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Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 26-0174.01 Anna Petrini x5497 HOUSE BILL 26-1029
House Committees Senate Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING ENHANCING REPRESENTATION IN HIGHER EDUCATION BY101
ALTERING THE MEMBERSHIP OF CERTAIN ENTITIES INVOLVED IN102
HIGHER EDUCATION POLICY DEVELOPMENT IN THE STATE.103
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill enhances student representation in higher education by
expanding the Colorado commission on higher education (commission)
from 11 to 13 voting members by adding 2 student members who are
enrolled at a state-supported institution of higher education (student
members). The bill adds:
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Hamrick,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Marchman,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
! One student member from a graduate research university or
a 4-year institution of higher education; and
! One student member from a community college, local
district college, or area technical college.
The bill shrinks the advisory committee to the commission from
13 to 12 members by removing the advisory committee member
designated to represent the students of the state.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-1-102, amend (3)2
and (4); and add (3.5) and (9) as follows:3
23-1-102. Commission established - terms of office - definition.4
(3) (a) The commission consists of the following members,5
appointed by the governor with the consent of the senate:6
(I) One member from each congressional district in the state; and7
(II) Three members from the state at large;8
(III) ONE STUDENT MEMBER WHO, AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT,9
IS ENROLLED AS A STUDENT AT A STATE-SUPPORTED GRADUATE RESEARCH10
UNIVERSITY OR A STATE-SUPPORTED FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTION OF HIGHER11
EDUCATION; AND12
(IV) ONE STUDENT MEMBER WHO, AT THE TIME OF APPOINTMENT,13
IS ENROLLED AS A STUDENT AT A STATE -SUPPORTED COMMUNITY14
COLLEGE, LOCAL DISTRICT COLLEGE, OR AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE.15
(b) The governor shall select the members of the commission on16
the basis of their knowledge of and interest in higher education. At least17
one member of the commission WHO IS NOT A STUDENT MEMBER must18
reside west of the continental divide. No more than a minimum majority19
of the members of the commission, EXCLUDING THE STUDENT MEMBERS,20
may be affiliated with the same political party at any time. T O THE21
EXTENT PRACTICABLE , THE COMMISSION MEMBERSHIP MUST INCLUDE22
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PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES AND REFLECT THE RACIAL AND ETHNIC1
DIVERSITY OF THE STATE.2
(c) The term of each NON-STUDENT member is four years, AND3
THE TERM OF A STUDENT MEMBER IS TWO YEARS ; except that the terms4
shall be ARE staggered so that no more than a minimum majority of5
members' terms expire in the same year. No member of the commission6
may serve more than two consecutive full four-year terms. A STUDENT7
MEMBER WHO GRADUATES FROM THE STUDENT 'S STATE -SUPPORTED8
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION DURING THE STUDENT 'S TERM MAY9
CONTINUE TO SERVE ON THE COMMISSION THROUGH THE NATURAL10
EXPIRATION DATE OF THE STUDENT MEMBER'S TERM.11
(3.5) (a) ON OR BEFORE JULY 1, 2027, THE GOVERNOR SHALL MAKE12
THE INITIAL APPOINTMENTS OF STUDENT MEMBERS.13
(b) IF A STUDENT MEMBER APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION14
(3)(a)(III) OF THIS SECTION WITHDRAWS FROM EITHER A STATE-SUPPORTED15
GRADUATE RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OR A STATE -SUPPORTED FOUR-YEAR16
INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY17
RE-ENROLL AS A STUDENT AT A DIFFERENT STATE-SUPPORTED GRADUATE18
RESEARCH UNIVERSITY OR STATE-SUPPORTED FOUR-YEAR INSTITUTION OF19
HIGHER EDUCATION, THEN A VACANCY IS CREATED. IF A STUDENT MEMBER20
APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a)(IV) OF THIS SECTION21
WITHDRAWS FROM A STATE -SUPPORTED COMMUNITY COLLEGE , LOCAL22
DISTRICT COLLEGE , OR AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE AND DOES NOT23
IMMEDIATELY RE -ENROLL AS A STUDENT AT A DIFFERENT24
STATE-SUPPORTED COMMUNITY COLLEGE, LOCAL DISTRICT COLLEGE, OR25
AREA TECHNICAL COLLEGE, THEN A VACANCY IS CREATED. THE GOVERNOR26
SHALL FILL A VACANCY CREATED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (3.5)(b)27
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BY APPOINTING A NEW STUDENT MEMBER FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE1
UNEXPIRED TERM.2
(4) (a) At the time of appointment, no A member of the3
commission shall MUST NOT have been an officer, employee, or member4
of a governing board or an officer or employee of any A state-supported5
institution of higher education in the state for a period of one year prior6
to his or her THE MEMBER'S appointment. During his or her A MEMBER OF7
THE COMMISSION'S term of office, no THE member of the commission8
shall MUST NOT be a member of the general assembly or an officer,9
employee, or member of a governing board or an officer or employee of10
a state-supported institution of higher education.11
(b) T HE REQUIREMENTS IN SUBSECTION (4)(a) OF THIS SECTION12
REGARDING CONNECTIONS WITH A GOVERNING BOARD OR13
STATE-SUPPORTED INSTITUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION DO NOT APPLY TO14
A STUDENT MEMBER.15
(9) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE16
REQUIRES, "STUDENT MEMBER" MEANS A MEMBER OF THE COMMISSION17
APPOINTED PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (3)(a)(III), (3)(a)(IV), OR (3.5) OF18
THIS SECTION.19
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-1-103, amend (1)20
introductory portion and (1)(b) as follows:21
23-1-103. Advisory committee to the Colorado commission on22
higher education.23
(1) There is hereby established an advisory committee to the24
commission for the purpose of suggesting solutions for the problems and25
needs of higher education and maintaining liaison with the general26
assembly and the governing boards for state-supported institutions of27
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higher education. The advisory committee shall consist CONSISTS of not1
less than thirteen TWELVE members, to be designated as follows:2
(b) One member shall be selected and designated by the3
commission to represent the faculty in the state and one member shall be4
selected and designated by the commission to represent the students in the5
state. On and after August 5, 2009, THE COMMISSION SHALL SELECT AND6
DESIGNATE ONE MEMBER TO REPRESENT THE FACULTY IN THE STATE. The7
commission shall select and designate one member who, at the time of8
designation, is a parent of a student who is enrolled in a state-supported9
institution of higher education in Colorado to represent the parents of10
students.11
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-1-105.5, amend12
(1)(a) as follows:13
23-1-105.5. Duties and powers of the commission with respect14
to student fees - report on tuition and fees.15
(1) (a) The commission shall adopt policies concerning the16
collection and use of student fees by the governing boards of the state17
institutions of higher education, as defined in section 23-5-119.5. The18
policies may address, but need not be limited to, the purposes for student19
fees; categories of student fees; the distinctions between tuition revenue20
and student fee revenue; accounting for student fee revenue; student fee21
fund balances; the minimum level of student involvement in the processes22
for establishing, reviewing, changing the amount of, and discontinuing23
student fees; and student fees that apply to a student concurrently enrolled24
pursuant to article 35 of title 22. In preparing the policies, the commission25
shall seek input from the governing boards, the state institutions of higher26
education, and the student representative to the advisory committee27
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created pursuant to section 23-1-103 and representatives of the student1
governments at the state institutions of higher education.2
SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act3
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the4
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August5
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a6
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the7
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act8
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect9
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in10
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the11
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.12
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