First Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED
LLS NO. 25-0458.01 Owen Hatch x2698
SENATE BILL 25-123
Senate Committees House Committees
Education
A BILL FOR AN ACT
C
ONCERNING THE ADDITION OF GENOCIDE AGAINST NATIVE101
A
MERICANS TO THE HOLOCAUST AND GENOCIDE STUDIES IN102
PUBLIC SCHOOL STATUTE .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 expands the Holocaust and genocide studies curriculum
taught in public schools to include the genocide against Native
Americans, the Sand Creek massacre and other massacres, and the
Colorado Native American residential and boarding schools.
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Gonzales J.,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Camacho,
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. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) The Sand Creek Massacre of peaceful Arapaho and Cheyenne4
Peoples by the United States Army led by John Milton Chivington on5
November 29, 1864, remains the bloodiest day in Colorado history. It6
drove entire tribes from the state, leaving their descendants to deal with7
the intergenerational effects of genocide.8
(b) While it was investigated by the authorities at the time and9
found to have been a massacre that targeted innocent Indigenous women,10
children, and men, it was not until the one hundred fiftieth anniversary of11
the massacre that then Governor John Hickenlooper provided Colorado's12
first official apology for the Sand Creek Massacre;13
(c) The Ute Tribes were also subject to massacres, such as the14
Meeker and Beaver Creek Massacres, as they were exercising their rights15
and protecting their way of life. It is important to recognize other16
massacres of Native Americans in the Holocaust and genocide studies in17
Colorado public schools statute.18
(d) Section 22-1-104.7, Colorado Revised Statutes, requiring the19
teaching of the Holocaust and genocide studies in Colorado public20
schools, was passed in 2022 after the official apology for the Sand Creek21
Massacre, but it was not specifically listed in the statute. This amendment22
rectifies this omission.23
(e) On October 25, 2024, then President Biden officially24
apologized to Native Americans for Indian boarding schools. Colorado25
Governor Polis and Lieutenant Governor Primavera concurred and26
SB25-123-2- referred to the work under House Bill 22-1327, which created the federal1
Indian boarding school research program and House Bill 24-1444, which2
recreated the federal Indian boarding school research program,3
confirming that this constituted genocide and should be taught in public4
schools alongside other massacres and crimes committed against Native5
Americans in this land.6
(f) The forcible removal of children from one group to another, in7
this case Indigenous children to boarding schools, meets the international8
definition of genocide under the United Nations Convention on the9
Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which is also10
replicated in the underlying section 22-1-104.7, Colorado Revised11
Statutes, concerning the Holocaust and genocide studies; and12
(g) This act gives meaning and recognition to the ongoing13
suffering of Native Americans and their communities from the14
intergenerational effects of genocide against them.15
(2) (a) The general assembly therefore declares that it is in the16
public interest of Colorado to add genocide against Native Americans to17
the statute requiring the Holocaust and genocide studies by explicitly18
listing genocide against Native Americans; the Sand Creek Massacre and19
other massacres of Native Americans; and Native American boarding and20
residential schools.21
(b) The act also directs the setting of standards that identify the22
knowledge and skills that students must acquire and the inclusion of23
materials in the resource bank.24
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-1-104.7, amend25
(1)(c) and (2)(b) as follows:26
22-1-104.7. Teaching of Holocaust and genocide studies -27
SB25-123
-3- applicability - definitions. (1) As used in this section, unless the context1
otherwise requires:2
(c) "Holocaust and genocide studies" means studies on the3
Holocaust, genocide, and other acts of mass violence, including, but not4
limited to:5
(I) The Armenian Genocide;6
(II) T
HE GENOCIDE AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS;7
(III) T
HE SAND CREEK MASSACRE AND OTHER MASSACRES ; AND8
(IV) T
HE NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL AND BOARDING9
SCHOOLS.10
(2) (b) (I) The provisions of
Subsection (2)(a) of this section11
applies only if the standards are adopted by the state board on or before12
July 1, 2023.13
(II) S
UBSECTIONS (1)(c)(II) TO (1)(c)(IV) OF THIS SECTION APPLY14
ONLY IF THE STANDARDS ARE ADOPTED BY THE STATE BOARD ON OR15
BEFORE JULY 1, 2026.16
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-2-127.3, amend17
(2)(a)(V) and (2)(c); and add (2)(d) as follows:18
22-2-127.3. Holocaust and genocide studies - resource bank -19
technical assistance - definitions. (2) (a) The department shall create20
and maintain a publicly available resource bank of materials pertaining21
to Holocaust and genocide courses and programs. At a minimum, the22
resource bank must include:23
(V) Case studies on the Holocaust and genocides, including, but24
not limited to:25
(A) The Armenian Genocide;26
(B) T
HE GENOCIDE AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS;27
SB25-123
-4- (C) THE SAND CREEK MASSACRE AND OTHER MASSACRES ; AND1
(D) T
HE NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL AND BOARDING2
SCHOOLS.3
(c) (I) The department shall ensure that the resource bank is4
available for access by school districts, charter schools, boards of5
cooperative services, and the public by July 1, 2021.6
(II) N
OTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION (2)(c)(I) OF THIS SECTION,7
THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ENSURE THAT THE RESOURCE BANK AVAILABLE8
FOR ACCESS BY SCHOOL DISTRICTS , CHARTER SCHOOLS, BOARDS OF9
COOPERATIVE SERVICES, AND THE PUBLIC INCLUDES THE RESOURCES10
DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTIONS (2)(a)(V)(B) TO (2)(a)(V)(D) OF THIS SECTION11
BY JULY 1, 2027.12
(d) T
HE MATERIALS AND CASE STUDIES DEVELOPED REGARDING13
SUBSECTIONS (2)(a)(V)(B) TO (2)(a)(V)(D) OF THIS SECTION MUST BE14
CREATED IN CONSULTATION WITH NATIVE AMERICANS AFFECTED BY15
GENOCIDE, INCLUDING THE SOUTHERN UTE AND UTE MOUNTAIN UTE16
T
RIBES.17
SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 22-7-1005, amend18
(2.7)(a) as follows:19
22-7-1005. Preschool through elementary and secondary20
education - aligned standards - adoption - revisions. (2.7) (a) (I) On21
or before July 1, 2021, the state board shall adopt standards that identify22
the knowledge and skills that students should
MUST acquire as a condition23
of high school graduation related to Holocaust and genocide studies
IN24
SUBSECTION (2.7)(a)(I)(A) OF THIS SECTION, as defined in section25
22-1-104.7 (1), including, but not limited to:26
(A) The Armenian Genocide;27
SB25-123
-5- (B) THE GENOCIDE AGAINST NATIVE AMERICANS;1
(C) T
HE SAND CREEK MASSACRE AND OTHER MASSACRES ; AND2
(D) T
HE NATIVE AMERICAN RESIDENTIAL AND BOARDING3
SCHOOLS.4
(II) N
OTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION (2.7)(a)(I) OF THIS SECTION,5
ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 1, 2026, THE STATE BOARD SHALL ADOPT6
STANDARDS THAT IDENTIFY THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS THAT STUDENTS7
MUST ACQUIRE AS A CONDITION OF HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION RELATED8
TO SUBSECTIONS (2.7)(a)(I)(B) TO (2.7)(a)(I)(D) OF THIS SECTION.9
SECTION 5. 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
SB25-123
-6-