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January 10, 2024 HB 24-1039
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 24-0228
Rep. Vigil
Sen. Winter; Marchman
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
January 10, 2024
House Education
John Armstrong | 303-866-6289
john.armstrong@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: NON-LEGAL NAME CHANGES
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☐ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☒ School District
☐ Statutory Public Entity
The bill deems a school’s refusal to use a student’s preferred name as a form of
discrimination and establishes a task force in the Colorado Department of Education
to provide guidance for school districts. The bill increases state expenditures for
FY 2024-25 only.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires an appropriation of $134,418 to the Department of
Education.
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 HB 24-1039
Budget Year
FY 2024-25
Out Year
FY 2025-26
Revenue - -
Expenditures General Fund $134,418 -
Centrally Appropriated $17,169 -
Total Expenditures $151,587 -
Total FTE 0.7 FTE -
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts General Fund Reserve $20,163 -
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January 10, 2024 HB 24-1039
Summary of Legislation
The bill requires public schools to address a student by their preferred name in school and in
school-related publications, without requiring that the student obtain a court-ordered name or
gender change. Failure to address a student by their preferred name is discriminatory.
The bill also establishes the Non-Legal Name Changes in Schools Task Force in the Colorado
Department of Education (CDE). The task force must examine existing school policies regarding
non-legal name changes and provide policy implementation recommendations for school
districts. The nine-member task force must meet three times between July and December of
2024. By January 1, 2025, the task force must submit a report to the CDE that details
recommended guidelines, and the department must publish the report and submit it to school
districts. Schools must implement policy recommendations from the task force no later than
July 1, 2025. The bill is repealed on July 1, 2026.
State Expenditures
The bill increases state expenditures in the CDE by $151,587 and 0.7 FTE in FY 2024-25 only, paid
from the General Fund. New expenditures are displayed in Table 2 and discussed below.
Table 2
Expenditures Under HB 24-1039
FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26
Colorado Department of Education
Personal Services $101,497 -
Operating Expenses $896 -
Contract Facilitator for Task Force $30,000 -
Task Force Travel Expenses & Per-Diem $2,025 -
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
$17,169 -
Total Cost $151,587 -
Total FTE 0.7 FTE -
1
Centrally appropriated costs are not included in the bill's appropriation.
Tax force facilitator and expenses. The CDE will hire a contract task-force facilitator for each of
the meetings. Based on expenses for similar task forces in the department, the facilitator is
estimated to cost $30,000. Additionally, the nine members of the task force will require per-diem
and travel expenses averaging $75 per meeting per member.
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January 10, 2024 HB 24-1039
Staff. The CDE will require a total of 0.7 FTE across several work units to contract and coordinate
the facilitator and task force members, conduct administrative and accounting tasks, attend task
force meetings, and provide subject matter expertise.
Centrally appropriated costs. Pursuant to a Joint Budget Committee policy, certain costs
associated with this bill are addressed through the annual budget process and centrally
appropriated in the Long Bill or supplemental appropriations bills, rather than in this bill. These
costs, which include employee insurance and supplemental employee retirement payments, are
shown in Table 2.
Other Budget Impacts
General Fund reserve. Under current law, an amount equal to 15 percent of General Fund
appropriations must be set aside in the General Fund statutory reserve. Based on this fiscal note,
the bill is expected to increase the amount of General Fund held in reserve by the amounts
shown in Table 1, decreasing the amount of General Fund available for other purposes.
School District
The bill will increase workload and expenditures for public schools to implement the policy
changes and recommendations of the task force. While the bill does not specify remedies for
the discriminatory action of referring to a student not by their preferred name, legal costs for
school districts may increase if this provision results in lawsuits or other legal actions. It is
assumed that school districts will abide by the bill and use students preferred names.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his
signature.
State Appropriations
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires a General Fund appropriation of $134,418 to the Colorado
Department of Education, and 0.7 FTE.
State and Local Government Contacts
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.