A Bill for an Act
Page 1, Line 101Concerning measures to involve youth in environmental
Page 1, Line 102justice.
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/.)
Representative Hugh McKean Colorado Youth Advisory Council Review Committee. The environmental justice advisory board in the department of public health and environment (advisory board) advises the environmental justice ombudsperson, develops recommendations related to adverse environmental effects on disproportionately impacted communities, and supports the implementation of a grant program to finance environmental mitigation projects. Section 1 of the bill replaces one voting member of the advisory board with a youth voting member who is between 14 and 21 years of age and adds one youth nonvoting member to the advisory board.
Section 2 requires the Colorado energy office (office), on or before December 31, 2025, to develop and post on its website best practices for the adoption and financing of clean energy resources in schools. The office is required to periodically update the best practices and post the updates on its website.
Page 2, Line 1Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
Page 2, Line 2SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 25-1-134, amend
Page 2, Line 3(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:
Page 2, Line 425-1-134. Environmental justice - ombudsperson - advisory
Page 2, Line 5board - grant program - definitions - repeal. (2) Environmental
Page 2, Line 6justice advisory board. (b) Except as otherwise provided in this
Page 2, Line 7subsection (2), the members of the advisory board are appointed by the
Page 2, Line 8governor.
The governor shall make the initial appointments as soon asPage 2, Line 9
practicable, but no later than four months after July 2, 2021.Page 2, Line 10appointing authority may remove a member of the advisory board for
Page 2, Line 11malfeasance in office, failure to regularly attend meetings, or any cause that renders the member unable or unfit to discharge the member's duties.
Page 2, Line 12(c) The advisory board consists of the following
twelvePage 2, Line 13members who, to the extent practicable, must reside in different
Page 2, Line 14geographic areas of the state, reflect the racial and ethnic diversity of the
Page 2, Line 15state, and have experience with a range of environmental issues, including air pollution, water contamination, and public health impacts:
Page 2, Line 16(I) (A) Four voting members appointed by the governor, who must
Page 2, Line 17be or have been residents of a disproportionately impacted community,
Page 3, Line 1one of whom is an individual who is fourteen years of age or
Page 3, Line 2older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of appointment.
Page 3, Line 3(B) Except as provided in subsection (2)(c)(I)(C) of this
Page 3, Line 4section, the youth voting member described in this subsection
Page 3, Line 5(2)(c)(I) is first appointed as a nonvoting member pursuant to
Page 3, Line 6subsection (2)(c)(III.5) of this section and, after serving one year
Page 3, Line 7of the member's term, becomes a voting member pursuant to this
Page 3, Line 8subsection (2)(c)(I) and subsection (2)(d)(III) of this section for the remainder of the member's term.
Page 3, Line 9(C) On or before September 15, 2025, the governor shall
Page 3, Line 10replace one of the existing voting members of the advisory
Page 3, Line 11board by appointing an individual who is fourteen years of age
Page 3, Line 12or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of
Page 3, Line 13appointment to serve a single one-year term as a youth voting
Page 3, Line 14member of the advisory board. Thereafter, this youth voting
Page 3, Line 15member's seat on the advisory board shall be filled pursuant to
Page 3, Line 16the process described in subsection (2)(c)(I)(B) of this section. This subsection (2)(c)(I)(C) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
Page 3, Line 17(III) The executive director of the department, or the executive director's designee, as a nonvoting member;
andPage 3, Line 18(III.5) An individual who is fourteen years of age or older
Page 3, Line 19but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of
Page 3, Line 20appointment, as a youth nonvoting member appointed by the governor; and
Page 3, Line 21(d) (I) Except as provided in
subsection (2)(d)(II)Page 3, Line 22(2)(d)(II) and (2)(d)(III) of this section, each member's term of
Page 4, Line 1appointment is four years. Voting members may serve no more than two
Page 4, Line 2terms; except that a youth voting member who is fourteen years
Page 4, Line 3of age or older but less than twenty-two years of age at the
Page 4, Line 4time of appointment may serve only a single term. The governor
Page 4, Line 5shall fill any vacancies on the advisory board, including for the remainder
Page 4, Line 6of any unexpired term. A member appointed to fill a vacancy may serve
Page 4, Line 7the remainder of the unexpired term of the member whose vacancy is being filled, and this remainder counts as one term for that appointee.
Page 4, Line 8(III) A youth member who is fourteen years of age or older
Page 4, Line 9but less than twenty-two years of age at the time of
Page 4, Line 10appointment and who is appointed as a youth nonvoting member
Page 4, Line 11pursuant to subsection (2)(c)(III.5) of this section serves a single
Page 4, Line 12two-year term. After serving one year of the member's two-year
Page 4, Line 13term, the member becomes a youth voting member pursuant to
Page 4, Line 14subsection (2)(c)(I)(B) of this section for the remainder of the member's term.
Page 4, Line 15(d.5) (I) The governor shall make the initial appointment
Page 4, Line 16of the youth nonvoting member appointed pursuant to
Page 4, Line 17subsection (2)(c)(III.5) of this section on or before September 15, 2025.
Page 4, Line 18(II) This subsection (2)(d.5) is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
Page 4, Line 19SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-38.5-123 as follows:
Page 4, Line 2024-38.5-123. Best practices for clean energy resources in
Page 4, Line 21schools - creation - updates - publication. (1) On or before
Page 4, Line 22December 31, 2025, the Colorado energy office shall develop
Page 5, Line 1and post on its website best practices for adopting and financing
Page 5, Line 2clean energy resources in schools. The best practices must include:
Page 5, Line 3(a) A description of clean energy resources and their costs and benefits;
Page 5, Line 4(b) For each clean energy resource described in
Page 5, Line 5subsection (1)(a) of this section, a list of recommended providers of the clean energy resource in the state;
Page 5, Line 6(c) Any grants, loans, and other financing sources
Page 5, Line 7available to schools to help finance the use of clean energy resources in schools; and
Page 5, Line 8(d) Resources that students may use in developing
Page 5, Line 9proposals for the adoption and financing of clean energy resources in their schools.
Page 5, Line 10(2) The Colorado energy office shall periodically review
Page 5, Line 11and update the best practices and post any updates made to the best practices on its website.
Page 5, Line 12SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act
Page 5, Line 13takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the
Page 5, Line 14ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly; except
Page 5, Line 15that, if a referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V
Page 5, Line 16of the state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this
Page 5, Line 17act within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take
Page 5, Line 18effect unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in
Page 5, Line 19November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.