Senate Bill 25-055

BY SENATOR(S) Winter F. and Marchman, Amabile, Ball, Bridges, Cutter, Exum, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Kolker, Michaelson Jenet, Sullivan, Wallace, Weissman, Coleman;

also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Joseph and Bacon, Boesenecker, Brown, Carter, Clifford, Froelich, Jackson, Lieder, Lindsay, Mabrey, Rutinel, Sirota, Smith, Stewart K., Story, Valdez, Velasco, Willford, McCluskie.

Concerning measures to involve youth in environmental justice, and, in connection therewith, making an appropriation.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:

SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-1-134, amend (2)(b), (2)(c) introductory portion, (2)(c)(I), (2)(c)(III), and (2)(d)(I); and add (2)(c)(III.5), (2)(d)(III), and (2)(d.5) as follows:

25-1-134.  Environmental justice - ombudsperson - advisory board - grant program - definitions - repeal. (2)  Environmental justice advisory board. (b)  Except as otherwise provided in this subsection (2), the members of the advisory board are appointed by the governor. The governor shall make the initial appointments as soon as practicable, but no later than four months after July 2, 2021. An appointing authority may remove a member of the advisory board for malfeasance in office, failure to regularly attend meetings, or any cause that renders the member unable or unfit to discharge the member's duties.

(c)  The advisory board consists of the following twelvefourteen members who, to the extent practicable, must reside in different geographic areas of the state, reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the state, and have experience with a range of environmental issues, including air pollution, water contamination, and public health impacts:

(I) (A)  FourFive voting members appointed by the governor, who must be or have been residents of a disproportionately impacted community, one of whom is an individual who is fourteen years of age or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of appointment.

(B)  Except as provided in subsection (2)(c)(I)(C) of this section, the youth voting member described in this subsection (2)(c)(I) is first appointed as a nonvoting member pursuant to subsection (2)(c)(III.5) of this section and, after serving one year of the member's term, becomes a voting member pursuant to this subsection (2)(c)(I) and subsection (2)(d)(III) of this section for the remainder of the member's term.

(C)  On or before September 15, 2025, the governor shall appoint an individual who is fourteen years of age or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of appointment to serve a single one-year term as a youth voting member of the advisory board. Thereafter, this youth voting member's seat on the advisory board shall be filled pursuant to the process described in subsection (2)(c)(I)(B) of this section. This subsection (2)(c)(I)(C) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.

(III)  The executive director of the department, or the executive director's designee, as a nonvoting member; and

(III.5)  An individual who is fourteen years of age or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of appointment, as a youth nonvoting member appointed by the governor; and

(d) (I)  Except as provided in subsection (2)(d)(II)subsections (2)(d)(II) and (2)(d)(III) of this section, each member's term of appointment is four years. Voting members may serve no more than two terms; except that a youth voting member who is fourteen years of age or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of appointment may serve only a single term. The governor shall fill any vacancies on the advisory board, including for the remainder of any unexpired term. A member appointed to fill a vacancy may serve the remainder of the unexpired term of the member whose vacancy is being filled, and this remainder counts as one term for that appointee.

(III)  A youth member who is fourteen years of age or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of appointment and who is appointed as a youth nonvoting member pursuant to subsection (2)(c)(III.5) of this section serves a single two-year term. After serving one year of the member's two-year term, the member becomes a youth voting member pursuant to subsection (2)(c)(I)(B) of this section for the remainder of the member's term.

(d.5) (I)  The governor shall make the initial appointment of the youth nonvoting member appointed pursuant to subsection (2)(c)(III.5) of this section on or before September 15, 2025.

(II)  This subsection (2)(d.5) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.

SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-38.5-123 as follows:

24-38.5-123.  Best practices for clean energy resources in schools - creation - updates - publication. (1)  On or before December 31, 2025, the Colorado energy office shall develop and post on its website best practices for adopting and financing clean energy resources in schools. The best practices must include:

(a)  A description of clean energy resources and their costs and benefits;

(b)  For each clean energy resource described in subsection (1)(a) of this section, a list of recommended providers of the clean energy resource in the state;

(c)  Any grants, loans, and other financing sources available to schools to help finance the use of clean energy resources in schools; and

(d)  Resources that students may use in developing proposals for the adoption and financing of clean energy resources in their schools.

(2)  The Colorado energy office shall periodically review and update the best practices and post any updates made to the best practices on its website.

SECTION 3.  Appropriation. For the 2025-26 state fiscal year, $5,042 is appropriated to the department of public health and environment. This appropriation is from the community impact cash fund created in section 25-7-129 (1), C.R.S. To implement this act, the department may use this appropriation for environmental justice program costs.

SECTION 4.  Act subject to petition - effective date. Section 3 of this act takes effect only if Senate Bill 25-265 becomes law, and the remainder of this act takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.