| Bill # |
Most Recent Status | Bill Summary | Sponsors | Short Title | Fiscal Note Status |
| HB12-1001 | 2/15/2012 02/15/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| This bill would ratify the regulations issued by the State Board of Education to implement Senate Bill 10-191, the principal and teacher evaluation law. | MURRAY / JOHNSTON | Rule Review Evaluation Of Educator Effectiveness | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1009 | 4/16/2012 04/16/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| BUDGET: This bill requires expanded reporting by executive branch agencies to the legislature about federal funds. The Department of Education receives and administers substantial amounts of federal grants. | GEROU / LAMBERT | Federal Funds Transparency Act | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1013 | 3/16/2012 03/16/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill directs school districts to consider adopting procedures by which the schools use available data to identify and provide intervention services to students in grades 6 through 9 who are exhibiting behaviors that indicate they are at increased risk of dropping out of school. | FIELDS / HUDAK | Interventions For Middle School Students | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1024 | 2/29/2012 02/29/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| ELECTIONS: This bill directs that proposed that titles of proposed ballot measures, to the extent possible, be written in plain, nontechnical language and in a clear and coherent manner using words with common and everyday meaning that are understandable to the average reader. | SZABO | Plain Language For Ballot Titles | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1039 | 2/8/2012 02/08/2012 House Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| BUDGET: The bill prohibits the appropriations committee in either house from passing a bill that requires a tax expenditure or that results in either a decrease in revenue or an increase in general fund spending unless the bill either specifically identifies equivalent decreases in such expenditures or offsets to the general fund or new revenues. | HULLINGHORST | Pay-as-you-go Requirements | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1043 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill would provide options, including enrollment in college classes, to high school seniors who need less than a full year''s worth of high school classes in order to graduate. | CONTI | Concurrent Enrollment For Early High School Grads | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1049 | 2/9/2012 02/09/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill prohibits a public school from penalizing a student whose parent does not allow the student to take all or part of a statewide student assessment. Further, the Department of Education shall not lower a public school''s attainment level on accreditation performance indicators or otherwise penalize a school due to a parent''s refusal to allow his or her child to participate in statewide assessments. | SOLANO / AGUILAR | Parental Rights Regarding Statewide Ed Assessment | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1061 | 4/2/2012 04/02/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill requires the Department of Higher Education in consultation with other state agencies to produce an annual report regarding state workforce projections and education credential production. The report will show the workforce needs that are not being met by state degree and certificate production and identify institutions, public or private, that can address those workforce needs through new programs or expansion of existing ones. | KAGAN | The Skills For Jobs Act | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1067 | 1/26/2012 01/26/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| ELECTIONS: The bill would set contribution limits to candidates in elections for school boards and the Regional Transportation District. | MCCANN / AGUILAR | Contribution Limits School Dist & RTD Directors | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1069 | 5/7/2012 05/07/2012 Senate Committee on Appropriations Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill creates a state sales and use tax exemption for back-to-school items. The exemption only applies for three days in the beginning of August for a period of five years beginning in 2012. The bill defines eligible items. | MIKLOSI | Sales & Use Tax Holiday For Back-to-school Items | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1072 | 3/24/2012 03/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill requires the Colorado Commission on Higher Education to develop criteria for awarding college credit for a student's prior learning through work experience, military service, community involvement or independent study. | MASSEY / BACON | Higher Ed Prior Learning Assessments | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1075 | 4/30/2012 04/30/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| BUDGET: This Republican-sponsored bill would reinstate the 6 percent annual ceiling on increases in general funding spending. | BEEZLEY / BROPHY | Six Percent General Fund Appropriations Limit | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1080 | 5/19/2012 05/19/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill changes the name of Adams State College to Adams State University. | VIGIL / SCHWARTZ | Adams State College Name Change | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1081 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill clarifies numerous laws concerning operations of the Auraria Higher Education Center, including construction, personnel, risk management and lease-purchase agreements. | DURAN / STEADMAN | Operations Auraria Higher Education Center | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1090 | 3/22/2012 03/22/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill defines "pupil enrollment count day" as Oct. 1 of each year, with the following exceptions:
- In any year in which Oct. 1 is a Saturday, a Sunday, or any other day on which school is not in session, the pupil enrollment count day is the Monday following.
