2007 Enacted Legislation

House Bills

House Bill 1048 - Longitudinal Student Growth
Sponsored by Representative Merrifield and Senator Windels
Re-establishes a technical advisory committee for purposes of using an individual student growth model for all state and federal academic accountability. State Fiscal Impact: None. (Signed by the Governor 2/6)

House Bill 1050 - Concerning the Display of Flags
Sponsored by Representative Todd, Representative A. Kerr and Senator Williams
Allows school boards to adopt policies regulating the display of flags on district property and at school buildings. Allows for the display of prisoner of war and missing in action flags, veteran commemoration flags, and foreign flags on ceremonial occasions. Prohibits the display of foreign flags on a permanent flagstaff at any state, local, or other public building. Removes petty offense involving display of flags likely to cause a disturbance of the peace. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 4/9)

House Bill 1059 - School Security Infrastructure Grant Program
Sponsored by Representative Massey  
Creates the school security infrastructure grant program with the intent to prevent intruders from entering schools. Allows access to three existing funds for capital construction to be expanded for remodeling or renovation projects aimed at improving school security infrastructure. No additional appropriation; using existing capital construction funding.  (Signed by the Governor 5/3)

House Bill 1066 - Reimbursement for Supplemental Online Education Courses
Sponsored by Representative Massey
Allocates $480,000 to the San Luis BOCES to use in contracting with Colorado Online Learning to provide supplemental online education courses to school districts. Courses shall not exceed more than $200 per semester per course. Establishes $50K grant fund through CDE to assist small districts with providing supplemental online education. State Public School Fund.  (Signed by the Governor 5/23)

House Bill 1073- Public Contract Employment Eligibility
Sponsored by Representative Judd and Senator Keller
For public contracts for services, the federal basic pilot program must be used to confirm employment eligibility of all newly hired employees. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 3/16)

House Bill 1077 - Requirement on Supplemental Service Providers
Sponsored by Representative Casso and Senator Tupa
Bill amended to require that any employee of a supplemental service provider who interacts with students must undergo a fingerprint and background check. Requires that employees of service providers who interact with students meet paraprofessional standards. States that in its advertising, supplemental service providers must refrain from mentioning whether district will pay some or all of cost of tutoring services. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 4/9)

House Bill 1087 - Wind for Schools Grant Program
Sponsored by Representative A. Kerr 
Creates the Wind for Schools Grant Program that public schools and community colleges may apply to for funds. Funds must be used for a project to include installation of a wind turbine to help defray school's energy costs. Only one school per district may receive funds each year not to exceed $5 K.  State Fiscal Impact: No additional state appropriation; OEMC required to spend federal money to support this program. (Signed by the Governor 4/16)

House Bill 1091 - Extension of Alternative Teacher 
Licensure Program
Sponsored by Representative Gagliardi
Allows a school district or independent school to extend the one-year alternative teacher training program for one year if the alternative teacher is unable to complete the program, and the district expects that the teacher will be able to complete the program in the additional year. Allows CDE to extend the alternative teacher license for one year. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 3/14)

House Bill 1118   - High School Graduation Requirements
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Tupa
Requires the state board to adopt suggested guidelines for minimum high school graduation by July 1, 2008. Directs local school boards to establish requirements using the guidelines and after seeking community input. Amended to clarify that local school boards have the flexibility as to the order a student may take classes. Requires CCHE to align its admission standards to the state board's guidelines. Amended to create Graduation Guidelines Development Council to create guidelines for high school graduation that the State Board will use in establishing their guidelines. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 5/3)

House Bill 1176 - Physician Treatment Under Worker's Compensation Act of Colorado
Sponsored by Representative M. Carroll and Senator Tochtrop
Amended to require an employer to provide an injured employee at least 2 corporate medical providers or unaffiliated networks of health care providers to choose from. Allows employee to change physicians by selecting another from the list prepared by the employer using certain procedures. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 5/14) 

House Bill 1178 - Use of District Facilities by Charter Schools
Sponsored by Senator Spence  and Representative Butcher
HB 1178 would allow a charter school that has operated continuously for at least 5 years to purchase the buildings and grounds from the school district at a fair market price. HB 1178 has been amended to allow a school district, at its discretion, to sell at a fair market value the buildings and grounds to a charter school.  It has also been amended to specify that if a charter school vacates its purchased facility, the school district shall have first right of refusal to require and purchase the building and grounds at fair market value. Amended on 3/15 to remove the requirement that a charter school first occupy a facility for 5 continuous years before being able to purchase it. State fiscal impact: Conditional local impact. (Signed by the Governor 5/31) 

