill requires the department to partner with a Colorado
community-based nonprofit organization (organization) to operate the
program. The department is required to select an organization to act as the
education provider for the program. The education provider is required
to:
  • Secure and maintain a building for the program;
  • Contribute funding annually for operating and facility
costs;
  • Hire educators and school personnel, including life coaches
who help students navigate academic and personal
challenges;
  • Establish an academic accountability system with the
approval of the department;
  • Establish minimum graduation requirements;
  • Award Colorado high school diplomas to students who
successfully complete the program;
  • Use an evidence-based educational model that has proven
effective through a randomized control trial or an
experimental study;
  • Develop in-person courses;
  • Develop online courses for students who take classes in
person but demonstrate academic readiness for remote
course work;
  • Consult with a nonprofit organization that has successfully
implemented an evidence-based educational model for
adults in another state;
  • Serve all students, regardless of immigration status;
  • Enroll no more than 400 students at one time;
  • Comply with state and federal laws concerning students
with disabilities, including students with accommodations
pursuant to section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act
of 1973;
  • Create individualized education programs for students with
disabilities;
  • Collaborate with local district colleges, community
colleges, area technical colleges, or local career and
technical education programs to ensure access to courses
that can lead students to graduate with industry-recognized
certificates;
  • Fund industry-recognized certificate programs at no cost to
students;
  • Create a plan to authorize teachers to teach courses for
college credit;
  • Operate a licensed, on-site child care center for students
with children; and
  • Offer transportation assistance to students who enroll in the
program.
The department is required to establish a fair and transparent
request for proposal process in order to select an organization to operate
the program. The request for proposal process must include input from
the office within the department responsible for adult education.
The request for proposals must include:
  • A plan for student enrollment, including students with
disabilities;
  • A plan to secure and maintain a building;
  • Proposed curriculum and academic accountability
standards for a student-centered course of study that can
result in a Colorado high school diploma;
  • Evidence of the effectiveness of the evidence-based
educational model to be implemented by the program;
  • A plan to hire and maintain a staff of educators and other
school personnel;
  • Proof of access to the money annually required to sustain
the program;
  • A plan to establish and operate an on-site licensed child
care center; and
  • A plan to offer transportation services to students.
On or before July 31, 2025, and every July 31 thereafter, an
education provider is required to report to the department on the status of
the program. On or before November 30, 2025, and every November 30
thereafter, the department is required to report the status of the program
to the house of representatives education committee and the senate
education committee, or their successor committees, including but not
limited to:
  • Student demographic data disaggregated by race, ethnicity,
socioeconomic status, age, gender, and disability;
  • Accountability measure outcomes; and
  • The number of industry-recognized certificates, college
credits, and overall average credit attainment that students
earn each term.

• May 04, 2023: House Appropriations Committee Report
• May 01, 2023: House Education Committee Report
• April 24, 2023: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• January 25, 2023: L.001 Senate Ed Committee
• January 25, 2023: L.002 Senate Education Cmtee
• January 25, 2023: Senate Education Committee Report
• January 25, 2023: Senate Education Committee Report

Concerns measures to expand the forestry workforce, and, in connection therewith directing the Colorado State Forest Service to develop educational materials for high school students about career opportunities in forestry and wildfire mitigation; creating a timber, forest health, and wildfire mitigation industries workforce development program to help fund internships in those industries; allocating general fund money to the Wildfire Mitigation Capacity Development fund; authorizing the expansion and creation of forestry programs in the community college system and at Colorado Mountain College; and directing the state board for community colleges and occupation education to administer a program to recruit wildland fire prevention and mitigation educators.

Provides for the development of future fire fighters and forest management employees and includes educators that can train these people.

LWVCO Positions: Opportunities for vocational and technical education should be increased at the secondary level and at the community college level.

Wildfire Matters Review Committee. Section 1 of the bill
directs the Colorado state forest service (state forest service) to consult
with other entities to develop educational materials relating to career
opportunities in forestry and wildfire mitigation for distribution to high
school guidance counselors to provide to high school students.
Section 2 creates the timber, forest health, and wildfire mitigation
industries workforce development program (development program) in the
state forest service. The development program provides partial
reimbursement to timber businesses and forest health or wildfire
mitigation entities for the costs of hiring interns.
Section 3 requires the state treasurer, on June 30, 2023, and on
June 30 each year thereafter, to transfer $1 million from the general fund
to the wildfire mitigation capacity development fund for allowable uses
of the fund.
Sections 4, 5, and 6 authorize the expansion of existing forestry
programs, including wildfire mitigation, and the creation of a new
forestry program within the community college system and at Colorado
mountain college (forestry programs). The bill provides for the
acquisition of a harvesting simulator to train students, which may be
shared among the forestry programs. The bill includes funding for the
forestry programs within the community college system and at Colorado
mountain college through limited purpose fee-for-service contracts and
grants.
Section 7 directs the state board for community colleges and
occupational education (board) to administer the recruitment of wildland
fire prevention and mitigation educators program (recruiting program) to
increase the number of qualified educators at community colleges, area
technical colleges, and local district colleges that deliver a wildfire
prevention and mitigation program or course. The bill appropriates
$250,000 from the general fund for the 2023-24 and for the 2024-25 state
fiscal years for the recruiting program.
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• April 21, 2023: House Appropriations Committee Report
• April 17, 2023: House Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources Committee Report
• April 11, 2023: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• January 26, 2023: L.001 Senate Agriculture & Natural
• January 26, 2023: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee Report
• January 26, 2023: Senate Agriculture & Natural Resources Committee Report

The bill adds “digital Literacy” to the current requirements of adult education programs. Current programs require basic literacy and numeracy skills. The bill allows community colleges, area technical colleges, and local district colleges to develop minimum graduation requirements.

