A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning increasing support for older adults in the
Page 1, Line 102workforce.
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 increases participation, representation, and support for individuals 60 years old or older in the Colorado workforce and in organizations related to employment and the workforce by:
- Requiring the state work force development council (council), the Colorado commission on the aging, and other entities to meet twice a year, collect data, and work collaboratively on issues related to individuals in the workforce who are 60 years old or older;
- Requiring the department of labor and employment and the department of human services to jointly submit a report compiling the data collected by the council, the Colorado commission on the aging, and other entities to the general assembly and requiring the department of labor and employment, during the department's annual "SMART Act" hearings, to summarize the report to certain legislative committees; and
- Requiring that the council, the commission on higher education, the state apprenticeship council, and the state board for community colleges and occupational education, or their successor entities, each have at least one member serving on their governing entity that is at least 60 years old and either is actively involved in or has interest, knowledge, or experience in advocating for the interests of individuals who are 60 years old or older as related to the functions of each entity.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-46.3-100.3, add
Page 2, Line 3(2.6) as follows:
Page 2, Line 424-46.3-100.3. Definitions.
Page 2, Line 5As used in this article 46.3, unless the context otherwise requires:
Page 2, Line 6(2.6) "Older adult" means an individual who is sixty years
Page 2, Line 7old or older.
Page 2, Line 8SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-46.3-101, add
Page 2, Line 9(2.1) as follows:
Page 2, Line 1024-46.3-101. State work force development council - creation
Page 2, Line 11- membership - funding through gifts, grants, and donations.
Page 2, Line 12(2.1) For appointments to the state council, or a successor
Page 2, Line 13entity, made on or after the effective date of this subsection
Page 2, Line 14(2.1), at least one member appointed by the governor pursuant to
Page 3, Line 1subsection (2)(d) of this section must be an individual who:
Page 3, Line 2(a) Is an older adult; and
Page 3, Line 3(b) Either is actively involved in or has interest,
Page 3, Line 4knowledge, or experience in advocating for the interests of
Page 3, Line 5older adults in the workforce.
Page 3, Line 6SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-46.3-107 as
Page 3, Line 7follows:
Page 3, Line 824-46.3-107. Meet with Colorado commission on aging - collect
Page 3, Line 9data - "SMART Act" hearing.
Page 3, Line 10(1) (a) Beginning in 2027, and each year thereafter, the
Page 3, Line 11state council shall meet twice a year with the Colorado
Page 3, Line 12commission on the aging, created pursuant to section 26-11-101,
Page 3, Line 13or a workforce-related subcommittee of the Colorado
Page 3, Line 14commission on the aging, established pursuant to section
Page 3, Line 1526-11-102.
Page 3, Line 16(b) The state council shall invite representatives of
Page 3, Line 17entities with demonstrated interest or experience in workforce
Page 3, Line 18services for older adults, including community-based
Page 3, Line 19organizations, advocacy groups, workforce policy experts, and
Page 3, Line 20nonprofit organizations, to participate in the meetings held
Page 3, Line 21pursuant to subsection (1)(a) of this section.
Page 3, Line 22(2) The state council, the Colorado commission on the
Page 3, Line 23aging, and any other participating entities shall work
Page 3, Line 24collaboratively to:
Page 3, Line 25(a) Promote workforce development and foster
Page 3, Line 26self-sufficiency for older adults in the state;
Page 3, Line 27(b) Examine issues related to employment access, training,
Page 4, Line 1support, and services for older adults in the state;
Page 4, Line 2(c) Review data collected by the state council or the
Page 4, Line 3Colorado commission on the aging related to older adults in
Page 4, Line 4the workforce;
Page 4, Line 5(d) Discuss and determine whether additional data should
Page 4, Line 6be collected by the state council or the Colorado commission
Page 4, Line 7on the aging regarding older adults in the workforce to assist
Page 4, Line 8in furthering the objectives set forth in subsections (2)(a) and
Page 4, Line 9(2)(b) of this section; and
Page 4, Line 10(e) Provide an overview to the department and the
Page 4, Line 11department of human services, on or before December 1, 2027,
Page 4, Line 12and on or before December 1 of each year thereafter, of the
Page 4, Line 13data collected pursuant to this subsection (2).
Page 4, Line 14(3) Beginning in 2028, and each year thereafter, the
Page 4, Line 15department and the department of human services shall jointly
Page 4, Line 16submit a report to the general assembly compiling the data
Page 4, Line 17collected pursuant to this section and summarizing the state of
Page 4, Line 18workforce development and employment access for older
Page 4, Line 19adults in the state, and the department shall summarize the
Page 4, Line 20report in its presentation to the senate business, labor, and
Page 4, Line 21technology committee and the house of representatives business
Page 4, Line 22affairs and labor committee, or their successor committees,
Page 4, Line 23during the hearings held pursuant to the "SMART Act", part 2
Page 4, Line 24of article 7 of title 2.
Page 4, Line 25SECTION 4. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 26-11-105, add (2)
Page 4, Line 26as follows:
Page 4, Line 2726-11-105. Duties of commission - report.