House Bill 1232 - Aid School Districts With Military Families
Sponsored by Representative Merrifield and Senator Tapia
For 2007-08 school year and through 2010-11, allows districts to apply to CDE for military dependent supplemental pupil enrollment aid for students who are enrolled as of 2/1 but weren't included in the October count. Students must be dependents of a full-time member of the military. States that districts are eligible for supplemental funding only if military dependent enrollment represents either an increase equal to or greater than 1% over the district's pupil enrollment, or an increase of at least 25 pupils. Specifies that an eligible district shall receive aid as calculated by computing a number equal to the district's military dependent pupil enrollment, multiplied by an amount equal to 1/2 of the district's per pupil revenues for the applicable budget year.  State Fiscal Impact: FY 2007-08: $8K from GF  (Signed by the Governor 6/4) 

House Bill 1237   - Modification to State Public School Fund
Sponsored by Representative Pommer and Senator Keller
Specifies that the publishing costs associated with the annual printing of the laws enacted by the general assembly concerning education shall be paid out of the state public school fund rather than out of the public school income fund. Creates the contingency reserve fund in the state treasury to replace and to be used for the same purposes as the contingency reserve created in the state public school fund. Relocates certain provisions regarding the contingency reserve and the contingency reserve fund. Creates the school capital construction expenditures reserve fund in the state treasury to replace and to be used for the same purposes as the school capital construction expenditures reserve created in the state public school fund. Creates the lottery proceeds contingency reserve fund in the state treasury to replace and to be used for the same purposes as the contingency reserve that is created in the state public school fund and into which certain lottery proceeds are transferred. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 4/26)

House Bill 1238 - Modifications to State Public School Transportation Fund
Sponsored by Representative White and Senator Tapia
Authorizes money in the Public School Transportation Fund that are overpayments to instead be appropriated to CDE for use. Specifies that the moneys from such overpayments are not to be used for categorical programs. Increases the appropriation for small attendance center aid for 2006-07 by decreasing the appropriation from the State Education Fund for school transportation by $71,040, increasing the appropriation for for public school transportation by the same amount, and increasing the appropriation from the state education fund for small attendance center aid by $71,040. State Fiscal Impact: $71,000 from public transportation recovered funds (Signed by the Governor 6/1)

House Bill 1243 - Funding for Science Related After School Programs
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Williams
Establishes the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) after school pilot grant program. Allows providers that coordinate STEM programs to apply for grant monies to offset costs. Source of grant funds to consist of gifts, grants, and donations. Amended in Senate to specify that programs can be either before or after school to qualify for grant monies. State Fiscal Impact: None   (Signed by the Governor 5/2)

House Bill 1244 - Provision of Educational Programs to Gifted Students
Sponsored by Representative Peniston 
Administrative units are required to develop a program plan that will identify and serve gifted students through advanced learning plans. Administrative units are not required to implement program plans if sufficient funds are not provided. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 6/1)

House Bill 1248 - Funding for Tony Grampsas Program
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Kester 
Creates the CO Before and After School Project within the Tony Grampsas Program and provides funding primarily for students in grades 6 to 8. Describes types of programs eligible for funding. Specifies that funding shall come from gifts, grants, donations, and moneys from alcohol tax. Fiscal note amended 3/21.  State Fiscal Impact: FY 2007-08: $300K from Dept. Public Health and Environment increase. (Signed by the Governor 5/31)

House Bill 1270 - Review of State Education Data Infrastructure
Sponsored by Representative Stephens
Authorizes Governor's Office of Information and Technology to contract with a third party to conduct a comprehensive review of CDE's educational data collections and infrastructure. State Fiscal Impact: $150K 07-08 from audit recovery dollars. (Signed by the Governor 5/23)

House Bill 1271 - Family Literacy Education Grant Program
Sponsored by Representative A. Kerr and Senator Tupa
Eliminates the stipulation in statute that no general fund moneys be appropriated for the implementation of the Family Literacy Education Grant Program. Eliminates the conditional repeal of the "Colorado Family Literacy Act of 2002." State Fiscal Impact: $1 M from General Fund. (Signed by the Governor 5/30)

