HB 26-1317

House Bill 26-1317, known as the Unified Postsecondary Talent Development System, aims to create a committee that will integrate and oversee higher education and workforce development programs in Colorado. This committee will start meeting by July 1, 2026, and must submit a plan to combine various offices and functions under the Department of Higher Education by November 1, 2026. The bill also plans to rename the executive director position of the Colorado Commission on Higher Education as part of these changes, effective July 1, 2028. Since the bill has been signed into law, it will now move forward with its implementation timeline.

Official Summary

The act creates the postsecondary talent development system transition advisory committee (transition committee) to develop a transition plan that includes recommendations to integrate oversight of higher education and workforce development programs (transition plan). The transition committee shall begin meeting by July 1, 2026, and shall submit the transition plan by November 1, 2026, to the joint budget committee; the house of representatives business affairs and labor committee; the house of representatives education committee; the senate business, labor, and technology committee; and the senate education committee. The transition plan must include recommendations about the structure of the department of higher education (department), including a recommendation to rename the department; recommendations about transitioning various offices, agencies, programs, and functions to the department or other state agencies; and recommendations about how the department will coordinate with the department of education's postsecondary workforce readiness and student support activities.     Effective July 1, 2028, the executive director of the Colorado commission on higher education is renamed the executive director of the department (executive director). The governor appoints, with the consent of the senate, the executive director.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

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