- In any year in which a day of a major religious holiday occurs upon Oct. 1, or, in years in which Oct. 1 falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or other day on which school is not in session, or upon the Monday directly following Oct. 1, the pupil enrollment count day is the first school day immediately following the conclusion of the holiday. | PACE | No School Pupil Enrollment Counts On Holidays | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1091 | 2/29/2012 02/29/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill would eliminate state writing assessments and one set of high school tests. Statewide assessments shall not exceed federal requirements for the administration of assessments. The bill states that for the 2012-13 budget year and for each year thereafter, the general fund savings realized in implementing the provisions of the bill will be shifted to the Colorado Preschool Program. | SOLANO / BACON | Reduce Student Assessments To Federal Requirements | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1092 | 5/7/2012 05/07/2012 House Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill allows carrying a concealed weapon on college or university grounds if the person legally possesses a handgun under the laws of Colorado and the United States. | PRIOLA / BROPHY | Concealed Handgun Carry Without Permit | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1109 | 4/19/2012 04/19/2012 House Second Reading Laid Over Daily
| BUDGET: For fiscal year 2012-13, the bill requires the legislature to reduce total state general fund appropriations to the legislative branch, judicial branch and each executive agency, excluding the departments of health care policy and financing and education, by a formula based on the current budget and the March 1 unemployment rate. The money saved is to be transferred to the State Education Fund. | MCKINLEY | Budget Cuts To Provide More Public School Funding | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1118 | 4/4/2012 04/04/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill requires that school district collective bargaining meetings be open to the public, although school boards can hold closed meetings if no members of employee associations are present. The bill also requires various documents produced during collective bargain be open records. | CONTI | School Collective Bargaining Open To Public | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1124 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill directs the Department of Education to commission a study of issues surrounding integration of digital learning into public education. The department will select a Colorado-based entity to complete the study, which is to be funded by gifts, grants and donations and doesn't have to be done if the money isn't raised. The study would be due Jan. 31, 2013. | MASSEY | Colorado Digital Learning Study | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1135 | 2/27/2012 02/27/2012 House Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill instructs the State Board of Education to issue rules for a method to include in educator evaluations the work of teachers who serve as cooperating teachers in field work or student teaching for teacher candidates. By the 2017-18 school year all cooperating teachers are to be rated effective or highly effective. | MURRAY | Teacher Involvement Teacher Preparation Programs | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1142 | 3/23/2012 03/23/2012 House Committee on Appropriations Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: The bill would allow all employees who are members of PERA to participate in the system's defined contribution plan. Newly eligible employees would be given an initial period to elect to join the defined contribution plan. | DELGROSSO | New PERA Employee Defined Contribution Plan Choice | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1144 | 4/12/2012 04/12/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill authorizes each system of higher education and each institution to employ an unlimited number of non-tenure-track teachers under renewable five-year employment contracts. Systems or campuses can cancel contracts for financial exigencies or other stated reasons. | FISCHER / BACON | Employment Contracts Non-tenure-track Professors | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1146 | 5/17/2012 05/17/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill creates an additional concurrent enrollment program intended to increase dropout recovery and specifies related funding for both school districts and community colleges. | NIKKEL / GIRON | Funding For Dropout Recovery Programs | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1149 | 3/28/2012 03/28/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill authorizes the parents of students enrolled in a school that has operated under a priority improvement or turnaround plan for two consecutive years to submit a petition to the State Board of Education requesting the board to direct the school be reconfigured immediately. (Under the current accountability system, the SBE can take action after five years.) The petition must be signed by more than 50 percent of the families of the students at the school. The state board may choose to deny the petition, direct an action to take effect in the next school year or reconsider the petition in the next school year. The bill also sets timelines for the new process. | BEEZLEY | Parents Request Action On Low-performing Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1150 | 4/12/2012 04/12/2012 Senate Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: Current law averages the three highest annual salaries of a member of the PERA when calculating that member's retirement benefit amount. The bill increases the number of highest annual salaries used from three to seven for members who are first eligible to retire on or after Jan. 1, 2013. | PRIOLA / LAMBERT | PERA Seven Year Highest Average Salary Calculation | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1155 | 6/4/2012 06/04/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill would give the Colorado Commission on Higher Education expanded powers over admissions requirements, which institutions can provide various kinds of remedial education classes and tightens student eligibility for College Opportunity Fund stipends and state financial aid. | MASSEY / BACON | Improvements In College Completion | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1169 | 3/24/2012 03/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill prohibits a state or local public body from adopting any proposed policy, position, resolution, rule, or regulation or from taking formal action by secret ballot unless otherwise authorized in accordance with the provisions of the state open meetings law. The bill permits a state or local public body to elect the leadership of that same public body by secret ballot but requires the outcome of the vote to be recorded contemporaneously in the minutes of the body. The bill is not to be construed to affect the existing powers of a school board to use a secret ballot. | GARDNER B. / BROPHY | Open Meetings & Secret Ballot Leadership Elections | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1179 | 5/8/2012 05/08/2012 House Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: The bill would change the membership of the Public Employees' Retirement Association board by reducing the number of system members and retirees on the board and adding four members appointed by the governor. | KERR J. | Composition Of PERA Board | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1182 | 2/23/2012 02/23/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| BUDGET: The bill makes mid-year adjustments to the 2011-12 budget for the Department of Education. | GEROU / HODGE | Suppl Approp Dept Of Education | Fiscal note currently unavailable |