House Bill 1292   - Adoption of Science-Based Content Standards for Instruction Regarding Human Sexuality
Sponsored by Representative Todd and Senator Windels
Requires school districts, family resource centers, and teen pregnancy prevention programs that offer instruction regarding human sexuality to adopt science-based content standards. Specifies minimum requirements for curriculum concerning human sexuality that include: encouragement of parental involvement and communication, emphasis of abstinence as way to avoid STD's and pregnancy, and no promotion of religious values. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 5/14)

Senate Bills

Senate Bill 016 - Minimum Age for Compulsory Education 
Sponsored by Representative Butcher and Senator Tapia 
Lowers the minimum age of compulsory school attendance from 7 to 6 years old, effective July 2008. Exempts home-schooled students. Amended to specify that a child who enters pre-K or kindergarten at age 5 or 6 is not required to advance to 1st grade the following year. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 3/16) 

Senate Bill 019 - Review of Teacher Preparation Programs 
Sponsored by Senator Spence and Representative A. Kerr
Directs CCHE to establish a schedule for review of teacher preparation programs at least every 5 years. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 3/19)

Senate Bill 020 - Commissioner of Education Requirements
Sponsored by Representative Merrifield and Senator Windels
Establishes required qualifications for the Commissioner of Education, and requires the State Board of Education to annually review Commissioner's performance. States that review must include comments from district superintendents. Amended to require that review also include comments from school boards, and that portions of review be made available to the public. Amended to state that while not required, an advanced degree in education or educational administration is preferable. State Fiscal Impact: None   (Signed by the Governor 3/20)

Senate Bill 025 - Public Expansion of Employment Discrimination Protections
Sponsored by Representative Madden and Senator Veiga
Adds sexual orientation to the list of characteristics for which a person may not be discriminated against involving employment practices. Allows employers to require a dress code. Exempts religious organizations. State Fiscal Impact: FY 2007-08: $62,586 from GF; FY 2008-09: $144,321 from GF  (Signed by the Governor 5/25)

Senate Bill 026  - Additional Revenues for Full-day Kindergarten
Sponsored by Senator Bacon and Representative Pommer
Authorizes a school district, upon voter approval, to impose an additional mill levy to fund a school district's excess full-day kindergarten costs, including capital construction. Adds criteria for programs funded by such mill levy. State Fiscal Impact: Conditional local impact. (Signed by the Governor 3/7)

Senate Bill 041 - Public School Facilities Equity Act
Sponsored by Senator Schwartz and Representative Massey
Creates an advisory committee for public school capital construction. Charges the committee with proposing uniform statewide minimum facility and safety standards required to qualify for state funding, review grant applications, and recommend awards. Also requires the committee to conduct a statewide needs assessment of school buildings by no later than 1/1/09 and every 5 years thereafter. Committee charged with assisting districts with applying for grants to help with facilities projects after completion of needs assessment. State Fiscal Impact: FY 07-08: up to $68,227 from State Public School Fund; FY 08-09: up to $713,773 from State Public School Fund (assumes lottery proceeds will cover expenses). (Signed by the Governor 5/25)

Senate Bill 043 - Exemption from Civil Liability for Health Care Providers Who Provide Emergency Medical Care at School Sponsored Sport Events
Sponsored by Senator S. Mitchell and Representative Todd
Exempts from civil liability a health care professional who without compensation provides emergency care for an individual who is injured while engaging in a school sporting event. State Fiscal Impact: None   (Signed by the Governor 4/2)

Senate Bill 045 - Fees for Providing Public Records
Sponsored by Senator McElhany and Representative McGihon
Amended to set the fee for a copy of a public record at $0.25 per page or the actual cost of copying. Amended to remove from bill provisions regarding hourly rates for labor to retrieve and copy the records. Amended to allow a higher fee to be charged for transcripts for specific institutions. State Fiscal Impact: General Fund revenue reduction totaling $58,001.  (Signed by the Governor 4/19)

Senate Bill 050 - Representation of School Districts in Truancy Proceedings
Sponsored by Senator Renfroe
Representation of a school district in a truancy proceeding does not constitute the practice of law. Allows school boards by resolution to authorize one or more employees of the school district to represent the district in truancy proceedings. State Fiscal Impact: Conditional local impact  (Signed by the Governor 3/23) 

Senate Bill 059 - Creation of Smart Start Nutrition Program 
Sponsored by Senator Sandoval
Creates the Smart Start Nutrition Program to eliminate the cost of reduced-price breakfasts for children eligible under the federal National School Lunch Act. Directs CDE to implement procedures for allocation of funds to districts. State Fiscal Impact: $700,000 from State Education Fund.  (Signed by the Governor 5/15)

