A number of bills affecting higher education are expected to be introduced in the Colorado State Legislature this year. Jake Zambrano, director of governmental affairs for the Colorado Commission on Higher Education, briefed the Board of Trustees on those bills during its regular meeting last week.

The bills include:

Higher Ed State Personnel System: Introduced Monday as House Bill (HB) 1011, this bill would allow current classified employees at institutions whose governing boards have elected to offer alternative benefit packages the one-time election to opt out of the current state classified system. Interim President Ray Kieft noted that the college has an employee task force that is considering what type of alternative personnel system would be beneficial. The task force is chaired by Tamy Calahan, interim director of human resources. The three classified employee representatives are Financial Aid Systems Analyst Richard Newton, Payroll Manager Nancy Weaver and Academic Advising Program Assistant Eduardo Zarate. Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering Technology Mingli He is the faculty representative and Director of IT Yvonne Flood is the administrator representative. The task force hopes to submit recommendations by the end of March.

Exempt Higher Ed from State Restrictions: This bill would allow governing boards from each institution to elect to opt out of state-supported fleet management, risk management and/or the procurement code.

College Opportunity Fund/Enterprise Status/Charter College: This bill would create a new funding mechanism for higher education, granting the student a voucher to be used at any higher education institution in Colorado.

Fixed Tuition and Fee Rate Program: This guarantees a first-time freshman who agrees to a contract the same tuition rate for eight consecutive semesters.

Expand Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program: The proposed bill expands the program for a teacher who is hired to teach in a qualified position after his or her first year of teaching.

In addition, the CCHE has made several budget requests, including a $29.1 million increase in financial aid, a $27 million increase for enrollment funding and $30 million for the implementation of a contingency line to allow the CCHE to approve additional tuition-rate increases.