Second Regular Session
Seventy-third General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 22-0431.01 Nicole Myers x4326
SENATE BILL 22-012
Senate Committees House Committees
State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING VERSIONS OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION .101
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov
.)
The bill requires the secretary of state to create and maintain, or
cause to be created and maintained, updated physical and electronic
copies of the Colorado constitution. The secretary of state is required to
update the physical and electronic copies of the Colorado constitution
after each election at which the voters approve any amendment to the
constitution. The secretary of state is also required to maintain all
previous physical and electronic copies of the Colorado constitution
created pursuant to the bill.
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 11, 2022
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Donovan,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
(None),
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing statute.
Dashes through the words indicate deletions from existing statute. The secretary of state may work with the state archivist to
determine the format of the physical version of the Colorado constitution
and to provide for the public display of and other educational
opportunities related to it. The bill authorizes the secretary of state to
solicit, accept, and expend bequests, gifts, grants, and donations to create
and maintain the physical version of the Colorado constitution.
The secretary of state is required to ensure that each electronic
version of the Colorado constitution is stored with the office of the
secretary of state and is available to the public in a searchable format. In
creating and maintaining the electronic versions of the Colorado
constitution, the secretary of state is required to ensure that the
constitution is easily accessible and user-friendly for the general
population.
The bill requires the state archivist to submit to the state capitol
building advisory committee and the capital development committee a
proposal for displaying the original Colorado constitution in the state
capitol building. The bill requires the state archivist to include certain
information in the proposal. The bill also gives state archives the
authority to solicit, accept, and expend bequests, gifts, grants, or
donations for the display.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
hereby finds and declares that:3
(a) Access to the Colorado constitution is a primary tool in our4
state's democracy. The Colorado constitution establishes the basic5
framework of the state's government and protects citizens' individual6
rights. Since 1910, it has provided Coloradans with the unique right to7
initiate laws, to hold referenda on laws enacted by the general assembly,8
and to amend the constitution.9
(b) With over one hundred fifty amendments in its history, the10
constitution has been shaped and reshaped as the needs of Coloradans11
have transformed. Its thirty-nine founding delegates, representing every12
district in the Colorado territory, created a "rights first" approach to their13
new constitution, declaring the rights of the citizens before specifying the14
012-2- structure of the government.1
(c) From its early days as a tri-lingual document to its current2
form, the constitution is an informative, challenging, and inspirational3
document that establishes the rights, duties, and responsibilities of the4
citizens of Colorado and establishes the structure of our state government;5
(d) From water to women's right to vote, the original Colorado6
constitution and its subsequent amendments illustrate our values and our7
process of determining who we are as Coloradans; and8
(e) A hundred years after America's constitution boldly asserted9
people to be endowed with natural rights in addition to the rights granted10
by law, the Colorado constitution reaffirmed this ideal by stating a bill of11
rights first. This and other foundational philosophies are made clear in the12
Colorado constitution.13
(2) The general assembly further finds and declares that the14
history contained in the Colorado constitution is an important asset and15
that the original constitution, as well as updated digital and hard copies16
of the constitution, should be easily and freely available to all people in17
the state.18
19
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-80-116 as20
follows:21
24-80-116. Display of original state constitution in state22
capitol. (1) O
N OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 28, 2023,
THE STATE ARCHIVIST23
SHALL SUBMIT A PROPOSAL TO THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING ADVISORY24
COMMITTEE AND THE CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE FOR THE25
