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HB26-1372 • 2026

Appropriations to Auraria Higher Education Center

Joint Budget Committee. Existing law imposes certain requirements related to money appropriated to the Auraria higher education center (AHEC) for operations costs, including a requirement to use the m

Budget Education
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Rep. K. Brown, Rep. R. Taggart, Sen. J. Amabile, Sen. J. Bridges, Rep. E. Sirota, Sen. B. Kirkmeyer
Last action
2026-04-14
Official status
Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text does not provide specific details about what happens after July 1, 2027.

Requirements for Spending Appropriations for Auraria Higher Education Center

This bill extends existing requirements related to money appropriated to the Auraria higher education center (AHEC) for operations costs, ensuring these rules apply through July 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

  • Extends the current requirements that govern how money is spent by AHEC for operational costs until July 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC)

Terms To Know

Baseline service level agreements
Contracts that outline the services and costs between AHEC and its constituent institutions.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens after July 1, 2027.
  • It is unclear if there are any changes to how funds are managed beyond extending current requirements.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-14 Senate

    Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

  2. 2026-04-13 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations

  3. 2026-04-11 House

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  4. 2026-04-10 House

    House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  5. 2026-04-09 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

  6. 2026-04-08 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  7. 2026-04-06 House

    House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

  8. 2026-04-02 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations

Official Summary Text

Joint Budget Committee.
Existing law imposes certain requirements related to money appropriated to the Auraria higher education center (AHEC) for operations costs, including a requirement to use the money in accordance with baseline service level agreements entered into by AHEC's constituent institutions. The requirements apply through July 1, 2026.
The bill extends the requirements to apply through July 1, 2027.
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0949.01 Veronica Parish x2606 HOUSE BILL 26-1372
House Committees Senate Committees
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING REQUIREMENTS FOR SP ENDING APPROPRIATIONS FOR101
THE AURARIA HIGHER EDUCATION CENTER.102
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/.)
Joint Budget Committee. Existing law imposes certain
requirements related to money appropriated to the Auraria higher
education center (AHEC) for operations costs, including a requirement to
use the money in accordance with baseline service level agreements
entered into by AHEC's constituent institutions. The requirements apply
through July 1, 2026.
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 11, 2026
HOUSE
2nd Reading Unamended
April 9, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Brown and Taggart, Sirota,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Amabile and Bridges, Kirkmeyer
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.
The bill extends the requirements to apply through July 1, 2027.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-70-118, amend2
(1) introductory portion, (2) introductory portion, (2)(a), (3), (4)3
introductory portion, and (5) as follows:4
23-70-118. Requirements for money that is appropriated to5
the department of higher education for use by the Auraria higher6
education center - repeal.7
(1) Any money that the general assembly appropriates to the8
department of higher education for the Auraria higher education center9
to use for operational costs in FOR the 2025-26 state fiscal year AND FOR10
EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR THEREAFTER must be used as agreed upon by11
the constituent institutions in baseline service level agreements, including12
operational costs associated with:13
(2) Any baseline service level agreement that the Auraria higher14
education center enters into using money appropriated by the general15
assembly for the 2025-26 state fiscal year AND FOR EACH STATE FISCAL16
YEAR THEREAFTER must:17
(a) Be executed by the contracting parties no later than September18
1, 2025 SEPTEMBER 1 OF EACH FISCAL YEAR, until which time the Auraria19
higher education center and the constituent institutions shall operate20
according to existing service level agreements;21
(3) In the 2025-26 state fiscal year, AND EACH STATE FISCAL YEAR22
THEREAFTER, the Auraria higher education center shall manage all23
resources related to baseline service level agreements and goals and shall24
present quarterly updates regarding baseline service level agreements and25
1372-2-
goals to the constituent institutions.1
(4) The Auraria higher education center shall establish fee2
structures for the 2025-26 state fiscal year for all services that are not3
already provided for in the baseline service level agreements. The4
constituent institutions may enter into additional agreements with the5
Auraria higher education center for services that are not provided for in6
the baseline service level agreements, in which case the Auraria higher7
education center shall explain why the additional contracted services do8
not fall within the baseline service level agreements. The fee structures9
established pursuant to this subsection (4) must:10
(5) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2026 JULY 1, 2027.11
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,12
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate13
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for14
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state15
institutions.16
1372-3-