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January 17, 2024 SB 24-014
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
Fiscal Note
Drafting Number:
Prime Sponsors:
LLS 24-0159
Sen. Hansen
Rep. McLachlan
Date:
Bill Status:
Fiscal Analyst:
January 17, 2024
Senate Education
Anna Gerstle | 303-866-4375
anna.gerstle@coleg.gov
Bill Topic: SEAL OF CLIMATE LITERACY DIPLOMA ENDORSEMENT
Summary of
Fiscal Impact:
☒ State Revenue
☒ State Expenditure
☐ State Transfer
☐ TABOR Refund
☐ Local Government
☒ School District
The bill authorizes local education providers to award a seal of climate literacy
diploma endorsement to students who complete certain courses and an experiential
learning project. The bill increases state expenditures, and may increase state revenue
and school district workload on an ongoing basis.
Appropriation
Summary:
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires an appropriation of $18,749 to the Colorado
Department of Education.
Fiscal Note
Status:
The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts Under SB 24-014
Budget Year
FY 2024-25
Out Year
FY 2025-26
Revenue - -
Expenditures General Fund $18,749 $18,749
Centrally Appropriated $3,943 $3,943
Total Expenditures $22,692 $22,692
Total FTE 0.2 FTE 0.2 FTE
Transfers - -
Other Budget Impacts General Fund Reserve $2,812 $2,812
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January 17, 2024 SB 24-014
Summary of Legislation
The bill authorizes local education providers (LEPs) to award a climate literacy diploma
endorsement to a student who:
meets minimum graduation requirements;
completes at least two approved courses in climate literacy; and
completes an experiential learning project.
LEPs that grant the endorsement must provide information on the endorsement to students in
grades six through twelve and their parents. LEPs must approve the student’s experiential
learning project, or may authorize a climate literacy experiential learning provider, such as a
business, nonprofit, or school, to support the student’s final project.
LEPs must submit data on the diploma endorsement to the Colorado Department of Education
(CDE) by October 1, 2025 and each year thereafter. CDE must summarize the data in a report to
the General Assembly by January 15, 2026 and each year thereafter. CDE may collaborate with a
nonprofit organization to evaluate the data and compile the report, and may seek, accept, and
expend gifts, grands, and donations for the purposes of this data collection and report.
State Revenue
The bill potentially increases state revenue from gifts, grants, or donations; however, no sources
have been identified at this time. Gifts, grants, and donations are exempt from TABOR revenue
limits.
State Expenditures
The bill increases state expenditures in CDE by about $23,000 beginning in FY 2024-25, paid
from the General Fund. Costs are listed in Table 2 and discussed below.
Table 2
Expenditures Under SB 24-014
FY 2024-25 FY 2025-26
Department of Education
Personal Services $18,749 $18,749
Centrally Appropriated Costs
1
$3,943 $3,943
Total Cost $22,692 $22,692
Total FTE 0.2 FTE 0.2 FTE
1
Centrally appropriated costs are not included in the bill's appropriation.
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January 17, 2024 SB 24-014
Colorado Department of Education. Beginning in FY 2024-25, CDE requires 0.2 FTE to provide
technical assistance to districts creating the diploma endorsement and collecting data, create
the data collection survey, and compile the legislative report. Technical assistance includes
support related to student educational plans, concurrent enrollment, experiential learning,
graduation requirements, and climate content. The fiscal note assumes that using CDE staff, as
opposed to collaborating with a non-profit, is the least cost alternative for evaluating the data
received from schools and compiling the required report.
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 increases workload and potentially costs for any school district that chooses to offer a
seal of climate literacy diploma endorsement. School staff must develop a list of acceptable
courses to qualify for the endorsement, review and approve student projects, and compile
required data. Impacts to school districts will vary based on whether they offer the endorsement
and the number of interested students.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect 90 days following adjournment of the General Assembly sine die, assuming
no referendum petition is filed.
State Appropriations
For FY 2024-25, the bill requires a General Fund appropriation of $18,749 to the Colorado
Department of Education, and 0.2 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 the General Assembly website.