HB 24-1444

House Bill 24-1444 in Colorado aims to continue and expand research on the physical abuse and deaths that occurred at federal Indian boarding schools within the state. The bill requires the State Historical Society, working with Native American tribes, to develop recommendations for understanding past abuses and supporting healing in tribal communities. It allocates $1 million over three years from the general fund to support this work. Signed into law by the governor on May 23, 2024, the bill will take effect on August 7, 2024, ensuring that the research program continues beyond its initial expiration date.

Official Summary

In 2022, the general assembly created the federal Indian boarding school research program (program) in the state historical society, commonly known as history Colorado to conduct research regarding the physical abuse and deaths that occurred at federal Indian boarding schools in Colorado and required history Colorado, in consultation with the Colorado commission of Indian affairs, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, and the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe to develop recommendations to better understand the abuse that occurred and to support healing in tribal communities. As initially scheduled, the program was repealed on December 31, 2023. The act recreates and reenacts the program, with modifications, and requires the general assembly to appropriate $1 million from the general fund, divided in equal annual payments for fiscal years 2024-25, 2025-26, and 2026-27, to the state historical society with authority to carry forward any unexpended or unencumbered money at the end of the state fiscal year for which it was appropriated to subsequent fiscal years without further appropriation to implement the recommendations developed. APPROVED by Governor May 23, 2024 EFFECTIVE August 7, 2024(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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