SB 25-316
Fiscal Note
Legislative Council Staff
Nonpartisan Services for Colorado’s Legislature
SB 25-316: AURARIA HIGHER EDUC CENTER APPROP
Prime Sponsors:
Sen. Amabile; Bridges
Rep. Taggart; Sirota
Published for: Senate Appropriations
Drafting number: LLS 25-1016
Fiscal Analyst:
Josh Abram, 303-866-3561
josh.abram@coleg.gov
Version: Initial Fiscal Note
Date: April 28, 2025
Fiscal note status: The fiscal note reflects the introduced bill, which was requested by the Joint Budget
Committee.
Summary Information
Overview. The bill sets requirements for state appropriations to the Department of Higher Education for
use by the Auraria Higher Education Center for FY 2025-26; requires a comprehensive study of the
center’s operations, and adjusts appropriations in the 2025 Long Bill.
Types of impacts. The bill is projected to affect the following areas in FY 2025-26 only:
State Expenditures
Appropriations. For FY 2025-26, the bill includes multiple appropriation changes that result in no net
change in appropriations. See State Appropriations Section for more detail.
Table 1
State Fiscal Impacts
Type of Impact
Budget Year
FY 2025-26
Out Year
FY 2026-27
State Revenue $0 $0
State Expenditures $0 $0
Transferred Funds $0 $0
Change in TABOR Refunds $0 $0
Change in State FTE 0.0 FTE 0.0 FTE
Page 2
April 28, 2025 SB 25-316
Summary of Legislation
The bill requires that appropriations to the Department of Higher Education (DHE) for use by the
Auraria Higher Education Center (AHEC) for FY 2025-26 be used only as agreed upon by the
constituent institutions of AHEC in baseline service level agreements. AHEC must establish fee
structures for additional services, and the schools may enter into additional agreements with
AHEC for services not provide in the baseline agreements.
AHEC must present quarterly reports on the agreements to the schools during FY 2025-26.
AHEC Comprehensive Study
The bill requires that the constituent schools, in consultation with AHEC, contract with an
independent third party to conduct a comprehensive study examining the operations of the
Auraria campus, and the services provided to students by the constituent institutions and AHEC.
The final report must be presented by December 31, 2025, with extensions to January 30 2026, if
circumstances prevent meeting the first deadline. The Colorado Commission on Higher
Education must contract with the entity if the schools and the center cannot agree on a vendor.
Appropriation Changes
The bill changes appropriations as follows:
reduces the General Fund appropriation to the DHE for fee-for-service contracts and College
Opportunity Fund for AHEC constituent schools by $31.4 million, and reduces the
reappropriations for each institution proportionately; and
reduces the reappropriated funds to AHEC by $31.4 million, and instead appropriates
General Fund to AHEC in the same amount for FY 2025-26 only.
Background
The constituent schools of the Auraria Campus are: the Community College of Denver,
Metropolitan State University of Denver, and the University of Colorado Denver.
State Expenditures
The bill increases state expenditures for the constituent schools of AHEC to solicit and contract
for a third party vendor to conduct the comprehensive study. This cost, which has not been
estimated, will be paid by institutional resources available to the constituent schools and no
additional state appropriation is required. Page 3
April 28, 2025 SB 25-316
State Appropriations
For FY 2025-26, the bill makes several adjustments to the 2025 Long Bill, which result in no net
change to General Fund appropriations.
The bill decreases the General Fund appropriations to the Department of Higher Education for
fee-for-service contracts and the Colorado Opportunity Fund by $31,435,042, and decreases the
reappropriated funds to the governing boards of constituent institutions of AHEC as follows:
-$15,623,129 to Metropolitan State University of Denver;
-$11,739,171 to the University of Colorado Denver; and,
-$4,072,742 to the State Board of Community Colleges and Occupational Education system.
The bill decreases reappropriated funds for AHEC by $31,435,042.
The bill appropriates $31,435,042 General Fund to the Department of Higher Education for use
by AHEC. The department may use this appropriation as follows:
$29,545,253 for operational costs; and
$1,889,789 for deferred maintenance projects.
Effective Date
The bill takes effect upon signature of the Governor, or upon becoming law without his
signature.
State and Local Government Contacts
Joint Budget Committee
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.