House Committee of Reference Report

Committee on Education

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February 5, 2026

After consideration on the merits, the Committee recommends the following:

HB26-1006   be amended as follows, and as so amended, be referred to the Committee on Appropriations with favorable recommendation:

Page 1, Line 1Amend printed bill, page 3, strike lines 25 through 27.

Page 1, Line 2Page 4, strike line 1 and substitute:

Page 1, Line 3"(c)  "Labor market outcomes" means the income earnings

Page 1, Line 4of students upon postsecondary-education completion

Page 1, Line 5categorized by degree using existing state or federal data

Page 1, Line 6already collected or maintained by the department.".

Page 1, Line 7Page 5, strike lines 12 through 16 and substitute:

Page 1, Line 8"(4) (a)  Following the establishment of the initial thriving

Page 1, Line 9institution designations and the outcome standards used to

Page 1, Line 10inform the thriving institution designations as required by

Page 1, Line 11subsection (5)of this section, and within thirty days after the

Page 1, Line 12annual public release of enrollment, retention, and graduation

Page 1, Line 13data from each state institution of higher education in 2027 and

Page 1, Line 14each year thereafter, the department, with input from the

Page 1, Line 15advisory committee, if the advisory committee has scheduled

Page 1, Line 16meetings for that calendar year, shall:".

Page 1, Line 17Page 6, strike lines 25 through 27 and substitute:

Page 1, Line 18"(a)  Rely exclusively on existing state or federal data

Page 1, Line 19collected or maintained by the department and not require new

Page 1, Line 20data elements, new data collection, data matching, or

Page 1, Line 21data-sharing agreements with other state or federal agencies

Page 1, Line 22or institutions of higher education.".

Page 2, Line 1Page 7, strike lines 6 through 13 and substitute:

Page 2, Line 2"(d)  At a minimum, include existing data concerning

Page 2, Line 3student progression and success, such as degree completion,

Page 2, Line 4retention, and labor market outcomes.

Page 2, Line 5(6) (a)  On or before January 1, 2027, the department shall

Page 2, Line 6convene an advisory committee on thriving institution

Page 2, Line 7outcomes. The advisory committee shall meet at least once

Page 2, Line 8during the 2027 calendar year to provide input on the initial

Page 2, Line 9thriving institution designations and the outcome standards

Page 2, Line 10used to inform the thriving institution designations. Once this

Page 2, Line 11purpose is fulfilled, the advisory committee shall meet only if

Page 2, Line 12new thriving institution designations need to be added or if the

Page 2, Line 13commission proposes material changes to the outcome standards

Page 2, Line 14used to inform the thriving institution designations.".

Page 2, Line 15Page 7, after line 22 insert:

Page 2, Line 16"(V)  A representative from an institution of higher

Page 2, Line 17education that received a Hispanic-serving institution

Page 2, Line 18designation from the United States department of education on

Page 2, Line 19or before December 31, 2025;

Page 2, Line 20(VI)  A representative from an institution of higher

Page 2, Line 21education that received a first generation-serving institution

Page 2, Line 22designation from the department on or before December 31, 2025;

Page 2, Line 23(VII)  A representative from an institution of higher

Page 2, Line 24education with a population of Pell-eligible undergraduate

Page 2, Line 25students greater than the statewide average;

Page 2, Line 26(VIII)  A representative from an institution of higher

Page 2, Line 27education that has a population of adult learners and transfer

Page 2, Line 28students that is greater than the statewide average;

Page 2, Line 29(IX)  A representative from the Colorado business

Page 2, Line 30community with experience in workforce development or

Page 2, Line 31employer engagement related to postsecondary education

Page 2, Line 32employment and workforce development;".

Page 2, Line 33Renumber succeeding subparagraphs accordingly.

Page 2, Line 34Page 8, after line 7 insert:

Page 2, Line 35"(c)  Members appointed to the advisory committee may

Page 2, Line 36satisfy multiple membership categories detailed in subsection

Page 3, Line 1(5)(b) of this section.".

Page 3, Line 2Reletter succeeding paragraph accordingly.

Page 3, Line 3Page 8, strike lines 12 through 21 and substitute "thereafter, the

Page 3, Line 4department shall prepare a report summarizing the thriving

Page 3, Line 5institution designations in effect, the outcome standards used

Page 3, Line 6to inform the thriving institution designations, and any new

Page 3, Line 7thriving institution designations added or material changes

Page 3, Line 8made to the outcome standards for that calendar year. The

Page 3, Line 9department shall include the report in it's "SMART Act"

Page 3, Line 10hearing, required pursuant to section 2-7-203.".