Economic Outlook Presentation September 2016
Economic Outlook for the U.S. and Colorado
The ongoing expansion in the U.S. economy is fueld by consumer contributions.
Second Regular Session | 74th General Assembly
Colorado General AssemblyEconomic Outlook for the U.S. and Colorado
The ongoing expansion in the U.S. economy is fueld by consumer contributions.
The Public Benefits and Services Resource Manual is intended to serve as a reference guide for information on some of the state’s programs that provide direct benefits or services to members of the public. The manual is divided into four sections to make it easier for the reader to access...
This memorandum provides information regarding the regulation of school districts, charter schools, innovation schools, and home schools. Specifically, it describes the waivers to state law granted by the State Board of Education (SBE) to school districts, charter schools, innovation districts...
Table 1 shows the availability of the historic property preservation income tax credit and the cleanroom machinery sales and use tax exemption, each of which is available only when the Legislative Council Staff forecast indicates that General Fund revenue will be sufficient to allow General Fund...
In Colorado, three types of online educational choices are available for students: online schools and programs; supplemental online education; and blended learning. This issue brief covers each type of online education, as well as recently passed legislation related to supplemental online and...
This issue brief outlines federal and state school nutrition programs, including eligibility, funding, and reimbursement.
Personally identifiable information (PII) is information that can be used to trace or identify an individual. In Colorado K-12 education, the term refers to student data collected and retained by public schools and school districts, and maintained by the Colorado Department of Education (CDE)....
During the 2008 session, the General Assembly enacted House Bill 08-1335, the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) act. The act replaced existing law concerning state financial assistance for public school capital construction and established a grant program in order to accelerate funding for...
Colorado law provides distinct roles for the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) and the State Board of Education (state board) in overseeing charter schools. Colorado's charter schools are authorized through a local school district or the state Charter School Institute (CSI). The CSI was...
Senate Bill 16-197, signed into law on June 10, 2016, makes significant changes to laws regulating the retail sale of fermented malt beverages (3.2 percent alcohol by weight beer, commonly known as 3.2 beer), full-strength beer, wine, and spirits for off-premises consumption. This issue brief...
In 1992, voters approved an amendment to the Colorado Constitution — Article X, Section 20 — known as the Taxpayer's Bill of Rights (TABOR). TABOR limits annual growth in state spending.
The General Assembly is required by the Colorado Constitution to establish and maintain a thorough and uniform system of free public schools, where any person between the ages of 6 and 21 may be educated. At the same time, the constitution places control of public school instruction in locally...
This memo discusses the scope of bullying in Colorado schools; summarizes the provisions and programs in Colorado state law related to bullying prevention, including safe school plans and criminal penalties; and provides information on training resources and best practices for preventing...
The federal and state governments each provide tax incentives for landowners who designate their land as a conservation easement, foregoing certain use rights in order to preserve the land in perpetuity. This memorandum provides information on federal and state conservation easement tax...
Academic standards provide a broad outline for what students are expected to know and be able to do at the end of each grade level, and for what students should know in order to be prepared to enter college or the workforce by the time they graduate from high school. In Colorado, academic...
Juvenile justice systems were created in the late 19th century under the philosophy that juveniles are different than adults and may have different rehabilitation needs. Colorado has two separate systems for the detention or commitment of juveniles convicted of crimes. One system exists within...
Colorado's child welfare system provides a range of services to protect children from abuse and neglect and to assist families in caring for their children. This issue brief provides an overview of the child welfare system in Colorado, including administration and funding, reporting and...
In the 2013 legislative session, the General Assembly enacted Senate Bill 13-011, the Colorado Civil Union Act. This issue brief summarizes the provisions of the act and discusses other states' laws concerning same-sex marriage and civil unions. A brief explanation of two same-sex marriage cases...
Focus Colorado presents forecasts for the economy and state government revenue through FY 2015-16. Implications of the forecast for the state's General Fund budget and spending limit are described in the report's highlights and executive summary sections. The report is based on current law,...
Unemployment insurance (UI) provides temporary, partial wage replacement to workers who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own. The state program is administered by the Division of Employment and Training within the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE). This issue brief...
The senior homestead property tax exemption became available beginning in property tax year 2002, following voter approval of Referendum A in the 2000 General Election. The number of seniors claiming the exemption has grown over time, from 123,326 qualifying seniors in tax year 2002, to 266,538...
Colorado receives annual payments from tobacco manufacturers as part of the Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. In April 2015, the state received $88.1 million. This memorandum presents the distribution of the received payment from 2015 and forecasts payments and distributions through FY 2017...
This memorandum responds to your request for information on school discipline policies. Specifically, you were contacted by a constituent expressing concern about several incidents at her granddaughter’s elementary school in School District 27J. Please note that because Legislative Council...
Understanding the State Budget: The Big Picture
Understanding the State Budget: The Big Picture
Each year, the General Assembly is tasked with balancing constitutional, statutory, and federal requirements with a host of other considerations, such as competing policy priorities, caseload pressures, and the health of the state’s economy...