| HB12-1185 | 2/23/2012 02/23/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| BUDGET: The bill makes mid-year adjustments to the 2011-12 Department of Higher Education budget. | GEROU / HODGE | Suppl Approp Dept Of Higher Education | Fiscal note currently unavailable |
| HB12-1201 | 3/1/2012 03/01/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| BUDGET: The bill adds about $18 million to 2011-12 school funding to reflect increased enrollments and shifts in property tax revenues. The money comes from higher-than-expected local revenues, and state funding is reduced somewhat. | GEROU / STEADMAN | Mid-year School Finance Adjustments | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1212 | 3/24/2012 03/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| Under current law, a board of cooperative services (BOCES) may authorize either a single-district or a multi-district on-line educational program. The bill permits a BOCES to authorize only a multi-district program, which has a lower per-student reimbursement rate. | BECKER / HODGE | BOCES Multi-district On-line Education Programs | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1214 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| H.B. 12-1214 Community colleges - two-year dental hygiene degree programs. The act allows a Colorado community college to offer a two-year degree program with academic designation in dental hygiene even though there is not a valid student transfer agreement for the degree program.
APPROVED by Governor May 24, 2012
EFFECTIVE August 8, 2012
NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause. | BECKER / NICHOLSON | Community College Two-year Degree Programs | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1218 | 5/4/2012 05/04/2012 Senate Committee on Legislative Council Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill extends the repeal date of the Early Childhood and School Readiness Legislative Commission from July 1, 2012, to July 1, 2017. | PENISTON / HUDAK | Early Childhood & School Readiness Commission | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1220 | 4/12/2012 04/12/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill formally establishes the governance structure for Colorado State University - Global Campus and expands the CSU board to include two advisory members representing Global campus. | BECKER / BACON | CSU Global Campus And CSU Board Of Governors | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1225 | 3/12/2012 03/12/2012 House Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill creates a process by which a school board or the state Charter School Institute may seek designation as a model charter authorizer. A model authorizer is not subject to statutory provisions concerning charter applications and authorizing and renewing charters but will establish its own requirements and procedures. If the decision of a model authorizer is appealed, there is a rebuttable presumption that the model authorizer's decision is valid and the State Board of Education will uphold the decision unless the appealing entity provides sufficient evidence to overcome the presumption. The state board will adopt rules establishing the procedures for applying for model authorizer designation; the practices an applicant must demonstrate, including minimum practices stated in the bill; a rubric for scoring an application; and the fee for initial and renewal applications. The Department of Education (department) will review each application and recommend to the state board whether to grant or renew model authorizer designation. | RAMIREZ / STEADMAN | Model Charter School Authorizer Designation | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1227 | 2/22/2012 02/22/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill directs the State Board of Community Colleges and Occupational Education, if funding is available, to design a certificate program through which persons who are identified as needing basic skills remedial course work or who are eligible for adult literacy education may obtain a career and technical education certificate within 12 months by taking courses that integrate basic skills training with college-level occupational skills training. | YOUNG | Integrated Basic Educ & Skills Training Cert Prog | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1235 | 2/29/2012 02/29/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| After Jan. 1, 2013, each school district and each district charter school shall ensure that each project to build or significantly redesign a building, at a minimum, meets Energy Star standards, meets energy-efficiency standards adopted by the state architect, has been designed in consultation with the Governor's Energy Office or was designed by a team with expertise in energy-efficient design. | KERR A. / JOHNSTON | Energy Efficient Public Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1238 | 5/17/2012 05/17/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill repeals and reenacts the existing Colorado Basic Literacy Act, renaming it the Colorado Early Literacy Act. Each school district, charter school, and board of cooperative services that enrolls students in kindergarten or first, second, or third grade must provide instructional programs and support in reading to ensure that, by the time a student finishes third grade, the student's reading skills are high enough to enable the student to master the standards and expectations for fourth grade and beyond. Beginning with the 2013-14 school year, each local education provider will begin assessing students in each of the early grades and diagnosing students' specific reading skill deficiencies. If a student's reading skills are below grade level but above the minimum reading competency skill level for the student's grade level, the student has a reading deficiency. If a student's reading skills are below the minimum reading competency skill level, the student has a significant reading deficiency. If a student has a reading deficiency or a significant reading deficiency, the