LWVCO Positions: Employment opportunities in modern technological societies are closely related to education; . . .

Equal rights and equal opportunity should be secured for all.

Current law requires adult education providers (providers) that
participate in the department of education's (department) adult education
and literacy grant program (program) to offer eligible adults basic
education in literacy and numeracy. The bill adds digital literacy to the
basic education offered to eligible adults.
The bill describes services that providers may offer to eligible
adults. The bill amends the reporting requirements for providers of the
program.
The bill allows community colleges, area technical colleges, and
local district colleges (colleges) to develop minimum graduation
requirements for a high school diploma based on the minimum high
school graduation guidelines adopted by the state board of education.
Colleges are authorized to award high school diplomas to students who
successfully complete the colleges' minimum high school graduation
requirements.

• April 25, 2023: House Appropriations Committee Report
• April 20, 2023: House Education Committee Report
• April 11, 2023: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• January 23, 2023: L.001 Senate Education Committee
• January 23, 2023: L.002 Senate Education Committee
• January 23, 2023: L.003 Senate Education Committee
• January 23, 2023: L.004 Senate Education Committee

The bill creates the Office of Future Work in the Department of Labor and Employment. It sets out various requirements. It also changes the Interagency Advisory Committee on Apprenticeship to the Council for Apprenticeship in new and emerging industries.

LWVCO Positions: Employment opportunities in modern technological societies are closely related to education; . . .

Equal rights and equal opportunity should be secured for all.

The office of future of work (OFW) was created in the department
of labor and employment (department) by executive order of the governor
in 2019 for the purpose of studying unemployment assistance. The bill
creates the OFW in statute and expands the duties of the OFW. The
purpose of the OFW is to:
  • Identify opportunities for Colorado's communities to
transition effectively to emerging industries;
  • Ensure the inclusion of key stakeholders and engage
partnerships across public and private sectors;
  • Host, organize, and convene task forces, summits, and
other appropriate meetings with diverse stakeholders,
designed to improve the state's understanding of the social
and economic impacts of the changing nature of work;
  • Explore ways that the state can prepare for current and
future impacts, including through the modernization of
worker benefits and protections, the development of a
skilled and resilient workforce through coordination of
registered apprenticeship programs, and the identification
of new policy and program solutions; and
  • Undertake studies, research, and factual reports related to
issues of concern and importance to Colorado's future
workforce.
The executive director of the department is required to submit a
report to the governor, at least once per calendar year, that includes
recommendations for potential policy initiatives.
In 2021, House Bill 21-1007 created the state apprenticeship
agency (SAA) in the department. The bill amends Colorado statutes to
enable the United States department of labor's office of apprenticeship to
recognize Colorado's state apprenticeship agency and authorize the SAA
to register and oversee apprenticeship programs. To conform with
regulations promulgated by the United States secretary of labor under the
federal National Apprenticeship Act, the bill:
  • Modifies references to apprenticeships in Colorado
statutes;
  • Changes the state apprenticeship council to the council for
apprenticeship in the building and construction trades; and
  • Changes the interagency advisory committee on
apprenticeship to the council for apprenticeship in new and
emerging industries.

• February 23, 2023: House Business Affairs & Labor Committee Report
• February 23, 2023: House Business Affairs & Labor Committee Report
• January 26, 2023: L.002 Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee
• January 26, 2023: Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee Report
• January 26, 2023: Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Committee Report

For the career development success program (program), the bill
removes the requirement for successful completion of a qualified industry
pre-apprenticeship program and the requirement for successful
completion of a qualified industry apprenticeship.
Current law requires the general assembly to annually appropriate
$1 million to the department of education for the program. Beginning in
the 2023-24 budget year, and each budget year thereafter, the bill increase
the appropriation to $10 million.
The bill requires a school district or charter school participating in
the program to receive 120% of the per-pupil amount for each pupil who
is eligible for free or reduced-price lunch and who successfully earned an
industry certificate by completing a qualified industry-credential program,
a qualified workplace training program, or a qualified advanced
placement course.
The bill authorizes a participating school district or participating
charter school to contract with a third party to provide specified services
under the program.
The bill extends the repeal date from September 1, 2024, to
September 1, 2034.

• May 02, 2023: House Appropriations Committee Report
• May 01, 2023: House Education Committee Report
• April 11, 2023: Senate Appropriations Committee Report
• February 14, 2023: Senate Education Committee Report
• February 14, 2023: Senate Education Committee Report