First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
ENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments Adopted
on Second Reading in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 25-0557.01 Owen Hatch x2698
HOUSE BILL 25-1131
House Committees Senate Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING ELIMINATING CERT AIN CONDITIONS RELATED TO101
C
OLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY 'S VETERINARY MEDICINE102
PROGRAM.103
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 eliminates the statutory cap on the number of veterinary
students permitted to attend Colorado state university at one time. The bill
eliminates additional financial limitations related to the professional
veterinary medicine program at Colorado state university.
HOUSE
2nd Reading Unamended
February 11, 2025
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Boesenecker and Johnson,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Kipp and Pelton B., Marchman
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. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 23-31-118 as2
follows:3
23-31-118. Advancement of money and pledge of income -4
definition. (1) The board of governors of the Colorado state university5
system, designated in this section as the "board", is authorized to enter6
into contracts for the advancement of moneys MONEY for the construction7
and acquisition of facilities or equipment, or both, for the Colorado state8
university veterinary medicine hospital, or any part thereof, and, in9
connection with or as a part of such contracts, to pledge revenues from a10
special hospital fee that the board shall collect pursuant to agreements11
entered into with or with respect to each accountable student as security12
for the repayment of the moneys MONEY advanced, therefor, together with13
interest. thereon. The maximum number of accountable students at any14
given time shall not exceed three hundred eight; except that, should the15
total enrollment in the professional veterinary medicine program exceed16
five hundred forty-eight head-count students, additional accountable17
students may not exceed forty-five percent of each admitted class. For18
purposes of this section, an "accountable student" is a person who, as of19
the date of his or her THEIR selection for admission into the professional20
veterinary medicine program, is not receiving funding, either from the21
state of Colorado or from a state that has entered into a cooperative22
agreement with the state of Colorado pursuant to section 24-60-601,23
C.R.S., for all or any portion of the costs incurred in participating in the24
professional veterinary medicine program. An agreement shall be entered25
into with or with respect AN ANNUAL FEE IS CHARGED to AND PAID BY26
1131-2- each accountable student and each such agreement shall provide that, as1
a condition to that student's continued enrollment in the professional2
veterinary medicine program. there shall be paid annually by or on behalf3
of the student the special hospital fee provided for in this section, which4
fee shall be fixed by the board THE BOARD SHALL FIX THE FEE annually in5
an amount sufficient to meet the obligation authorized by this section.6
(2) The board,
IN ACCORDANCE WITH STATE LAW , shall annually7
assess each cooperative state or accountable student a support fee to8
reimburse Colorado for instructional costs. This support fee includes an
9
equipment and renovation fee of one thousand one dollars assessed to10
each cooperative state or accountable student for acquisition or11
replacement of equipment and for renovation. Colorado shall share12
proportionately in the acquisition or replacement of equipment and13
renovation projects. The amount to be paid by Colorado shall be IS14
determined by the annual ratio of Colorado students to accountable15
students based upon beginning enrollment of each school year. The fee16
required to be collected pursuant to this subsection (2) is based on a17
student's status as an "accountable student" at the time of selection for18
admission into the professional veterinary medicine program and shall not19
be reduced or waived regardless of the student's status as an in-state20
student, pursuant to the provisions of section 23-7-103, at any time during21
the student's participation in the professional veterinary medicine22
program.23
(3) The board shall not pledge any income of the university except24
that authorized in subsection (1) of this section and shall not create any25
mortgage upon property belonging to such institution or obligate the state26
of Colorado for the purpose of repaying or receiving any funds raised or27
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-3- advanced under the provisions of this section.1
(4) Any advancement of moneys, not to exceed two million five2
hundred thousand dollars, may be evidenced by revenue bonds or3
anticipation warrants to be executed by the board for and on behalf of4
Colorado state university and containing such terms and provisions,5
including provisions for adequate reserves and for redemption prior to6
maturity and a maximum net effective interest rate, as may be determined7
by the board. Such revenue bonds or anticipation warrants shall bear8
interest at a rate such that the net effective interest rate of the issue of9
bonds or anticipation warrants does not exceed the maximum net10
effective interest rate fixed, which interest shall be payable semiannually11
or annually. Such revenue bonds or warrants may be sold at less than par,12
but they may not be sold at a price such that the net effective interest rate13
of the issue of bonds or warrants exceeds the maximum net effective14
interest rate fixed. Any such revenue bonds or warrants may be refunded15
pursuant to article 54 of title 11, C.R.S., if in the judgment of the board16
such refunding is to the best interests of the university.17
(5) If the sources of pledged revenues described in subsection (1)18
of this section exceed the amount required for the amortization of any19
advancement made pursuant to this section, and the payment of interest20
thereof, together with reserve requirements, the board may apply such21
surplus to the redemption of such securities prior to maturity of such22
securities according to redemption provisions thereof, or such surplus23
may be used by the board for the purposes of maintaining, repairing,24
altering, or adding to any existing equipment or facilities acquired25
pursuant to the provisions of this section for any lawful purpose.26
(6) All obligations issued pursuant to this section and the income27
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-4- therefrom shall be exempt from taxation, except inheritance, estate, and1
transfer taxes.2
(7) No action shall be brought questioning the legality of any3
contract, proceedings, revenue bonds, or anticipation warrants issued or4
to be issued by the board in connection with the provision of all or any5
part of the Colorado state university veterinary medicine hospital pursuant6
to this section after the expiration of thirty days from the effective date of7
any resolution or other official action authorizing such contract, adopting8
such proceedings, or authorizing the issuance of such warrants or bonds.9
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act10
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the11
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except12
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V13
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this14
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take15
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in16
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the17
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.18
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