student's teacher will notify the student's parent and invite the parent to participate with the teacher in creating a reading to ensure academic development plan (READ plan) for the student. For students who have a significant reading deficiency, the notice will also specify that, if the student still has a significant reading deficiency at the end of the school year, state law recommends that the student not advance to the next grade level, and the teacher and parent and other personnel of the local education provider will decide whether the student will advance. If, at the end of a school year, a student has a significant reading deficiency, the statute recommends that the student does not advance to the next grade level. The student's teacher will send the student's parent written notice that the teacher, the parent, and other personnel from the local education provider must meet to decide whether the student will advance. If the parent does not attend a meeting, the teacher and personnel from the local education provider will decide whether the student will advance. If the student is finishing third grade and the parent, teacher, and other personnel decide the student will advance to fourth grade even though the student has a significant reading deficiency, the decision is subject to approval by the superintendent of the school district. If the superintendent or principal does not approve the decision, the student will not advance to fourth grade. A student who does not advance to the next grade level must receive increased reading intervention instruction and supports to improve his or her reading competency during the year in which he or she does not advance. The Department of Education will administer an early literacy grant program to provide money to applying local education providers to implement literacy support and intervention instruction programs to assist students in kindergarten and first through third grades to achieve reading competency. The grant program is funded through the early literacy fund, which consists of moneys previously appropriated to the Read-to-Achieve cash fund. The bill also expands the state district and school accountability plan to include performance on early literacy. | MASSEY / JOHNSTON | Ensuring K-3 Literacy Education | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1240 | 6/4/2012 06/04/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| This is a legal cleanup measure requested by the Department of Education, the most interesting parts of which extend the deadline for the State Board of Education to adopt statewide graduation guidelines and to adopt endorsed diplomas. The bill also allows the department to accept additional types of grants to implement the educator effectiveness system. | KERR A. | Statutory Changes To K-12 Education | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1250 | 2/23/2012 02/23/2012 House Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: This bill changes some of the provisions regarding employer contributions to the PERA health insurance program. | HOLBERT / HARVEY | PERA Health Care Trust Fund Employer Contributions | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1252 | 5/7/2012 05/07/2012 House Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily with Amendments
| HIGHER EDUCATION: This bill would require state colleges and universities to post certain financial information online, similar to the requirements already imposed on other state agencies. The information would include data about professors' salaries and expenses, but faculty members would be anonymous. | NIKKEL / SPENCE | Transparency Of Higher Ed Financial Information | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1261 | 6/4/2012 06/04/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| This bill would require that highly effective and effective educators, as rated by the statewide evaluation system, be given the first opportunity to apply, interview, and be considered for available positions in low-performing, high-needs schools. The bill also establishes a gifts, grants and donations fund that would be used to attract and retain such teachers. | SOLANO | Effective Educators Low-performing Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1280 | 5/9/2012 05/09/2012 House Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| The Colorado Lottery Commission would be given discretionary authority to license no more than two lottery retailers to install and operate video lottery terminals. Net revenues would be distributed to the Great Outdoors Colorado program and to a new state financial aid fund. Other revenues would be distributed to the BEST program and to community colleges. | CORAM / TOCHTROP | Video Lottery Terminals For College Scholarships | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1306 | 5/3/2012 05/03/2012 Senate Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely
| This bill would create a mechanism by which school districts and Charter School Institute schools that gained pupils after the Oct. 1 enrollment count could claim reimbursement from the state for extra pupils. According to the bill text, this is directed at the issue of online students returning to traditional schools after the count date, so schools would be compensated at the online per-pupil rate. Additional enrollment would be measured by the number of students who took state math tests and the 11th grade ACT test compared to the Oct. 1 count. | HOLBERT / KING K. | Adjusting Pupil Enrollment Counts | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1319 | 5/3/2012 05/03/2012 Senate Committee on Local Government Postpone Indefinitely
| Under current law, electrical and plumbing inspections of school buildings must be performed by state inspectors even though the school building is located in a town, city, or county that has a building department that inspects buildings. The bill removes this requirement, allowing local departments to perform electrical and plumbing inspections of school buildings within their jurisdictions. The bill requires local governments to utilize journeymen or master plumbers when contracting for plumbing inspections within their respective jurisdictions, and requires a local government to reimburse the state examining board of plumbers (state board) if the local government fails to timely notify the state board of its intent to commence or cease local plumbing inspections. State and local electrical and plumbing inspectors shall inspect to the standards specified in the state electrical and plumbing codes. | GARDNER B. | Local Inspectors For School Plumbing & Electric | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1324 | 5/21/2012 05/21/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| H.B. 12-1324 Colorado Mesa university - admission standards. The act changes the admission standards for Colorado Mesa university from "moderately selective" to "selective". The number of members of the board of trustees is increased from 11 to 13.
