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March 9, 2022 HB 22-1255
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 22-0520
Rep. Ortiz; Bradfield
Sen. Zenzinger; Kirkmeyer
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
March 9, 2022
House Education
Josh Abram | 303-866-3561
Josh.Abram@state.co.us
Bill Topic: IMPROVE HIGHER EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☐ Local Government
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill requires data collection concerning disabled students and higher education
and creates an advisory committee in the Department of Higher Education. The bill
increases state workload beginning in FY 2022-23.
Appropriation
Summary:
No appropriation is required.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Summary of Legislation
The bill requires that the Department of Higher Education (DHE) and institutions of higher education
collect specified data about students with disabilities. The required data includes the number of
enrolled students with a disability, whether those students receive services and supports, and
graduation and continuation data. The DHE must collect the data for the state as a whole and for each
school, disaggregated by race, ethnicity, first-generation status, PELL grant eligibility, and military
status. Beginning in 2023, the DHE must report the data during the department’s annual SMART Act
hearing.
The bill creates the Postsecondary Services Advisory Committee in the DHE to make
recommendations to institutions of higher education and the General Assembly concerning necessary
services and best practices to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. The bill specifies the
composition of the 16 members of the committee and specific issues they must examine. The
committee must present a report to the education committees of the General Assembly by
June 15, 2023, and again by June 15, 2024. The committee is repealed June 30, 2024.
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March 9, 2022 HB 22-1255
State Expenditures
The bill increases workload and costs for institutions of higher education, and for the DHE.
Institutions. Increased workload includes data collection and analysis concerning students who
identify as having a disability. Most campuses at institutions of higher education have access to the
necessary data; the collection, reporting, and analysis will increase workload only. Other campuses
that do not have access to data concerning students with disabilities may need to spend existing
appropriations to create the necessary data protocols. This cost is anticipated to be low and has not
been estimated.
DHE. The DHE will also have absorbable data collection and reporting costs, in collaboration with
the institutions. Additionally, DHE must convene an advisory committee to make recommendations
to the General Assembly concerning services for students with disabilities. Members on the
committee serve without compensation or reimbursement for expenses; however, department
workload to coordinate the advisory committee will increase. Assuming the advisory committee
meets 6 times in FY 2022-23, staff expenses at the DHE increase by about 120 hours. This increased
cost does not require new appropriations.
Governor's Office. The Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions may have increased workload
to assist DHE with the required appointments to the advisory committee, including recruiting,
vetting, and interviewing potential appointees.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his signature.
State and Local Government Contacts
Higher Education
The revenue and expenditure impacts in this fiscal note represent changes from current law under the bill for each
fiscal year. For additional information about fiscal notes, please visit: leg.colorado.gov/fiscalnotes.