Read the full stored bill text
Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 26-0587.02 Jacob Baus x2173 SENATE BILL 26-057
Senate Committees House Committees
State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING LOCAL SCHOOL BOARD DIRECTORS ELECTED BY THE101
ELIGIBLE ELECTORS RESIDING WITHIN THE DIRECTOR DISTRICT.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.)
Under current law, local school board members are voted on at
large by the eligible electors of the school district, with exceptions.
The bill requires that local school board members be voted on by
the eligible electors residing within the director district and creates an
exclusion of this requirement for school districts that enroll fewer than
6,500 students.
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Baisley,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Marshall,
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.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-31-105, amend2
(2), (4)(a), (4)(b), and (6)(a); and add (2.5) as follows:3
22-31-105. School directors - number - election - term - plan4
of representation.5
(2) Except as otherwise provided in section 22-31-131 (1.5)(b)(I)6
and subsection (6.5) SUBSECTIONS (1)(b), (2.5), AND (6.5) of this section,7
all school directors shall MUST be voted on at large by the eligible electors8
of the entire school district, regardless of the school district's plan of9
representation BY THE ELIGIBLE ELECTORS RESIDING WITHIN THE DIRECTOR10
DISTRICT.11
(2.5) S UBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A12
SCHOOL DISTRICT WHOSE TOTAL STUDENT ENROLLMENT IS SIX THOUSAND13
FIVE HUNDRED OR FEWER STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL YEAR IN WHICH A14
DIRECTOR ELECTION OCCURS OR ANY OF THE FIVE SCHOOL YEARS BEFORE15
THE DIRECTOR ELECTION OCCURS . FOR A DISTRICT DESCRIBED IN THIS16
SUBSECTION (2.5), SCHOOL DIRECTORS MAY BE VOTED ON AT LARGE BY17
THE ELIGIBLE ELECTORS OF THE ENTIRE SCHOOL DISTRICT IN ACCORDANCE18
WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT'S PLAN OF REPRESENTATION.19
(4) (a) The board of education of a school district may, by20
resolution passed by a majority of the whole board, submit to the eligible21
electors of the school district, at the next regular biennial school election,22
a proposal to change the number of directors; except that the school23
district shall not elect fewer than five nor more than seven directors. The24
proposal shall MUST be adopted by resolution of the board at least one25
hundred ten days prior to the election. As provided in subsection (7) of26
SB26-057-2-
this section, the board of education may simultaneously adopt a resolution1
to submit a proposal to change the school district plan of representation;2
except that, if the existing school directors are elected pursuant to a3
director district plan of representation, the board of education shall4
simultaneously adopt a resolution to submit a proposal to either change5
the boundaries of the director districts to reflect the change in the number6
of directors, or change the school district plan of representation to adopt7
an at-large plan of representation or a combined director district and8
at-large plan of representation UNLESS A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SUBJECT TO9
SECTION 22-31-131 OR SUBSECTION (1)(b) OR (2.5) OF THIS SECTION.10
(b) Upon receipt of a written petition that meets the requirements11
specified in this paragraph (b) SUBSECTION (4)(b), the board of education12
of a school district shall submit to the eligible electors of the school13
district, at the next regular biennial school election, a proposal to change14
the number of directors; except that the school district shall not elect15
fewer than five nor more than seven directors. As provided in subsection16
(7) of this section, the persons submitting the petition may simultaneously17
submit a petition to change the school district plan of representation. If18
the existing school directors are elected pursuant to a director district plan19
of representation and no change to the school district plan of20
representation is submitted by petition, the board of education shall adopt21
a resolution to submit a proposal to either change the boundaries of the22
director districts to reflect the change in the number of directors, UNLESS23
A SCHOOL DISTRICT IS SUBJECT TO SECTION 22-31-131 OR SUBSECTION24
(1)(b) OR (2.5) O F TH I S S EC T I O N, or change the school district plan of25
representation to adopt an at-large plan of representation or a combined26
director district and at-large plan of representation. Any petition27
SB26-057-3-
submitted pursuant to this paragraph (b) shall SUBSECTION (4)(b) MUST be1
signed by at least five percent of the eligible electors of the district and2
shall MUST be submitted to the secretary of the board of education at least3
one hundred ten days prior to the election.4
(6) (a) The board of education of any school district that desires5
to propose a change in its plan of representation may submit a plan to6
implement such THE change to the eligible electors of the school district7
at any regular biennial school election or at a special school election8
called by the board for that purpose. A change in the plan of9
representation may consist of the adoption of a director district plan of10
representation, the elimination of a director district plan of representation11
and replacement with an at-large plan of representation, or the adoption12
of a plan of representation that combines director districts with an at-large13
plan of representation. A DISTRICT THAT IS SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (2) OF14
THIS SECTION IS PROHIBITED FROM CHANGING ITS PLAN OF15
REPRESENTATION TO AN AT -LARGE PLAN OF REPRESENTATION. The plan16
shall MUST be adopted by the board of education at least one hundred ten17
days prior to the election.18
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act19
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the20
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August21
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a22
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the23
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act24
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect25
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in26
SB26-057-4-
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the1
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.2
SB26-057-5-