APPROVED by Governor May 21, 2012
EFFECTIVE May 21, 2012 | MASSEY / JOHNSTON | Colorado Mesa University | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1331 | 6/4/2012 06/04/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| H.B. 12-1331 Western state Colorado university. The act changes the name of Western state college of Colorado to Western state Colorado university.
APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2012
EFFECTIVE August 1, 2012 | BROWN / SCHWARTZ | Name Change Western State College Of Colorado | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1333 | 5/3/2012 05/03/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill allows a public school employee to request that his or her employer deduct dues for the benefit of a labor organization from the employee's wages. An employer is required to commence or cease making the deductions within 30 days after receiving a written request from an employee. A labor organization that receives dues from an employee's wages is required to make an annual financial disclosure to the employee. An employee may join or terminate membership with a labor organization at any time. | BECKER | Public School Employees Labor Organizations | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1335 | 5/7/2012 05/07/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| Main state budget bill for the 2012-13 fiscal year starting on July 1. | GEROU / HODGE | 2012-13 Long Appropriations Bill | Fiscal note currently unavailable |
| HB12-1338 | 5/3/2012 05/03/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| Joint Budget Committee Budget Package Bill. On the date on which the state controller publishes the comprehensive annual financial report of the state for the fiscal year 2011-12, the state treasurer is required to transfer to the state education fund $59 million from the general fund surplus for the fiscal year 2011-12. On the date on which the state controller publishes the comprehensive annual financial report of the state for the fiscal year 2012-13, the state treasurer is required to transfer to the state education fund the entire amount of the general fund surplus for the fiscal year 2012-13. | GEROU / HODGE | Transfer Of General Fund Surplus To State Ed Fund | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1345 | 5/19/2012 05/19/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The 2012-13 school finance act. | MASSEY / BACON | Financing Of Public Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HB12-1350 | 6/8/2012 06/08/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill allows an institution of higher education to establish a policy that grants in-state tuition classification to a dependent of an active duty member of the United States armed forces if the dependent enrolls in the institution and graduated from a high school outside of Colorado, so long as the dependent completed at least two years at a high school in Colorado within five years prior to enrollment in the institution. | WALLER / HODGE | In-state Status Dependents Armed Forces Members | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HCR12-1003 | 5/2/2012 05/02/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| ELECTIONS: This proposed constitutional amendment would increase signature requirements for proposed citizen-initiated proposals to amend the state constitution. | COURT & ... / SPENCE & ... | Process For Amending The State Constitution | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| HJR12-1023 | 5/8/2012 05/08/2012 Senate Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely
| This resolution would authorize the legislature to hire lawyers to intervene in the appeal of the Lobato v. State school funding case to argue for the legislature's constitutional budgetary powers. | MCNULTY & ... | Authorizing Amicus Curiae Brief In Lobato Case | Fiscal note currently unavailable |
| SB12-015 | 4/25/2012 04/25/2012 House Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| HIGHER EDUCATION: This is the 2012 version of the ASSET bill and would create a special class of tuition for undocumented students. Use of the new rates would be optional for individual state colleges and universities. | GIRON | Creating Optional Category Of Higher Ed Tuition | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-025 | 1/23/2012 01/23/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill allows carrying a concealed weapon on college or university grounds if the person legally possesses a handgun under the laws of Colorado and the United States. | NEVILLE / BAUMGARDNER | Concealed Handgun Carry With No Permit | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-036 | 6/8/2012 06/08/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| This bill would require written parent consent for students to take surveys. | MITCHELL | Parental Consent For Surveys In K-12 Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-040 | 4/16/2012 04/16/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: Makes certain higher education institutions for state building maintenance funds. | BACON / VIGIL | Higher Ed Facilities Eligible For Controlled Maint | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-045 | 4/18/2012 04/18/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill requires creation of a system under which students could combine credits earned at community colleges and four-year schools in order to earn an associates degree. | HUDAK / MASSEY | Higher Ed Associate Degree Transfer Students | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-046 | 5/8/2012 05/08/2012 House Second Reading Laid Over Daily
| The bill amends the legal grounds for suspension or expulsion of a student to increase the discretion of school administrators and school boards. The only circumstances under which expulsion remains mandatory are those that involve a student who brings a firearm to school or possessed a firearm at school. | NEWELL / NIKKEL | Discipline In Public Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-047 | 5/3/2012 05/03/2012 House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
