Second Regular Session Seventy-fourth General Assembly STATE OF COLORADO REREVISED This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted in the Second House LLS NO. 24-0228.01 Chelsea Princell x4335 HOUSE BILL 24-1039 House Committees Senate Committees Education Education A BILL FOR AN ACT C ONCERNING NON-LEGAL NAME CHANGES FOR STUDENTS IN SCHOOLS .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/ .) Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. Section 1 of the bill: ! Requires public schools and institute charter schools (school) to use a student's preferred name, if a preferred name is requested by the student; and ! Deems a school's refusal to use a student's preferred name a form of discrimination. Section 2 of the bill: SENATE Amended 3rd Reading April 1, 2024 SENATE Amended 2nd Reading March 28, 2024 HOUSE 3rd Reading Unamended March 1, 2024 HOUSE Amended 2nd Reading February 23, 2024 HOUSE SPONSORSHIP Vigil and Titone, Amabile, Bacon, Boesenecker, Brown, Clifford, deGruy Kennedy, Froelich, Garcia, Hernandez, Herod, Joseph, Kipp, Lindsay, Lindstedt, Mabrey, Marshall, Martinez, Marvin, Mauro, McCormick, McLachlan, Ortiz, Parenti, Rutinel, Sirota, Story, Velasco, Weissman, Willford, Woodrow SENATE SPONSORSHIP Winter F. and Marchman, Bridges, Buckner, Cutter, Ginal, Gonzales, Hinrichsen, Jaquez Lewis, Kolker, Michaelson Jenet, Zenzinger Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment. Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law. Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law. ! Creates the non-legal name changes in schools task force (task force) in the department of education (department) consisting of 9 members appointed by the department to examine existing school policies and provide recommendations to schools on how to best implement student non-legal name change policies; ! Requires the department to appoint members to the task force by June 30, 2024; ! Requires the task force to submit a report to the department detailing the recommended policy guidelines by January 1, 2025; ! Requires the department to publish the report on its website and submit the report to the superintendent of each school district and chief administrator of each institute charter school by February 1, 2025; ! Requires a school to implement the task force's policy recommendations by July 1, 2025; and ! Repeals the task force, effective July 1, 2026. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1 SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 22-1-144 as 2 follows:3 22-1-144. Use of a student's chosen name - definitions. (1) A S 4 USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES :5 (a) "C HOSEN NAME" MEANS ANY NAME THAT A STUDENT 6 REQUESTS TO BE KNOWN AS THAT DIFFERS FROM THE STUDENT 'S LEGAL7 NAME, TO REFLECT THE STUDENT'S GENDER IDENTITY.8 (b) "G ENDER IDENTITY" MEANS AN INDIVIDUAL'S INNATE SENSE OF 9 THE INDIVIDUAL'S OWN GENDER, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT CORRESPOND10 WITH THE INDIVIDUAL'S SEX ASSIGNED AT BIRTH.11 (c) "L OCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER" MEANS A SCHOOL DISTRICT, A 12 CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZED BY A SC HOOL DISTRICT PURSUANT TO PART13 1 OF ARTICLE 30.5 OF THIS TITLE 22, A CHARTER SCHOOL AUTHORIZED BY 14 THE STATE CHARTER SCHOOL INSTITUTE PURSUANT TO PART 5 OF ARTICLE15 1039-2- 30.5 OF THIS TITLE 22, OR A BOARD OF COOPERATIVE SERVICES CREATED1 AND OPERATING PURSUANT TO ARTICLE 5 OF THIS TITLE 22 THAT2 OPERATES ONE OR MORE PUBLIC SCHOOLS .3 (d) "P UBLIC SCHOOL" MEANS AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL , MIDDLE 4 SCHOOL, JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL, OR DISTRICT CHARTER5 SCHOOL OF A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT ENROLLS STUDENTS IN ANY OF6 GRADES KINDERGARTEN THROUGH TWELVE OR AN INSTITUTE CHARTER7 SCHOOL THAT ENROLLS STUDENTS IN ANY OF GRADES KINDERGARTEN8 THROUGH TWELVE.9 (2) A PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEE, EDUCATOR, AND CONTRACTOR 10 AS DEFINED IN SECTION 22-1-143 SHALL ADDRESS A STUDENT BY THE11 STUDENT'S CHOSEN NAME AND USE THE STUDENT 'S CHOSEN NAME IN12 SCHOOL AND DURING EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES .13 (3) U NLESS DONE AT A STUDENT 'S REQUEST, KNOWINGLY OR 14 INTENTIONALLY USING A NAME OTHER THAN THE STUDENT 'S CHOSEN15 NAME OR THE KNOWING OR INTENTIONAL AVOIDANCE OR REFUSAL TO USE16 A STUDENT'S CHOSEN NAME IS DISCRIMINATORY .17 (4) A STUDENT WHO IS SUBJECT TO DISCRIMINATION PURSUANT TO 18 SUBSECTION (3) OF THIS SECTION MAY FILE A REPORT WITH THE PUBLIC19 SCHOOL IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF SECTION 22-1-14320 (2) OR FILE A COMPLAINT UNDER THE PUBLIC SC HOOL 'S OR LOCAL 21 EDUCATION PROVIDER'S POLICY ADOPTED PURSUANT TO TITLE IX OF THE22 FEDERAL "EDUCATION AMENDMENTS OF 1972", 20 U.S.C. SECS. 1681 ET23 SEQ., AS AMENDED.24 (5) A LOCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER SHALL IMPLEMENT A WRITTEN 25 POLICY OUTLINING HOW THE LOCAL EDUCATION PROVIDER WILL HONOR A26 STUDENT'S REQUEST TO USE A CHOSEN NAME AND MAY INCLUDE A27 1039 -3- PROCESS FOR INCLUDING A STUDENT 'S CHOSEN NAME ON SCHOOL1 RECORDS. A WRITTEN POLICY ADOPTED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION2 (5) MUST COMPLY WITH THE FEDERAL "FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS 3 AND PRIVACY ACT OF 1974", 20 U.S.C. SEC. 1232g, AS AMENDED, AND4 SECTION 22-1-123.5 SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-1-143, add6 (1)(d)(IV) as follows:7 22-1-143. Harassment or discrimination - policy required -8 training and notification - definitions. (1) As used in this section,9 unless the context otherwise requires:10 (d) (IV) H ARASSMENT OR DISCRIMINATION INCLUDES THE 11 KNOWING OR INTENTIONAL USE OF A NAME OTHER THAN A STUDENT 'S12 CHOSEN NAME, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 22-1-144 (1).13 SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-2-117, amend14 (1)(b)(IX) and (1)(b)(X); and add (1)(b)(XI) as follows: 15 22-2-117. Additional power - state board - waiver of16 requirements - rules. (1) (b) The state board shall not waive any of the17 requirements specified in any of the following statutory provisions:18 (IX) Any provisions of section 22-1-128 relating to19 comprehensive human sexuality education content requirements; or20 (X) Any provision of section 22-30.5-104 (3), 22-30.5-507 (3),21 22-32-109 (1)(ll), 22-32-110 (1)(k), 22-38-104 (1)(d), or 22-63-206 (1)22 relating to discrimination based on hair texture, hair type, or a protective23 hairstyle that is commonly or historically associated with race; OR 24 (XI) A NY PROVISION OF SECTION 22-1-144 RELATING TO THE USE 25 OF A STUDENT'S CHOSEN NAME, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 22-1-144 (1), IN A26 PUBLIC SCHOOL.27 1039 -4- SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30.5-104, amend1 (6)(c)(VIII) and (6)(c)(IX); and add (6)(c)(X) as follows:2 22-30.5-104. Charter school - requirements - authority - rules3 - definitions. (6) (c) A school district, on behalf of a charter school, may4 apply to the state board for a waiver of a state statute or state rule that is5 not an automatic waiver. Notwithstanding any provision of this6 subsection (6) to the contrary, the state board may not waive any statute7 or rule relating to:8 (VIII) Section 22-33-106.1 concerning suspension and expulsion9 of students in preschool through second grade; or10 (IX) Subsection (3) of this section and sections 22-32-110 (1)(k)11 and 22-63-206 (1) relating to discrimination based on hair texture, hair12 type, or a protective hairstyle that is commonly or historically associated13 with race; OR 14 (X) A NY PROVISION OF SECTION 22-1-144 RELATING TO THE USE 15 OF A STUDENT'S CHOSEN NAME, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 22-1-144 (1), IN A16 PUBLIC SCHOOL.17 SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-30.5-507, amend18 (7)(b)(VIII) and (7)(b)(IX); and add (7)(b)(X) as follows:19 22-30.5-507. Institute charter school - requirements -20 authority - rules - definitions. (7) (b) An institute charter school may21 apply to the state board, through the institute, for a waiver of state statutes22 and state rules that are not automatic waivers. The state board may waive23 state statutory requirements or rules promulgated by the state board;24 except that the state board may not waive any statute or rule relating to:25 (VIII) Section 22-33-106.1 concerning suspension and expulsion26 of students in preschool through second grade; or27 1039 -5- (IX) Subsection (3) of this section and sections 22-32-110 (1)(k)1 and 22-63-206 (1) relating to discrimination based on hair texture, hair2 type, or a protective hairstyle that is commonly or historically associated3 with race; OR 4 (X) A NY PROVISION OF SECTION 22-1-144 RELATING TO THE USE 5 OF A STUDENT'S CHOSEN NAME, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 22-1-144 (1), IN A6 PUBLIC SCHOOL.7 SECTION 6. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,8 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate9 preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for10 the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state11 institutions.12 1039 -6-