Modify Fourth-Year Innovation Pilot Program
Concerning modifications to the fourth-year innovation pilot program, and, in connection therewith, reducing an appropriation.
Official status: Became Law
Prime sponsors
- Emily Sirota (House) — Prime Sponsor
- Rick Taggart (House) — Prime Sponsor
- Judy Amabile (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
- Jeff Bridges (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
Progress (from the official record)
Official summary
Official text — shown in English exactly as published by the official source. The official text controls.
Under the fourth-year innovation pilot program (program), each year the general assembly appropriates an amount to the department of education (department) for the department to distribute to local education providers from which an eligible graduate graduated early. The act: Discontinues the requirement to appropriate money for distribution to eligible local education providers for eligible graduates who graduate during the 2025-26 school year; and Requires the department to prorate the amount distributed from the appropriation, if any. Under the program, an eligible graduate may receive funding for tuition, fees, books, transportation, and other costs of attendance associated with their postsecondary program if, among other requirements, the eligible graduate commences their postsecondary program within 18 months after graduating early. The act requires an eligible graduate who graduates early in the 2025-26 school year to commence their postsecondary program by December 31, 2026. Under current law, the department of higher education is required to submit a final program evaluation report, including the impacts and outcomes of the program on the student cohorts that participated in the program and recommended next steps for the program. The act repeals this requirement. The act reduces an appropriation to the department of higher education for the 2025-26 budget year by $30,958. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Status timeline
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 02/06/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations |
| 02/10/2026 | House | House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 02/11/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments |
| 02/12/2026 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 02/17/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations |
| 02/18/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 02/19/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments |
| 02/20/2026 | Senate | Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 03/16/2026 | House | Signed by the Speaker of the House |
| 03/17/2026 | Senate | Signed by the President of the Senate |
| 03/17/2026 | Governor | Sent to the Governor |
| 03/26/2026 | Governor | Governor Signed |
Recorded votes
- 02/18/2026 — Senate Appropriations: “Refer House Bill 26-1176 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.” — the motion passed on a vote of 7–0.
- 02/10/2026 — House Appropriations: “Refer House Bill 26-1176 to the Committee of the Whole.” — the motion passed on a vote of 11–0.
Full text
- Signed Act version (official PDF), 03/27/2026
- Final Act version (official PDF), 03/11/2026
- Rerevised version (official PDF), 02/20/2026
- Revised version (official PDF), 02/19/2026
- Reengrossed version (official PDF), 02/12/2026
- Engrossed version (official PDF), 02/11/2026
- Introduced version (official PDF), 02/06/2026
Official record
View HB26-1176 on leg.colorado.gov
Source: Colorado General Assembly (leg.colorado.gov) · Data as of
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