| The bill would require all high school students to take basic skills assessments and for schools to use the results to create intervention plans for students who need them. The state would pay for the tests. | KING K. / MASSEY | Basic Skills Testing In High School | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-051 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The proposal would direct school districts and BOCES to consider adopting contracting policies that require cost-benefit analyses before recommending contract for a service or activity, require formal bidding, specify criteria for recommending contractors (including whether the contractor understands the culture of the affected school and will execute the contract in a manner that supports student success) and
specify minimum contract terms. Beginning Sept. 1, 2012, each school district, BOCES, and charter school must post copies of their services contracts on their web sites. | BACON / MASSEY | Contract Requirements For School Districts | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-057 | 4/16/2012 04/16/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill creates a teacher authorization for indigenous language instruction. The indigenous languages eligible under such an authorization must be from a federally recognized tribe. A holder of an authorization shall not be required to have completed a teacher preparation program or have a baccalaureate degree. Criteria for obtaining an authorization shall be established by the State Board of Education. | WILLIAMS S. / BROWN | Indigenous Language Instruction | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-061 | 4/13/2012 04/13/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill adds to the minimum requirements for district and institute charter school applications, including a description of the proposed charter school''s school management contract, if any. The bill also changes application filing and decision deadlines. The bill extends the allowable initial term of a district charter school''s charter to five years and requires a charter school annually to review with its authorizer the school''s academic and financial performance. The results of the annual meetings form the basis for the eventual decision to revoke or renew the charter school''s charter contract. Each authorizer must adopt procedures and timelines for the charter renewal process, and the bill also establishes procedures for handling charter schools in turnaround status, and an authorizer may revoke a charter if it finds the charter school is not making sufficient improvement. Each authorizer must adopt a policy that establishes procedures for closing a charter school when the charter contract is revoked or not renewed. | KING K. / MASSEY | Charter School Applying Authorizing Revoking | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-063 | 2/2/2012 02/02/2012 Senate Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| HIGHER EDUCATION: The bill establishes a $100 million cap, adjusted annually for inflation, on the current allocation of severance tax revenue. Any additional revenue is to be made available to local governments impacted by mining and energy development under a grant program run by the legislature. Funds remaining after those grants would be transferred to a rural higher education cash fund and appropriated to state colleges rural institutions of higher education. The bill also requires that each rural college set aside at least half of each annual grant in order to build an endowment fund. | BROPHY | Sev Tax Revenues For Rural Insts Of Higher Ed | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-067 | 4/23/2012 04/23/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill requires each charter school, effective July 1, 2013, to incorporate as a nonprofit corporation. The bill prohibits district school boards and the state Charter School Institute from approving a charter application submitted by, or entering into a charter contract with, a for-profit entity. Beginning Sept. 1, 2012, an authorizer may not renew a charter or charter contract with a for-profit entity. | HUDAK / HOLBERT | For-profit And Nonprofit Charter Schools | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-068 | 6/4/2012 06/04/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| S.B. 12-68 School district - boards - powers and duties - children's nutrition - no trans fats in school foods - appropriation. The act prohibits a school of a school district, a district charter school, or an institute charter school from making available to a student a food item that contains any amount of industrially produced trans fat. The prohibition applies to all food and beverages made available to a student on school grounds during each school day and extended school day, including but not limited to a food or beverage item made available to a student in a school cafeteria, school store, vending machine, or other food service entity existing upon school grounds. The prohibition does not apply to any food or beverage that is made available to a student as part of a meal program of the United States department of agriculture; that is made available to a student as part of any fundraising effort conducted by one or more students, teachers, or parents; or that is donated to the school to be given to a student for consumption off of school premises and not during the school day.
The act appropriates to the department of education, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2012, the sum of $6,800 for allocation to the federal nutrition programs for consulting services related to the implementation of the act.
