First Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyThis issue brief outlines federal and state school nutrition programs, including eligibility, funding, and reimbursement.
Personally identifiable information (PII) is information that can be used to trace or identify an individual. In Colorado K-12 education, the term refers to student data collected and retained by public schools and school districts, and maintained by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)....
During the 2008 session, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 08-1335, the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) act. The act replaced existing law concerning state financial assistance for public school capital construction and established a grant program in order to accelerate funding for...
Colorado law provides distinct roles for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education (state board) in overseeing charter schools. Colorado's charter schools are authorized through a local school district or the state Charter School Institute (CSI). The CSI was...
Tiny houses are increasing in popularity as a housing option across the country. This issue brief provides a general overview of the various legal obstacles sometimes faced by individuals who want to own and live in a tiny house in Colorado. It also provides several examples of local and state...
Senate Bill 09-228, adopted by the General Assembly during the 2009 legislative session, created a five-year block of statutory transfers from the General Fund to pay for transportation and capital construction projects. This issue brief discusses the state law that specifies the amounts of...
Senate Bill 16-197, signed into law on June 10, 2016, makes significant changes to laws regulating the retail sale of fermented malt beverages (3.2 percent alcohol by weight beer, commonly known as 3.2 beer), full-strength beer, wine, and spirits for off-premises consumption. This issue brief...
In FY 2020-21, Colorado received $314.5 million from tobacco-related sources. These include taxes on cigarettes, other tobacco products, and nicotine products and payments from tobacco manufacturers as part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. This memorandum describes the sources and...
In 1992, voters approved an amendment to the Colorado Constitution — Article X, Section 20 — known as the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR). TABOR limits annual growth in state spending.
In lieu of issuing bonds, or using another form of long-term debt, the state often uses a form of lease-purchase agreement called certificates of participation (COPs) to finance the construction of its new facilities. A certificate refers to an investor's proportionate interest in the state's...
The General Assembly is required by the Colorado Constitution to establish and maintain a thorough and uniform system of free public schools, where any person between the ages of 6 and 21 may be educated. At the same time, the constitution places control of public school instruction in locally...
This memo discusses the scope of bullying in Colorado schools; summarizes the provisions and programs in Colorado state law related to bullying prevention, including safe school plans and criminal penalties; and provides information on training resources and best practices for preventing...
The federal and state governments each provide tax incentives for landowners who designate their land as a conservation easement, foregoing certain use rights in order to preserve the land in perpetuity. This memorandum provides information on federal and state conservation easement tax...