# Colorado SB26-170: Task Force to Expand Effective Public Schools Colorado SB26-170, Task Force to Expand Effective Public Schools, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by James Coleman (Democratic), Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), Matthew Martinez (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-06-04 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-170-2026A - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB26-170 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Task Force to Expand Effective Public Schools - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-04-17 - Last action: 2026-06-04, Governor Signed - Sponsors: James Coleman (Democratic), Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), Matthew Martinez (Democratic), Scott Bright (Republican) - Cosponsors: 18 - Subjects: Education & School Finance (Pre & K-12) - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 7 (110 yes, 37 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Study focus and final report deadline: benefit, low. The study maps where opportunity gaps occur and which student groups are most affected. It identifies Colorado schools and districts that close gaps and the practices, policies, and conditions that help. It reviews nonfinancial barriers, needed policy changes within existing resources, and promisin… - New task force to close school gaps: mixed, low. The law creates the Access to Opportunity Task Force in the Colorado Department of Education. It has 19 appointed members plus the Commissioner’s designee, chosen by the Governor and legislative leaders. Seats include school leaders from metro Denver, Northern and Southern Colorado, a rural leader… - Study runs on donations and outside contractor: mixed, low. The Department cannot use the state General Fund for this work. It may accept gifts, grants, and donations and must post each donor and amount within 30 days. The task force starts only after the Commissioner decides donations are sufficient. The Department must hire an independent, preapproved con… - Task force ends July 1, 2027: mixed, low. The law ends the task force’s authority on July 1, 2027. After that date, the section is repealed and the task force cannot operate. This sunset keeps the effort time-limited. ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Matthew Martinez (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Scott Bright (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Jacque Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Naquetta Ricks (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sen. A. Benavidez - Cosponsor: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Judy Amabile (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Jeff Bridges (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: John Carson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kyle Mullica (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Frizell (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Robert Rodriguez (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tom Sullivan (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: William Lindstedt (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-13 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 38 | 27 | | | 2026-05-12 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-170 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 8 | 2 | | | 2026-05-09 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-170 to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 9 | 1 | | | 2026-05-06 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-170 to the Committee on Finance. | pass | 8 | 5 | | | 2026-04-30 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 33 | 2 | | | 2026-04-28 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-170 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 7 | 0 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-170, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (15) - 2026-06-04: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-05-19: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-05-19: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-05-19: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-13: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-12: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-05-12: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-09: House Committee on Finance Refer Unamended to Appropriations (House) - 2026-05-06: House Committee on Education Refer Unamended to Finance (House) - 2026-04-30: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-30: Introduced In House - Assigned to Education (House) - 2026-04-29: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (Senate) - 2026-04-28: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Senate Committee on Education Refer Amended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-04-17: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Education (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115439/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116505/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114842/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115507/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116456/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116410/download) - Senate Education Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115146/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/117133/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/115439/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116505/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114842/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115507/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116456/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116410/download) - [Senate Education Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115146/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/117133/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-SB26-170-2026A (as of 2026-10-19).