APPROVED by Governor June 4, 2012
EFFECTIVE August 8, 2012
NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause. | GUZMAN / MASSEY | No Trans Fats In Public School Foods | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-079 | 3/24/2012 03/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| This measures makes various technical changes in the law governing the Safe2tell school safety program. | KING S. / STEPHENS | Safe2tell Program Revisions School Safety | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-082 | 2/9/2012 02/09/2012 Senate Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: The bill would require that for new PERA employees hired on or after Jan. 1, 2013, the age eligibility requirement to receive a PERA retirement benefit would be the same as that for taking Social Security. PERA eligibility is currently based on combinations of a person's age, when the person started employment and the number of years of service credit a person has earned. | HARVEY | PERA Retirement Age Same As Social Security | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-084 | 2/14/2012 02/14/2012 Senate Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: All information contained in the records of a member or retiree of PERA is currently confidential. The bill would allow for the annual disclosure of specific information related to members and retirees who have been elected officials or cabinet-level appointees of elected officials. | LAMBERT / SWALM | PERA Transparency | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-098 | 2/16/2012 02/16/2012 Senate Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill requires all schools with students in any of grades 9 through 12 to offer student training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator (CPR/AED training). Schools shall require each student to successfully complete CPR/AED training during the 12th grade or any of the preceding five years as a condition of graduation. The bill would go into effect Sept. 1. The State Board of Education would be required to issue regulations for the program, including monitoring and compliance. The state also would establish a grant-supported fund to help districts with costs of the program. | WILLIAMS S. / MASSEY | CPR Training For High School Students | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-100 | 2/15/2012 02/15/2012 Senate Committee on Business, Labor and Technology Postpone Indefinitely
| LABOR RELATIONS: The bill prohibits an employer from requiring any person, as a condition of employment, to become or remain a member of a labor organization or to pay dues, fees or other assessments to a labor organization or to a charity organization or other third party in lieu of the labor organization. The bill would apply to school districts and higher education institutions. | NEVILLE / JOSHI | Prohibit Discrimination Labor Union Participation | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-103 | 5/3/2012 05/03/2012 Senate Committee on Education Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill provides that, effective July 1, 2015, the at-risk funding received by a district charter school, the accounting of central administrative overhead costs between a district charter school and the school district, and the direct purchase of school district services by a district charter school will be based on a formula for adjusted per pupil revenues, regardless of whether the district charter school's charter application was approved before or after July 1, 2004, and regardless of the percentage of at-risk students in the chartering school district. Commencing with the 2015-16 school district budget year, school districts will provide information concerning the programs and services purchased with the school district's at-risk funding and the percentage of at-risk pupils served by each program or service. The school district will post the information on-line for free public access. | BACON | At-risk Funding Formula Charter School & District | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-106 | 5/4/2012 05/04/2012 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 05/10/2012
| The bill adds a fourth performance indicator for school and workforce readiness to reflect the number of students who, upon enrollment in an institution of higher education, require remediation course work. Early colleges are added to those institutions that have a guaranteed transfer of core course credits to public institutions of higher education, provided they meet the requirements established by the Department of Higher Education. Early colleges that have been accredited by the department are granted the authority to award degrees. | KING K. | Statutory Changes Related To Education | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-119 | 2/9/2012 02/09/2012 Senate Committee on Finance Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: The bill requires the board of PERA to adjust the provisions governing service credit, service retirement, benefit amounts, annual benefit increases and other benefit requirements for each PERA division when the amortization period for the division exceeds 30 years or when indicated by actuarial experience. The board is required to make the adjustments as equitably as possible and only to the extent necessary to maintain the long-term actuarial soundness of each trust fund. Adjustments shall be calculated to make each trust fund actuarially sound within one year of implementing the adjustment. The board and the General Assembly are prohibited from increasing the combined rate of member contributions, employer contributions, amortization equalization disbursements and supplemental amortization equalization disbursements above the combined rate of such contributions and disbursements authorized by law as of December 31, 2011. | NEVILLE / HOLBERT | PERA Fiscal Sustainability | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-121 | 5/11/2012 05/11/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill makes various changes in charter school law, including revisions in the matching funds requirement applied to charter schools under the BEST program and creation of a state loan program under which charter schools could receive up to 50 percent of their matching funds through loans. The bill also proposes multiple changes in law regarding Charter School Institute schools, including a provision allowing the institute to authorize charter schools within school districts that are accredited with turnaround plans. (Current law only allows the institute to approve schools in districts that do not have exclusive chartering authority.) The bill also would give the institute greater financial flexibility. | KING K. / MASSEY | BEST Program And Charter School Institute | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-130 | 4/25/2012 04/25/2012 House Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| The bill creates the Office of Early Childhood and Youth Development in the state Department of Human Services, consolidating oversight of several programs now part of various agencies. The new office would coordinate federal funding for early childhood programs, coordinate and allocate funding to local early childhood councils, develop a state early childhood plan. Various agencies, including the Department of Education, would be required to review their rules and procedures to align to the state plan. The new office would give an annual report to the