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ColoradoSB26-1452026 Regular SessionSenate

Charter School Involvement in Local Ballot Questions

Sponsored By: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Lindsay Gilchrist (Democratic), Scott Bright (Republican)

Signed by Governor

Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12)

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.

Charter schools gain planning seats

Effective upon enactment, the law gives charter schools a formal voice in school construction planning. Each district long-range planning or capital-needs committee, if one exists, must include at least one charter school representative. Districts must clearly share meeting schedules, and charter schools must help appoint representatives. Groups other than the school board that develop ballot recommendations must ask about charter schools’ construction needs and consider them fairly. These rules do not provide construction money.

Charter schools get formal funding requests

When considering a school construction ballot question, districts must request proposals from every charter school as early as practical. Requests are due at least 120 days before board approval; schools get at least 45 days to respond. Schools must present proposals publicly at least 45 days before approval. Proposals must explain facility needs, project design and standards, total costs, spending plans, other funding, and completion dates. They must also identify who manages construction, how management costs are negotiated, why other revenue is inadequate, and preferred funding methods. The law encourages charter funding through special property-tax levies, bonds, or additional levies; an agreed proposal for a voluntary ballot question bypasses the usual proposal process and deadlines. The law itself creates no tax, changes no tax rate, and appropriates no money; later voter-approved measures can affect property-tax bills.

Schools must explain construction funding choices

At least 30 days before approving ballot questions, superintendents must notify each charter school that submitted a proposal in writing. Notices must state decisions about special tax questions or charter funding in bond or additional-tax questions. If a proposal is excluded, the notice must give specific reasons about its merits and let the school respond. Within 30 days after selecting ballot projects, boards must post an easy-to-find website document explaining the process and each project's priority or exclusion. The board’s stated reasons are informational, not legally binding or enforceable, and these disclosure rules do not require project selection.

Charter funding priority has limits

School boards must review every charter proposal submitted through the required process and rank it against other district needs. The higher-priority rule requires boards to put higher-ranked charter needs in long-range plans and upcoming ballot questions. Districts need not give this priority to charter schools on probation or first authorized within the past 3 years. The law also removes a separate requirement that mandated charter project inclusion in ballot funding. Ballot inclusion does not guarantee voter approval or construction money.

Sponsors & Cosponsors

Sponsors

  • Andrew Boesenecker

    Democratic • House

  • Cathy Kipp

    Democratic • Senate

  • Lindsay Gilchrist

    Democratic • House

  • Scott Bright

    Republican • Senate

Cosponsors

  • Brandi Bradley

    Republican • House

  • Bob Marshall

    Democratic • House

  • Chris Richardson

    Republican • House

  • Dan Woog

    Republican • House

  • Jarvis Caldwell

    Republican • House

  • Julie McCluskie

    Democratic • House

  • Jacque Phillips

    Democratic • House

  • Katie Stewart

    Democratic • House

  • Lori Garcia Sander

    Republican • House

  • Monica Duran

    Democratic • House

  • Naquetta Ricks

    Democratic • House

  • Ryan Gonzalez

    Republican • House

  • Rebecca Keltie

    Republican • House

  • Scott Slaugh

    Republican • House

  • John Carson

    Republican • Senate

  • Lisa Frizell

    Republican • Senate

Roll Call Votes

All Roll Calls

Yes: 104 • No: 14

House vote • 5/9/2026

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 52 • No: 11

House vote • 4/30/2026

Refer Senate Bill 26-145 to the Committee of the Whole.

Yes: 11 • No: 2

Senate vote • 4/17/2026

Third reading: Bill

Yes: 34 • No: 1

Senate vote • 4/13/2026

Refer Senate Bill 26-145, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.

Yes: 7 • No: 0

Actions Timeline

  1. Governor Signed

    5/28/2026House

  2. Signed by the President of the Senate

    5/21/2026Senate

  3. Signed by the Speaker of the House

    5/21/2026House

  4. Sent to the Governor

    5/21/2026House

  5. House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    5/9/2026House

  6. House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

    5/8/2026House

  7. House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

    5/5/2026House

  8. House Committee on Education Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

    4/30/2026House

  9. Introduced In House - Assigned to Education

    4/20/2026House

  10. Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

    4/17/2026Senate

  11. Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee

    4/16/2026Senate

  12. Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

    4/13/2026Senate

  13. Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education

    3/20/2026Senate

Bill Text

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