# Colorado SB26-078: Changes to Institutions of Higher Education Statutes Colorado SB26-078, Changes to Institutions of Higher Education Statutes, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Judy Amabile (Democratic), Lesley Smith (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-078-2026A - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB26-078 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Changes to Institutions of Higher Education Statutes - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-28 - Last action: 2026-05-26, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Judy Amabile (Democratic), Lesley Smith (Democratic), Rick Taggart (Republican) - Cosponsors: 8 - Subjects: Capital Construction, Higher Education - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 8 (205 yes, 2 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 3 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - State colleges can skip more project reviews: benefit, low. The law raises the review exemption limit for new buildings or property purchases from $2 million to $5 million. Projects must use only institutional cash or funding through the Higher Education Revenue Bond Intercept Program. Other projects funded only with institutional cash remain exempt at $10… - New building coverage rules for state colleges: mixed, low. The law changes which state college buildings qualify under electrical and plumbing work rules. Coverage includes buildings owned or leased by specified institutions on their campuses. At Auraria, buildings must have been built or fully renovated with funds held by the University of Colorado Denver… - University of Colorado gets looser bond rules: mixed, low. For these revenue bonds, the University of Colorado must identify pledged revenue sources and assess whether they cover yearly principal and interest. It must review those sources annually and take board-required action when revenue falls short. The law removes the former 125% debt-payment coverage… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Judy Amabile (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Lesley Smith (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Rick Taggart (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Kyle Brown (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kenny Nguyen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sheila Lieder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Byron Pelton (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Chris Kolker (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Marchman (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-13 | Senate | House amendments: Concur | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2026-05-13 | Senate | House amendments: Repass | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2026-05-12 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 63 | 2 | | | 2026-05-09 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-078, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 11 | 0 | | | 2026-04-30 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-078, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 13 | 0 | | | 2026-04-20 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-04-17 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-078, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2026-03-02 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-078, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (15) - 2026-05-26: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-05-20: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-05-20: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-05-20: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-13: Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass (Senate) - 2026-05-12: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-11: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (House) - 2026-05-09: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-04-30: House Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations (House) - 2026-04-20: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-20: Introduced In House - Assigned to Education (House) - 2026-04-17: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-04-17: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee (Senate) - 2026-03-02: Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114841/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116551/download) - House Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116265/download) - House Education Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115736/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111018/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114901/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116426/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116354/download) - Senate Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114840/download) - Senate Education Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/112808/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116714/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/114841/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116551/download) - [House Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116265/download) - [House Education Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115736/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111018/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114901/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116426/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116354/download) - [Senate Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114840/download) - [Senate Education Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/112808/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116714/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-SB26-078-2026A (as of 2026-10-19).