Page 1
January 24, 2022 SB 22-008
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 22-0118
Sen. Zenzinger; Priola
Rep. McLachlan; McKean
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
January 24, 2022
Senate Education
Aaron Carpenter | 303-866-4918
Aaron.Carpenter@state.co.us
Bill Topic: HIGHER EDUCATION SUPPORT FOR FOSTER YOUTH
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☒ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☐ Local Government
☒ School Districts
The bill waives tuition and fees at state institutions of higher education for students
who were placed in foster care. Starting in FY 2022-23, the bill will decrease state
revenue and increase state workload on an ongoing basis.
Appropriation
Summary:
No appropriation is required.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill, which was recommended by the Colorado
Youth Advisory Council Review Committee.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts Under SB 22-008
Budget Year
FY 2022-23
Out Year
FY 2023-24
Revenue Institutional Revenue ($693,966) ($693,966)
Expenditures
- -
Transfers - -
TABOR Refund - -
Page 2
January 24, 2022 SB 22-008
Summary of Legislation
Starting in the 2022-23 academic year, each institution of higher education in the state must waive all
tuition costs and mandatory fees in excess of any financial aid for students who have been:
placed in foster care in Colorado before their 13
th
birthday;
placed in non-kinship care after their 13
th
birthday; or
adjudicated neglected or dependent at any time.
Costs are waived for up to 132 semester credit hours or 198 quarter credit hours. In order to qualify
for a waiver, a student must complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) and an
application for the Chafee Education and Training Voucher (ETV) grant; work towards a bachelor’s,
postgraduate, or an associate’s degree, or a certificate; and remain in satisfactory academic standing.
In addition, each higher education institution must designate one employee as a liaison to assist
qualified students with receiving a waiver. The liaison must work with public school districts and
other schools to identify prospective qualifying students and to provide information regarding
application assistance, tuition waivers, support services, and other resources available to students,
local education providers, and child welfare liaisons. School district child welfare liaisons must
provide information on the waiver to eligible students.
Assumptions
The fiscal note makes the following assumptions on the eligible population and financial aid.
Eligible population. The fiscal note assumes that there will be 4,500 eligible students per year and
that 15 percent of eligible students will attend an institution of higher education. The fiscal note also
assumes that 64 percent of eligible students attending an institution of higher education will attend a
two-year college, 27 percent will attend a four-year college, and the remaining will attend a private
college.
Financial aid. The bill requires qualified students to apply for the Chafee ETV Grant, which can award
up to $5,000 per student for qualified expenses. The fiscal note assumes that qualified students will
receive close to upper limit of the grant amount, covering the full cost, on average, of two-year
institutions. For four-year institutions, the fiscal note assumes that two-thirds of the cost will be
covered by federal or state financial aid, and the remaining one-third will be waived.
State Revenue
The bill reduces revenue from tuition and fees for state institutions of higher education by $693,966
beginning with the 2022-23 academic year. For the 2021-22 academic year, the average annual tuition
and fees paid by a full-time resident student is $4,760 at a two-year college and $11,439 at a four-year
school. If 432 eligible students attend a two-year college, where costs are assumed to be covered by
the Chafee ETV Grant, and 182 eligible students attend a four-year college, the loss in tuition and fee
revenue is $693,966 across all four-year state institutions, after subtracting the assumed amount of Page 3
January 24, 2022 SB 22-008
financial aid. The impact on individual institutions has not been calculated. Tuition and fee revenue
is not subject to the state’s TABOR revenue limit.
State Expenditures
The bill increases state expenditures in institutions of higher education and increases workload in
the Department of Human Services, as described below.
Institutions of higher education. Starting in FY 2022-23, workload in institutions of higher education
will increase to assign a liaison to assist eligible students in receiving a tuition waiver. The amount of
work required will depend on the institution and how many eligible students choose to attend the
institution. In addition, to the extent additional students attend institutions of higher education that
would not otherwise attend an institution under current law, expenditures in higher education
institutions will increase. It is assumed that any increase in costs to teach additional students will be
accomplished within current appropriations and revenue streams to institutions of higher education.
Department of Human Services. Starting in FY 2022-23, workload in the Department of Human
Services will increase to coordinate with institutions of higher education to provide information about
tuition waiver to eligible students. The fiscal note assumes this work can be accomplished within
existing appropriations.
School Districts
Starting in FY 2022-23, workload for local school districts will increase to work with appointed higher
education liaisons to identify prospective qualifying students and to provide information regarding
application assistance, tuition waivers, support services, and other resources. This increase in
workload is assumed to be minimal.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his signature.
State and Local Government Contacts
Education Higher Education
Human Services Information Technology
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.