Senate Bill 140 - Creation of Teacher I.D. System
Sponsored by Senator Spence
Creates the effective teachers commission to study the teacher gap in Colorado. Amended to specify that Commission shall consider developing a unique teacher and principal identifier system by 7/1/09. State Fiscal Impact: State Fiscal Impact: FY 07-08: $6,240: FY 08-09: up to $326 K  (Signed by the Governor 4/11)

Senate Bill 148 - "Fast College, Fast Jobs" - Post Secondary Education Option
Sponsored by Representative Casso, Senator Rommer
Creates the fast college fast jobs pilot program to enable students to simultaneously complete high school diploma and an A.A. degree or CTE certificate within 5 yrs. Sets parameters on district participation. Requires districts to pay fee for program participation, course fees and books. Reduces PPOR for participants to 85% FTE. Amended to specify that districts and higher educational institutions shall negotiate fee-for-service arrangement. Amended to specify that districts shall qualify if they either have a high school graduation rate of 75% or less, or if the district has operated a dual degree program in the last two years. Amended to specify that BOCES are eligible, for cases in which at least half of membership meets qualifications. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 4/2)  See summary 

Senate Bill 192- Continuation of Read-to-Achieve Board
Sponsored by Representative Benefield and Senator Bacon 
Continues Read-to-Achieve Board for 7 more years and schedules next sunset review. Allows Board members to be removed from board for missing a certain number of meetings, eliminates requirement that no more than 6 Board members belong to the same political party, and allows the Commissioner of Education to appoint a designee to serve on the Board. Amended to change the criteria for awarding grants and expands eligibility of students to K-3. State Fiscal Impact: None (Signed by the Governor 5/22) 

Senate Bill 197- Safe-2-Tell Program for Schools
Sponsored by Senator Morse
Establishes the Safe-2-Tell program and telephone hotline to allow persons in schools a means to anonymously report dangerous, violent, or criminal activities for the purpose of improving school safety. Requires the program to establish methods to ensure the anonymity of a person who calls the hotline. Requires the program to keep records confidential. State Fiscal Impact: May minimally increase state revenue. (Signed by the Governor 5/3)

Senate Bill 199 - Financing of Public Schools
Sponsored by Representative Pommer and Senator Windels  (Signed by the Governor 5/9) School Finance Summary (5/9/07 Final)  

Senate Bill 227   - Immunity Under Safe School Plan
Sponsored by Senator Shaffer
Clarifies that a teacher, school board member, or any other person acting in good faith pursuant to a safe school plan shall be exempt from criminal prosecution and civil liability. State Fiscal Impact: None  (Signed by the Governor 5/3)

Senate Bill 255- Allocation of IDEA Child Find Activities
Sponsored by Representative Buescher and Senator Keller
Allocates specific responsibilities of the child find program of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 between the Department of Education and the Department of Human Services. It requires the Department of Education to be fully responsible for the screening and evaluation of children with disabilities. Further requires CDE to work in conjunction with the Department of Human Services in accepting and directing referrals to appropriate service agencies, assisting with the transition of a child with disabilities from the developmental disabilities system to the public education system at age 3, and working with the Department of Human Services in the area of public education and outreach concerning early intervention services, as needed and appropriate. It requires the Department of Human Services to be fully responsible for developing and implementing a statewide plan for public education outreach and awareness concerning early intervention services and for providing intake and case management services once a referral has been made. It also requires the Department of Human Services to work in conjunction with the Department of Education in accepting and directing referrals to appropriate service agencies and in assisting with the transition of a child with disabilities from the developmental disabilities system to the public education system at age 3. SB 255 preserves the responsibility for developing an individualized plan for a child with a disability with community centered boards. (Signed by the Governor 5/31)

Senate Bill 215- Online Learning 
Sponsored by Senator Windels
Creates new Online Division at CDE to provide oversight and accountability for online programs. Creates new Advisory Board and specifies membership; Advisory Board will be charged with reporting on annual activities of online programs and making recommendations to Online Division regarding need for statutory/policy change. Establishes quality standards and annual reporting requirements for online programs. Establishes Memorandum of Understanding for districts and online programs to use when online program wishes to start a learning center within district bounds (i.e. Hope Online). Beginning 2008-09, funding for online students not contingent on enrollment in public school the prior year. State Fiscal Impact: FY 07-08: $830K; FY 08-09: $2.88 million. Funds for both fiscal years to come out of audit recovery dollars. (Signed by the Governor 5/23)