Page 5, Line 1(2) Beginning in 2027, and each year thereafter, the
Page 5, Line 2commission, or a workforce-related subcommittee of the
Page 5, Line 3commission, shall meet twice a year with and work
Page 5, Line 4collaboratively with the state work force development
Page 5, Line 5council, created in section 24-46.3-101, to perform the duties set
Page 5, Line 6forth in section 24-46.3-107.
Page 5, Line 7SECTION 5. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 8-15.7-105, add
Page 5, Line 8(1)(b)(II.5) as follows:
Page 5, Line 98-15.7-105. State apprenticeship council - created - members
Page 5, Line 10- powers and duties.
Page 5, Line 11(1) (b) The SAC:
Page 5, Line 12(II.5) On and after January 1, 2027, must include, as one of
Page 5, Line 13the representatives of employer or employee organizations or
Page 5, Line 14members of the public required to be included by subsection
Page 5, Line 15(1)(b)(II) of this section, an individual who:
Page 5, Line 16(A) Is at least sixty years old; and
Page 5, Line 17(B) Either is actively involved in or has interest,
Page 5, Line 18knowledge, or experience in advocating for the interests of
Page 5, Line 19individuals who work in apprenticeship positions and are sixty
Page 5, Line 20years old or older;
Page 5, Line 21SECTION 6. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-1-102, amend
Page 5, Line 22(3)(b) as follows:
Page 5, Line 2323-1-102. Commission established - terms of office.
Page 5, Line 24(3) (b)
The governor shall selectPage 5, Line 25of the commission, the governor shall ensure that:
Page 5, Line 26(I) The members are selected on the basis of their knowledge
Page 5, Line 27of and interest in higher education;
Page 6, Line 1(II) At least one member of the commission
must residePage 6, Line 2west of the continental divide;
Page 6, Line 3(III) On and after the effective date of this subsection
Page 6, Line 4(3)(b), as amended, at least one member of the commission is at
Page 6, Line 5least sixty years old and either is actively involved in or has
Page 6, Line 6interest, knowledge, or experience in advocating for the
Page 6, Line 7interests of individuals engaged in higher education who are
Page 6, Line 8sixty years old or older; and
Page 6, Line 9(IV)
NoPage 6, Line 10majority of the members
of the commission may bePage 6, Line 11same political party at any time.
Page 6, Line 12SECTION 7. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-60-104, amend
Page 6, Line 13(2)(a)(II); and add (2)(a)(II.2) and (2)(a)(II.5) as follows:
Page 6, Line 1423-60-104. State board for community colleges and
Page 6, Line 15occupational education - student advisory council - state advisory
Page 6, Line 16council.
Page 6, Line 17(2) (a) (II)
The board shall appoint a director of occupationalPage 6, Line 18
education and a director of community and technical colleges with thePage 6, Line 19
qualifications and background specified by the board.Page 6, Line 20members to the board, the governor shall ensure that:
Page 6, Line 21(A) On and after the effective date of this subsection
Page 6, Line 22(2)(a)(II), as amended, at least one member is at least sixty years
Page 6, Line 23old and either is actively involved in or has interest,
Page 6, Line 24knowledge, or experience in advocating for the interests of
Page 6, Line 25individuals who are sixty years old or older in relation to
Page 6, Line 26participation in community colleges and occupational
Page 6, Line 27education;
Page 7, Line 1(B)
No appointed member shall bePage 7, Line 2of any local district college, community or technical college, school
Page 7, Line 3district or agency receiving vocational funds allocated by the board,
Page 7, Line 4private institution of higher education, or state or private occupational
Page 7, Line 5school in the state;
Page 7, Line 6(C)
No appointed member shall bePage 7, Line 7or appointed statewide official of the state
of ColoradoPage 7, Line 8governing board of any state-supported institution of higher education;
Page 7, Line 9(D)
The board must at no time havePage 7, Line 10majority of the appointed members of the board are affiliated with any
Page 7, Line 11one political party; and
Page 7, Line 12(E) Members of the board
shall bePage 7, Line 13as to ensure that all geographic areas of the state are represented.
A statePage 7, Line 14
student advisory council of student members who are enrolled for aPage 7, Line 15
minimum of nine hours shall be elected, one each, from and by thePage 7, Line 16
student bodies of each of the campuses governed by the board.Page 7, Line 17(II.2) The board shall appoint a director of occupational
Page 7, Line 18education and a director of community and technical colleges
Page 7, Line 19with the qualifications and background specified by the board.
Page 7, Line 20(II.5) A state student advisory council of student
Page 7, Line 21members who are enrolled for a minimum of nine hours shall be
Page 7, Line 22elected, one each, from and by the student bodies of each of the
Page 7, Line 23campuses governed by the board.
Page 7, Line 24SECTION 8. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 7, Line 25takes effect January 1, 2027; except that, if a referendum petition is filed
Page 7, Line 26pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the state constitution against this
Page 7, Line 27act or an item, section, or part of this act within the ninety-day period
Page 8, Line 1after final adjournment of the general assembly, then the act, item,
Page 8, Line 2section, or part will not take effect unless approved by the people at the
Page 8, Line 3general election to be held in November 2026 and, in such case, will take
Page 8, Line 4effect January 1, 2027, or on the date of the official declaration of the
Page 8, Line 5vote thereon by the governor, whichever is later.