Rep. Eliza Hamrick

The bill establishes a process by which a student, parent, or member of the community may object to a library resource in a school or public library. Each library resource that is reconsidered pursuant to the process must be evaluated based on standards applied by a committee for school libraries and a director of a public library. Members of the committee for school libraries are appointed by the superintendent of the school district, and the committee covers reconsideration requests in all schools in the district. For public libraries, the director is selected by the library's board of trustees and covers the library or libraries in the library district. A library resource may not be removed while a request for reconsideration is pending. A principal, librarian, media specialist, other employee, contractor, or volunteer may refuse a directive to remove a library resource if such an individual has a good faith belief that the directive conflicts with law or policy established pursuant to the bill, and such an individual may not be subjected to retaliation. The bill prevents the state board of education from waiving the requirements of the bill as they are applied to public schools, district charter schools, and institute charter schools. The bill specifies that it is a discriminatory practice and unlawful for anyone to discriminate against anyone in the selection, retention, reconsideration, or display of a library resource. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act expands the definition of state "records" to include audio recordings, visual recordings, and audio-visual recordings regardless of their format, which allows these types of records to be deposited in the state archives. It also provides for the preservation of state records through digital scanning when the preservation method meets certain standards established by the department of personnel. The act repeals the requirement that the state archives receives copies of every state publication. APPROVED by Governor June 5, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act directs the office of future of work (office) in the department of labor and employment (department) to create a two-year apprenticeship navigator pilot program (program) with 2 full-time apprenticeship navigators, with each apprenticeship navigator assigned to a different school district selected by the office. The purpose of the program is to increase awareness of registered apprenticeship programs among graduating high school students in the selected school districts. Upon completion of the program, the act requires that the department issue a report detailing the direct and indirect costs of the operation and administration of the program to specified legislative committees of reference. The act directs the office to promote apprenticeship programs to high school students by creating and maintaining a web-based job board of apprenticeships and incorporating apprenticeships in the state's career planning tools. The department may promulgate rules for the administration of the program. The program is repealed, effective January 1, 2027. The act appropriates $342,638 from the general fund to the department for use by the department's executive director's office for the 2023-24 state fiscal year. The act also appropriates $44,000 to the department of education from the general fund for the 2023-24 state fiscal year. APPROVED by Governor May 16, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law requires the department of education (department) to award an annual stipend of $1,600 to teachers, school counselors, principals, and school psychologists who hold national board certification and who are employed by a school district, board of cooperative services, charter school of a school district, or an institute charter school (local education provider). The bill extends the $1,600 stipend to qualified librarians and school social workers who hold national board certification and who are employed by a local education provider. Current law allows the department to award an additional $3,200 annual stipend to teachers, principals, school counselors, and school psychologists who are employed in a low-performing, high-needs school. The bill allows the department to also extend an additional $3,200 stipend to librarians or school social workers who are employed in a low-performing, high-needs school. The additional $3,200 stipend is also extended to teachers, librarians, school counselors, school psychologists, or school social workers (national board-certified educators) who are employed in a rural school district. The bill allows the department to extend an additional $3,200 stipend to national board-certified educators who are employed as math teachers in any school. If a national board-certified educator transfers employment from one low-performing, high-needs school or rural school district to another low-performing, high-needs school or rural school district, the educator remains eligible for the additional stipend. However, if a national board-certified educator leaves employment with a low-performing, high-needs school or rural school district, the educator is no longer eligible for the additional stipend. If a national board-certified math teacher transfers schools as a math teacher, the educator remains eligible for the additional stipend. However, if a national board-certified educator who is a math teacher stops teaching math, the educator is no longer eligible for the additional stipend. If there are insufficient funds, the department shall reduce the amount of each stipend by the same percentage that the deficit bears to the amount required to fully fund the total number of national board-certified educators who qualify for the stipend. A national board-certified educator who is employed as a principal or an administrator in a school and maintains a national certification is eligible for a stipend. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The sexual misconduct advisory committee (advisory committee) repeals September 1, 2023. The act implements the department of regulatory agencies' recommendation to continue the advisory committee indefinitely. APPROVED by Governor April 28, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Current law allows a person who is 18 years of age or older to knowingly possess or purchase a firearm. The act increases the age to legally purchase a firearm to 21 years of age or older. The act makes the unlawful purchase of a firearm by a person who is less than 21 years of age a class 2 misdemeanor and makes it unlawful for a licensed or unlicensed gun dealer to facilitate such a sale. Exceptions include: The person is an active member of the United States armed forces; or The person is a peace officer or certified by the P.O.S.T. board. APPROVED by Governor April 28, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act continues the Colorado student leaders institute program and changes responsibility for the program from the department of higher education to the department of education. This change shifts oversight of the program from a governor-appointed executive board to the state board of education. The act transfers the long bill appropriation for the program from the department of higher education to the department of education. The bill appropriates $8,184 from the general fund to department of education to implement the act. APPROVED by Governor April 27, 2023 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE June 30, 2023 PORTIONS EFFECTIVE July 1, 2023 (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The bill requires the department of education (department) to cap standardized summative assessments administered to the minimum extent possible, if requested by the local education provider. The bill requires the department to apply for a federal waiver for federal assessment requirements. The bill requires the department to support, through various means, local education providers and schools to innovate new assessments.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

The act extends the maximum length of an employment contract between a state system of higher education, or a campus of a state institution of higher education, and an individual who has a non-tenure-track classroom teaching or librarian appointment from 3 years to 5 years. APPROVED by Governor March 23, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

The act encourages all public high schools and all high schools that participate in the Colorado comprehensive health education program in the state to provide instruction on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator to students in grades 9 through 12. APPROVED by Governor March 23, 2023 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2023 NOTE: This act was passed without a safety clause and takes effect 90 days after sine die. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)