Joint Budget Committee. The bill is a legislative priority for the Hickenlooper administration. | NEWELL / MASSEY | Governance Of Child Development Programs | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-145 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| BUDGET: Current law provides that all interest and income earned on the investment of moneys in the Public School Fund, except interest and income transferred to the BEST program, is to be transferred to the Public School Fund through the 2012-13 fiscal year. The bill caps the 2011-12 fiscal year transfer to the Public School Fund at $15 million and ensures that for the 2011-12 fiscal year, after the transfer to BEST, remaining interest and income from the Permanent School Fund remain in the fund and become part of the principal. Current law provides that public school land revenues, except for some transfers to the State Land Board and BEST, be transferred into the Public School Fund instead of being deposited in the permanent fund. The bill caps the 2011-12 fiscal year transfer to the Public School Fund at $21 million and ensures that, for the 2011-12 state fiscal year, after transfers to the land board and BEST, revenues are to be deposited into the permanent fund. | STEADMAN / BECKER | Cap 2011-12 School Land Revenues Transfers | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-148 | 4/18/2012 04/18/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill changes the name of Metropolitan State College of Denver to Metropolitan State University of Denver and makes conforming amendments. | GUZMAN / DURAN | Name Change Metropolitan State College Of Denver | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-160 | 5/24/2012 05/24/2012 Governor Action - Signed
| The bill proposes various changes in the membership of the Colorado State Advisory Council for Parent Involvement in education appointed by the State Board of Education. | HUDAK | Parent Involvement In Education | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-164 | 5/8/2012 05/08/2012 House Second Reading Laid Over Daily
| The bill makes several changes to the existing laws concerning authorization of private colleges and universities and seminaries and Bible colleges. The changes generally clarify the types of institutions that are subject to authorization and specifically require the Colorado Commission on Higher Education and the Department of Higher Education to set procedures for authorizing, renewing, and revoking the authorizations for private institutions, including for-profit institutions. | HEATH / MASSEY | Operations Of Private Postsecondary Institutions | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-167 | 5/1/2012 05/01/2012 Senate Second Reading Lost
| The bill authorizes state institutions of higher education to establish student health trusts for self-funded health plans established by the institutions to provide health benefits to students and their eligible dependents. It exempts the trusts and self-funded plans from the state insurance regulations but requires reports to be filed with, and authorizes examinations by, the commissioner of insurance. | HEATH / PABON | Higher Education Student Health Trusts And Plans | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-172 | 5/7/2012 05/07/2012 House Committee on Education Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
| Under current law, the state board of education (state board) is directed to adopt a system of assessments aligned with state standards in a variety of subjects. The bill directs the state to join as a governing board member a consortium of states that is developing a common set of assessments. For assessments in reading, writing, and mathematics, the state board will rely upon assessments developed by the consortium. For all other assessments, the state board will, to the extent possible, rely upon assessments developed in conjunction with other states. | JOHNSTON | Multi-state Student Assessments | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SB12-179 | 5/4/2012 05/04/2012 Senate Committee on Appropriations Postpone Indefinitely
| On and after July 1, 2012, the bill prohibits an individual who has any financial interest in a potential or funded "Building Excellent Schools Today Act" (BEST) project from serving as a member of the public school capital construction assistance board (BEST board). The bill requires the BEST board to include information regarding assistance fund revenues and the assistance fund balance in the annual report that it presents to specified committees of the general assembly and to make the report available electronically on the web site of the department of education. Under current law, the state division of fire safety (division) generally adopts building standards for public school capital construction, conducts plan reviews, permitting, and inspections for public school buildings and structures, and issues certificates of occupancy for the buildings and structures. The division may, however, qualify a local building department to conduct those activities within the department's jurisdiction, and a school board, a charter school, or the state charter school institute may go to a prequalified appropriate building department rather than the division for required plan reviews, permitting, inspections, and certificate of occupancy issuance. An appeals board considers appeals of the division's administrative decisions. The bill: * Encourages the division to prequalify appropriate building departments whenever feasible and requires a school board that has buildings or structures only within the territory of one municipality or only within the unincorporated territory of one county, a charter school, or the state charter school institute to go to a prequalified appropriate building department, if one is available, in lieu of the division for required plan reviews, permitting, inspections, and certificate of occupancy issuance; * Adds the director of the division of public school capital construction assistance in the department of education (BEST division) to the appeals board and clarifies the scope of the board's powers; * Requires the BEST division to conduct supplemental plan reviews for any BEST-funded public school capital construction project for which a prequalified appropriate building department, rather than the division, is conducting necessary plan reviews, issuing building permits, conducting inspections, and issuing a certificate of occupancy; and * Requires the BEST division to ensure that the owner's representative for any BEST-funded project to be constructed pursuant to a design-build contract is wholly independent of the contractor. | SCHWARTZ / MASSEY | Public School Capital Construction Oversight | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SCR12-003 | 4/30/2012 04/30/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| This proposed constitutional amendment would shift lottery revenues from the Great Outdoors Colorado fund to the State Education Fund for five years. | LUNDBERG | Lottery Revenues For State Education Fund | Fiscal impact for this bill |
| SCR12-004 | 4/30/2012 04/30/2012 Senate Committee on State, Veterans & Military Affairs Postpone Indefinitely
| PENSIONS: This proposed constitutional amendment would impose certain transparency requirements on some records of the Public Employees' Retirement Association and on board meetings. | LAMBERT / SWALM | PERA Transparency | Fiscal impact for this bill |