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. 25-0525.01 Anna Petrini x5497
HOUSE BILL 25-1221
House Committees Senate Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING AUTHORIZING EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO101
OFFER AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE .102
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 permits Emily Griffith technical college (college) to offer
an associate of applied science degree program (degree program) with
approval from the state board for community colleges and occupational
education (board). The degree program must include a registered
apprenticeship program and certain transferable general education
courses.
HOUSE
2nd Reading Unamended
March 3, 2025
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Hamrick and Garcia Sander,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Bridges and Lundeen,
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. In considering the college's request to offer a degree program, the
board shall consider student and workforce demand, alignment with
registered apprenticeship programs, cost-effectiveness for students and
the state, and accreditation and licensing requirements. An approved
degree program is eligible to receive federal "Carl D. Perkins Career and
Technical Education Improvement Act" funds.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) Over the past decade, higher education in the United States has4
expanded its ability to meet the needs of students through adjustments to5
the role and mission of its institutions and through innovations in6
workforce training and education, including the expansion of7
apprenticeship opportunities;8
(b) Colorado has been at the forefront of these innovations, and9
the state's institutions have played a critical role in developing programs10
that address the needs of today's learners;11
(c) Emily Griffith technical college plays an integral role in12
Colorado's education system, providing career-relevant training and13
instruction that includes registered apprenticeships;14
(d) Registered apprenticeships offer learners high-quality career15
pathways through paid hands-on work in a chosen field. Through16
registered apprenticeships, learners gain the skills and competencies to17
make informed choices about their futures while employers build their18
talent pipelines.19
(e) While registered apprenticeships can give students a valuable,20
nationally recognized credential, many Emily Griffith learners complete21
apprenticeship programs just a few general education credits shy of an22
1221-2- applied associate degree;1
(f) According to data from the Georgetown University Center on2
Education and the Workforce, students in many high-demand applied3
associate degree programs have higher earning potential than those with4
certificates or high school diplomas;5
(g) According to a 50-state analysis conducted in 2021 by6
Advance CTE, over a quarter of responding states reported that their area7
technical colleges offered associate degrees; and8
(h) Allowing Emily Griffith technical college to build on its9
apprenticeship programs by adding associate degrees to its offerings gives10
learners greater access to the job market and promotes lifelong learning.11
Programmatic growth at this vital institution is necessary to ensure that12
Colorado's higher education landscape continues to serve the needs of13
today's learners and employers.14
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-60-211, add (6)15
as follows:16
23-60-211. Degrees. (6) P
URSUANT TO SECTION 23-60-804, THE17
E
MILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE MAY OFFER AN ASSOCIATE OF18
APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE.19
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-60-804 as20
follows:21
23-60-804. Emily Griffith technical college - associate of22
applied science degree program - definitions. (1) A
S USED IN THIS23
SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE REQUIRES :24
(a) "B
OARD" MEANS THE STATE BOARD FOR COMMUNITY COLLEGES25
AND OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION CREATED IN SECTION 23-60-104.26
(b) "D
EGREE PROGRAM" MEANS A DEGREE PROGRAM OFFERED BY27
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-3- THE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2)1
OF THIS SECTION THAT CONFERS AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE2
DEGREE.3
(2) T
HE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE MAY, WITH BOARD4
APPROVAL, OFFER AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE PROGRAM5
TO STUDENTS WHO ARE ENROLLED IN A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP6
PROGRAM.7
(3) T
HE DEGREE PROGRAM MUST :8
(a) I
NCLUDE A REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM WITHIN ITS9
CURRICULAR DESIGN;10
(b) I
NCLUDE SUFFICIENT TRANSFERABLE GENERAL EDUCATION11
COURSES TO COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DESIGNATED DEGREE12
PROGRAM, AS APPLICABLE, AND PURSUANT TO THE GUARANTEED13
TRANSFER PATHWAYS MATRIX DESCRIBED IN SECTION 23-1-108.5 OR A14
STATEWIDE DEGREE TRANSFER AGREEMENT ;15
(c) A
LIGN WITH HIGH-NEED, HIGH-DEMAND OCCUPATIONS AS16
IDENTIFIED BY STUDENT DEMAND AND THE MOST RECENT COLORADO17
TALENT REPORT CREATED PURSUANT TO SECTION 24-46.3-103 (3); AND18
(d) B
E SUBMITTED TO THE COLORADO DEPARTMENT OF HIGHER19
EDUCATION FOR INCLUSION IN STATEWIDE PUBLICATIONS OF ACADEMIC20
DEGREE PROGRAMS AND THE GUARANTEED TRANSFER PATHWAYS MATRIX21
DESCRIBED IN SECTION 23-1-108.5, AS APPLICABLE.22
(4) (a) B
EFORE THE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE MAY23
OFFER AN ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE PURSUANT TO24
SUBSECTION (2) OF THIS SECTION, THE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL25
COLLEGE SHALL DETERMINE THE PROGRAM DESIGNATION FOR THE26
DEGREE.27
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-4- (b) AFTER DETERMINING THE PROGRAM DESIGNATION FOR THE1
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE DEGREE PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4)(a)2
OF THIS SECTION, THE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE SHALL3
SUBMIT THE DEGREE PROGRAM TO THE BOARD FOR THE BOARD 'S REVIEW4
AND APPROVAL. THE EMILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE MAY OFFER5
THE DEGREE PROGRAM ONLY AFTER THE DEGREE PROGRAM HAS BEEN6
APPROVED BY THE BOARD.7
(5) (a) I
N DECIDING WHETHER TO APPROVE A REQUEST BY THE8
E
MILY GRIFFITH TECHNICAL COLLEGE TO OFFER A DEGREE PROGRAM9
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4)(b) OF THIS SECTION, THE BOARD SHALL10
CONSIDER ONLY THE FOLLOWING CRITERIA :11
(I) S
TUDENT AND WORKFORCE DEMAND ;12
(II) A
LIGNMENT OF THE DEGREE PROGRAM WITH OTHER13
REGISTERED APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS OFFERED BY THE EMILY GRIFFITH14
TECHNICAL COLLEGE;15
(III) C
OST-EFFECTIVENESS OF THE DEGREE PROGRAM FOR THE16
STUDENTS AND THE STATE; AND17
(IV) A
CCREDITATION AND LICENSING REQUIREMENTS FOR THE18
DEGREE PROGRAM.19
(b) T
HE BOARD SHALL NOTIFY THE COLORADO COMMISSION ON20
HIGHER EDUCATION OF EACH DEGREE PROGRAM THAT THE BOARD21
APPROVES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION .22
(6) C
ONSISTENT WITH THE STATEWIDE MASTER PLAN CREATED23
PURSUANT TO SECTION 23-1-108 (1.5), A DEGREE PROGRAM ESTABLISHED24
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION IS ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE FUNDS THROUGH THE25
FEDERAL "CARL D. PERKINS CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION26
I
MPROVEMENT ACT OF 2006", 20 U.S.C. SEC. 2301 ET SEQ.27
1221
-5- SECTION 4. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act1
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the2
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except3
that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V4
of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this5
act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take6
effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in7
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the8
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.9
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