CREATION OF:26
(a) A PERMANENT PUBLIC DISPLAY OF THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE27
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-3- COLORADO CONSTITUTION INSIDE THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING . THE1
PROPOSAL SHALL INCLUDE SUGGESTIONS FOR HOW AND WHERE THE2
ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE DISPLAYED3
AND STORED AND A PROPOSAL FOR THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE4
C
OLORADO CONSTITUTION TO BE DISPLAYED IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS5
OTHER THAN THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING. THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING6
ADVISORY COMMI TTEE AND THE CAPITAL DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE7
SHALL EVALUATE THE PROPOSAL AND CONSIDER WHETHER TO APPROVE8
THE PROPOSAL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CRITERIA AND PROCEDURES FOR9
PLACING OTHER DISPLAYS WITHIN THE STATE CAPITOL BUILDING10
PURSUANT TO SECTION 24-82-108 (3)(h). THE DISPLAY MAY INCLUDE11
OTHER OBJECTS AND EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS RELATED TO THE12
ADOPTION AND HISTORY OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION . THE STATE
13
ARCHIVES SHALL CONTRACT WITH AN EXHIBIT DESIGN COMPANY TO14
DETERMINE THE BEST PRACTICES WHEN PRESENTING THE COLORADO15
CONSTITUTION IN THE EXISTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS OF THE16
STATE CAPITOL AND GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS OTHER THAN THE STATE17
CAPITOL BUILDING.18
(b) A
N ONLINE EXHIBITION OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION ,
19
INCLUDING ALL AMENDMENTS THERETO CURRENTLY IN EFFECT . THE20
PROPOSAL SHALL INCLUDE ASPECTS OF EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES AND21
HISTORY AND SHALL ENSURE THAT THE ELECTRONIC COPY OF EACH22
VERSION OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION CREATED PURSUANT TO THIS23
SECTION IS AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC IN A SEARCHABLE FORMAT24
THROUGH THE WEBSITE OF THE OFFICE OF THE STATE ARCHIVES AND THE25
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE . THE STATE ARCHIVES SHALL26
CONTRACT WITH AN ONLINE EXHIBIT DESIGN COMPANY TO DETERMINE THE27
012
-4- BEST PRACTICES WHEN PRESENTING THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION IN AN1
EDUCATIONAL FORMAT THAT IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND USER -FRIENDLY2
FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION OF THE STATE . THE EXHIBIT DESIGN3
COMPANY MAY COORDINATE AS NECESSARY WITH THE STATE ARCHIVIST ,4
THE OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE LEGAL SERVICES, THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S5
OFFICE, AND OTHER RELEVANT GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN THE CREATION6
OF THE ONLINE EXHIBITION.7
(c) O
PPORTUNITIES TO PROVIDE UPDATED PHYSICAL COPIES OF THE
8
CONSTITUTION OR OTHER EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES RELATED TO THE9
UPDATED PHYSICAL COPY OF THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION WITHIN STATE10
OFFICES. THE PROPOSAL SHALL ENSURE THAT THE CONSTITUTION WILL BE11
EASILY ACCESSIBLE AND USER-FRIENDLY FOR THE GENERAL POPULATION12
OF THE STATE.13
(2) T
HE STATE ARCHIVES:14
(a) R
EMAINS THE LEGAL CUSTODIAN OF THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF15
THE COLORADO CONSTITUTION AND IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CONTINUING16
PROTECTION AND PRESERVATION OF THE ORIGINAL DRAFT IN ACCOR DANCE17
WITH SECTION 24-80-106;18
(b) M
AY ALLOW THE ORIGINAL DRAFT OF THE COLORADO19
CONSTITUTION TO BE REMOVED PERIODICALLY FROM THE DISPLAY FOR20
RESTORATION PURPOSES OR TO MAKE IT AVAILABLE FOR OCCASIONAL21
TEMPORARY MUSEUM OR OTHER APPROPRIATE SECURE DISPLAYS ; AND22
(c) M
AY SOLICIT, ACCEPT, AND EXPEND ANY BEQUESTS , GIFTS,23
GRANTS, OR DONATIONS OF ANY KIND FROM ANY PRIVATE SOURCE FOR THE24
PURPOSE OF IMPLEMENTING THIS SECTION . NO APPROPRIATION SHALL BE25
MADE OUT OF THE GENERAL FUND OR ANY CASH FUND FOR EXPENDITURES26
INCURRED BY DEPARTMENT OF PERSONNEL OR ANY OTHER DEPARTMENT27
012
-5- OR AGENCY TO CARRY OUT THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION .1
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act2
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the3
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except4
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V5
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this6
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take7
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in8
November 2022 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the9
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.10
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