Joint Budget Committee. The bill requires the state treasurer to transfer $120,000 from the unused state-owned real property fund to the general fund on July 1, 2024.(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
The general assembly recognizes that the actual funded pupil count and the at-risk pupil count for the 2023-24 budget year are higher than expected when the appropriation amount for the state share of total program funding was established during the 2023 legislative session, resulting in an increase in total program funding for the 2023-24 budget year. In addition, local property tax revenue and specific ownership tax revenue are higher than anticipated, resulting in an increase in the local share of total program funding for the 2023-24 budget year. The act declares the general assembly's intent to maintain the budget stabilization factor at the amount of the original appropriation for the 2023-24 budget year. The act decreases the appropriation for the state share of total program funding by $23,964,790 in cash funds from the state education fund and adjusts the 2023-24 state fiscal year long bill accordingly. APPROVED by Governor March 8, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 8, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The America 250 - Colorado 150 commission (commission) was created in history Colorado to develop programs and plan for the official observance across Colorado of the 250th anniversary of the founding of the United States, as marked by the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and the 150th anniversary of Colorado statehood (the anniversaries). The commission's powers and duties include marketing to support commemorative events and involvement in local opportunities for public discussion, commemorative events, and historical and educational activities regarding the anniversaries. The act creates a temporary cash fund that is continuously appropriated to the commission through history Colorado for earned revenue received from sale of items commemorating the anniversaries (fund) and any other money that the general assembly may appropriate or transfer to the fund. The commission will use money from the fund to provide grants to local communities to assist recipient communities providing local opportunities in connection with commemorating the anniversaries and must provide an annual report to the joint budget committee regarding grants that are awarded. Money from the fund may also be used by the commission to administer, implement, and effectuate community grants. APPROVED by Governor March 8, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 8, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The act adds approved facility schools, facilities, and the Colorado school for the deaf and the blind (Colorado school) as types of school food authorities in order to make approved facility schools, facilities, and the Colorado school eligible for state nutrition programs. For the 2023-24 state fiscal year, the act appropriates $17,752 to the department of education for state nutrition programs. APPROVED by Governor March 8, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 8, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Current law permits a community college or local district college to develop and implement minimum graduation requirements for a high school diploma. The act gives that authority to the state board of community colleges and occupational education and a local district college board of trustees. The act authorizes the department of education (department) to roll forward unexpended and unencumbered money appropriated to the department from the general fund for the 2023-24 and 2024-25 state fiscal years for the adult education and literacy grant program (program). The money is available to the department for the program through the 2028-29 state fiscal year, at which time it reverts to the general fund. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Existing law requires the Colorado commission on higher education to report to the house and senate education committees information about developing the student success data system into a statewide longitudinal data system that connects K-12, postsecondary, and workforce information. A report was required on or before January 15, 2023, and on or before January 15, 2024. The act extends each deadline 2 years, so that a report is required on or before January 15, 2025, and on or before January 15, 2026. The department of higher education was appropriated $3 million for the student success data system. The act permits the department to spend the appropriated money through December 31, 2026. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The autism treatment fund was repealed in 2023, but transfers to the autism treatment fund continue until July 1, 2025. The act retroactively discontinues transfers to the autism treatment fund that occur after the 2022-23 fiscal year. On June 30, 2024, the act requires the state treasurer to transfer any balance remaining in the autism treatment fund to the tobacco litigation settlement cash fund. APPROVED by Governor March 6, 2024 EFFECTIVE March 6, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
The bill creates the empowerment scholarship program (program) in the department of education (department). The purpose of the program is to meet the educational needs of every eligible student by assisting with certain education expenses. The bill requires: The department to contract with an entity that will administer the program (administering entity); The department to transfer to the administering entity an amount equal to 80% of the prior budget year's statewide average of district per pupil funding for an eligible student who receives a scholarship, except to prorate the amount based on the amount of time remaining in the budget year if the eligible student is found eligible after the beginning of the budget year; The parent of an eligible student to apply to the administering entity for an empowerment scholarship account (account); A parent of an eligible student to only spend money in the account on defined eligible expenses; and The administering entity to oversee the program and comply with an audit to ensure scholarship money is spent on defined eligible expenses.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
