College Opportunity Fund Working Group

Second Regular Session Seventy-fifth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO INTRODUCED HOUSE BILL 26-1093 LLS NO. 26-0478.02 Lindy Schaible x4215 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Martinez, SENATE SPONSORSHIP (None), House Committees Senate Committees Education A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING THE CREATION OF A WORKING GROUP TO DETERMINE HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY FUND FOR PERSONS WHO ARE INCARCERATED IN COLORADO.

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 creates a working group to make findings and recommendations concerning how to implement the college opportunity fund for persons who are incarcerated in Colorado, including whether fee-for-service contracts for participating institutions of higher education need to be modified. The bill requires the working group to report its 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.

findings and recommendations to the education committees of the house of representatives and the senate on or before December 1, 2026.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado: SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-5-151 as follows:

23-5-151. Implementing the college opportunity fund for persons incarcerated in Colorado working group - creation - members - duties - report - repeal.

(1) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, SHALL CONVENE A WORKING GROUP TO STUDY HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY FUND, CREATED IN SECTION 23-18-202, FOR PERSONS INCARCERATED IN COLORADO.

(2) (a) THE WORKING GROUP CONSISTS OF THE FOLLOWING MEMBERS:

(I) THE PRESIDENT OF ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY OR THEIR DESIGNEE;

(II) THE PRESIDENT OF TRINIDAD STATE COLLEGE OR THEIR DESIGNEE;

(III) TWO ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY REPRESENTATIVES, APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY OR THE PRESIDENT'S DESIGNEE;

(IV) THE PRESIDENT OF PUEBLO COMMUNITY COLLEGE OR THEIR DESIGNEE;

(V) THE CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO AT DENVER OR THEIR DESIGNEE;

(VI) TWO EXPERTS FROM THE EDUCATIONAL SERVICES UNIT OF THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS, APPOINTED BY THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS OR THEIR DESIGNEE;

(VII) ONE FINANCIAL AID REPRESENTATIVE WITH EXPERTISE IN SECOND CHANCE PELL GRANTS, APPOINTED BY THE PRESIDENT OF ADAMS STATE UNIVERSITY OR THEIR DESIGNEE; AND (VIII) ONE COLORADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE SYSTEM OFFICE, APPOINTED BY THE CHANCELLOR OF THE COLORADO COMMUNITY COLLEGE SYSTEM OR THEIR DESIGNEE.

(b) THE APPOINTING AUTHORITIES SHALL MAKE THEIR APPOINTMENTS TO THE WORKING GROUP NO LATER THAN JULY 1, 2026.

(c) WORKING GROUP MEMBERS SERVE AT THE PLEASURE OF THEIR RESPECTIVE APPOINTING AUTHORITIES. IF A WORKING GROUP VACANCY OCCURS, THE APPROPRIATE APPOINTING AUTHORITY SHALL, WITHIN FOURTEEN DAYS AFTER THE VACANCY, APPOINT A NEW MEMBER WHO SATISFIES THE MEMBERSHIP REQUIREMENT OF THE VACATED SEAT.

(d) WORKING GROUP MEMBERS DO NOT RECEIVE COMPENSATION OR REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES.

(3) (a) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, SHALL FACILITATE THE WORK OF THE WORKING GROUP. THE WORKING GROUP SHALL ALLOW FOR REMOTE PARTICIPATION AT EACH MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP.

(b) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION, OR THEIR DESIGNEE, SHALL CONVENE THE FIRST MEETING OF THE WORKING GROUP NO LATER THAN JULY 31, 2026. THE WORKING GROUP SHALL MEET AT LEAST THREE TIMES AND SHALL COMPLETE ITS DUTIES NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1, 2026.

THE WORKING GROUP SHALL MAKE FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERNING HOW TO IMPLEMENT THE COLLEGE OPPORTUNITY FUND FOR PERSONS WHO ARE INCARCERATED IN COLORADO, INCLUDING WHETHER FEE-FOR-SERVICE CONTRACTS FOR PARTICIPATING INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION NEED TO BE MODIFIED.

(5) THE WORKING GROUP MAY COLLABORATE WITH ANY PERSON OR ENTITY THAT THE WORKING GROUP DEEMS APPROPRIATE TO ASSIST THE WORKING GROUP IN PERFORMING ITS DUTIES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION.

A STATE ENTITY THAT IS REQUESTED TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO THE WORKING GROUP SHALL ASSIST THE WORKING GROUP, TO THE EXTENT THE ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE STATE ENTITY IS CONSISTENT WITH THE STATE ENTITY'S DUTIES AND THE LAW.

(6) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1, 2026, THE WORKING GROUP SHALL RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE EDUCATION COMMITTEES OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE, OR ANY SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES.

(7) THIS SECTION IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.

SECTION 2.

SUBMIT A REPORT THAT INCLUDES ITS FINDINGS AND Safety clause. The general assembly finds, determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state institutions.