# Colorado HB26-1028: Second Language Educational Program for High School Students Colorado HB26-1028, Second Language Educational Program for High School Students, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Elizabeth Velasco (Democratic), Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Lorena Garcia (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-06-02 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1028-2026A - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado HB26-1028 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Second Language Educational Program for High School Students - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-06-02, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Elizabeth Velasco (Democratic), Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Lorena Garcia (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 44 - Subjects: Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12) - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (220 yes, 69 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More language credential options for graduates: benefit, low. Colorado school providers may award graduating students a biliteracy diploma endorsement for English and another language, including reading and writing. English options include completing required English courses with a 3.0 overall GPA, an Advanced Placement score of at least 3, or an Internationa… - New spoken-language credential for high school graduates: benefit, low. The law creates a bilingualism diploma endorsement that school providers may award to graduating high school students. It recognizes speaking, active listening, and understanding in English and at least one other world language. Students must show English proficiency through state college-and-caree… - Students can seek language credentials elsewhere: benefit, low. Students can seek either language endorsement from an approved entity or another school provider when their own provider lacks it. They must first seek the endorsement from their own provider. A provider that declines to start a program may contract with another provider or approved entity. After c… - School providers pay language endorsement fees: cost, low. A state college or another school provider may charge a fee for providing a biliteracy endorsement. The fee must reflect the program's actual and indirect costs. The student's own school provider must pay any assessed fee, rather than the student or household. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Elizabeth Velasco (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Lorena Garcia (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Brianna Titone (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cecelia Espenoza (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eliza Hamrick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Emily Sirota (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Jackson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Junie Joseph (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Javier Mabrey (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jacque Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyle Brown (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kenny Nguyen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Katie Stewart (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lori Goldstein (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lesley Smith (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michael Carter (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Meg Froelich (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Meghan Lukens (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Matthew Martinez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Manny Rutinel (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Regina English (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sean Camacho (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sheila Lieder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tammy Story (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Yara Zokaie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sen. A. Benavidez - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Chris Kolker (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Marchman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kyle Mullica (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lindsey Daugherty (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Matt Ball (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Mike Weissman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Nick Hinrichsen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tom Sullivan (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-07 | House | Senate amendments: Concur | pass | 44 | 20 | | | 2026-05-07 | House | Senate amendments: Repass | pass | 47 | 17 | | | 2026-05-06 | Senate | Third reading: Amend (l.003) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-05-06 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 28 | 6 | | | 2026-05-04 | Senate | Refer House Bill 26-1028 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | pass | 6 | 0 | | | 2026-04-22 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 44 | 20 | | | 2026-04-17 | House | Refer House Bill 26-1028, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 9 | 1 | | | 2026-02-05 | House | Refer House Bill 26-1028, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 8 | 5 | | ## Actions (14) - 2026-06-02: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-06-01: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-06-01: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-06-01: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-07: House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass (House) - 2026-05-06: Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor (Senate) - 2026-05-05: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2026-05-04: Senate Committee on Education Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-04-24: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education (Senate) - 2026-04-22: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-04-21: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee (House) - 2026-04-17: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-02-05: House Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations (House) - 2026-01-14: Introduced In House - Assigned to Education (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114979/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116843/download) - House Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114946/download) - House Education Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111441/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110761/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115073/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115895/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115794/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116974/download) ## Related bills - HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements (signed) - HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture (signed) - HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests (signed) - HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments (signed) - SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise (signed) - HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114979/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116843/download) - [House Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114946/download) - [House Education Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111441/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110761/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115073/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115895/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115794/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116974/download) ## Related - [HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1298-2026A) - [HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1250-2026A) - [HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1414-2026A) - [HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1430-2026A) - [SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-155-2026A) - [HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1429-2026A) - [Colorado bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado/bills) - [Colorado state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1028-2026A (as of 2026-10-19).