(1) The council consists of forty-four members as follows:
(a) Four nonvoting legislative members, two of whom shall be members of the house of representatives and two of whom shall be members of the senate; and
(b) Thirty-five voting members representing each senate district in the state, one voting member representing the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, one voting member representing the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe, and three nonvoting at-large members. The three at-large members must be selected to help ensure diversity on the council, with an express concern for adequate rural representation. Members described in this subsection (1)(b) must meet the following qualifications at the time of appointment:
(I) Be at least fourteen years of age but not older than nineteen years of age; and
(II) Be enrolled in and attending a tribal or Colorado junior high, middle, or high school, including an online or charter school or approved facility school as defined in section 22-2-402; be participating in a nonpublic, home-based educational program; be participating in a high school equivalency examination program; or have obtained a high school diploma through successful completion of a high school equivalency examination, as defined in section 22-33-102 (8.5).
(2) (a) Nonlegislative council members shall be appointed as follows:
(I) and (II) (Deleted by amendment, L. 2013.)
(III) (A) On or before August 31 of each year, the council members shall approve subsequent appointments to the council. A youth who meets the criteria set forth in subsection (1) of this section may apply to the council to be considered for participation in the council.
(B) The council shall utilize an application process to facilitate council appointments, including the content and availability of the application form, additional selection criteria, and an application review process.
(IV) Every effort shall be made to create a council that represents the diversity of the youth of the state.
(b) Legislative members of the council shall be appointed as follows:
(I) On or before December 15, 2014, and on or before December 15 every two years thereafter, the speaker and minority leader of the house of representatives shall each appoint one member from the house of representatives; and
(II) On or before December 15, 2014, and on or before December 15 every two years thereafter, the president and minority leader of the senate shall each appoint one member from the senate.
(3) Council members shall serve two-year terms and, if eligible, may be selected for a subsequent two-year term. In all cases, every effort shall be made to maintain or expand the diversity of the council.
(4) A vacancy on the council shall be filled through a vote of the members for the remainder of the unexpired term. Vacancies of nonlegislative members on the council shall be filled pursuant to the application process described in subsection (2)(a)(III) of this section for biennial appointments. Vacancies of legislative members shall be filled by the appointing authority. Vacancies of nonlegislative members on the council who are not designated as at-large members shall be filled by a youth coming from the same senate district as the departing nonlegislative member.
(4.5) The council shall adopt written bylaws setting forth a leadership structure for the council. The council may amend its bylaws as it determines it is necessary. The council may appoint members to serve in any leadership roles described in its bylaws.
(5) Subject to available appropriations, legislative members of the council shall be compensated for attendance at meetings of the council in the same manner as is provided in section 2-2-307 for legislative members attending meetings during the legislative interim. All expenditures incurred by the council shall be approved by the chair of the legislative council and paid for by vouchers and warrants drawn as provided by law from moneys allocated to the legislative council for legislative committees from appropriations made by the general assembly or from the youth advisory council cash fund created in section 2-2-1306.
Source: L. 2008: Entire part added, p. 1671, � 1, effective May 29. L. 2009: (4) amended, (HB 09-1099), ch. 92, p. 355, � 4, effective August 5. L. 2013: Entire section amended, (SB 13-148), ch. 390, p. 2265, � 2, effective June 5. L. 2014: IP(1), IP(1)(b), and (1)(b)(II) amended, (SB 14-058), ch. 102, p. 377, � 1, effective April 7. L. 2020: IP(1)(b) and (1)(b)(II) amended, (HB 20-1021), ch. 1, p. 1, � 1, effective February 26. L. 2022: (2)(a)(III)(A) and (4) amended and (4.5) added, (SB 22-014), ch. 32, p. 179, � 1, effective March 17.
2-2-1304. Duties - meetings - community outreach - designation of organization to accept donations - authority to contract. (1) The council shall have the following duties and responsibilities:
(a) To work with any existing and appropriate local and state youth groups to identify the concerns and needs of youth in Colorado and to advise and make oral and written recommendations to members of the general assembly on proposed or pending legislation;
(b) To work with any existing and appropriate local and state youth groups to collect, analyze, and provide information on issues related to youth to the legislative committees, commissions, task forces, and state agencies and departments as appropriate;
(c) To consult with any existing local-level youth advisory councils for input and potential solutions on issues related to youth;
(d) To set priorities and establish any committees that may be necessary to achieve the goals of the council;
(e) To present to the state board of health twice a year on issues including the youth opioid epidemic and other health issues; and
(f) To consult with the prevention services division within the department of public health and environment during the stakeholder process for rule-making regarding opioid antagonists.
(2) (a) Repealed.
(b) The council shall meet at least four times each year, with two meetings occurring during the regular legislative session and two meetings occurring after the regular legislative session has concluded. Council members may attend and participate in council meetings remotely, but at least two of the council's meetings each year must be held in person, with all attending members at the same physical location. Additional meetings may be held at the discretion of council leadership, subject to available money.
(c) All meetings of the council shall be open to the public.
(d) The council has the authority to develop rules and procedures to govern its activities.
(3) The council shall utilize news outlets and publications, public awareness campaigns, and a website to develop and maintain regular communication concerning its activities with the youth of Colorado, the state of Colorado, and interested parties.
(4) (a) On or before September 1, 2013, and every third September 1 thereafter through September 1, 2019, the council shall, in conjunction with the director of the legislative council, use a request for proposal process to contract with and designate one or more nonprofit organizations to provide staffing and operational assistance and to serve as the custodian of money donated to the council through the designated organization. The contractor selected following the 2019 request for proposal process shall, pursuant to one or more contracts, provide such staffing, operational, and custodian services through June 30, 2023. Thereafter, the council shall, in conjunction with the director of the legislative council, on or before April 30, 2023, and, except as otherwise provided in this subsection (4)(a), on or before every second April 15 thereafter, use a request for proposal process to contract with and designate one or more nonprofit organizations to provide such staffing, operational, and custodian services. The term of each contract entered into for a term commencing on or after July 1, 2023, is two state fiscal years; except that any such contract may be extended for one additional two-year term. If a contract is extended, the request for proposal for the next contract must be issued on or before the April 15 immediately preceding the expiration of the extension term. The designated organization shall not be the custodian of any money appropriated by the state and credited to the fund created in section 2-2-1306. The designated organization is authorized to expend any money it receives as is necessary for the operation of the council and may solicit and accept monetary and in-kind gifts, grants, and donations used to further the council's duties and responsibilities. Any money donated or awarded to the designated organization for the benefit of the council is not subject to appropriation by the general assembly. Any money obtained by the council or the designated organization and not in the fund that is unexpended and unencumbered at the time the council is dissolved shall be distributed according to appropriate federal and state laws governing nonprofit organizations. If a different nonprofit or private organization is subsequently designated as the custodian of donated money in accordance with this paragraph (a), any money that is unexpended and unencumbered at the time of the change in designation shall be promptly transferred by the previously designated organization to the newly designated organization.
(b) The designated organization, on behalf of the council, may provide or accept in-kind staff support from nonprofit agencies or private organizations, including itself, or may contract with outside entities for the purpose of providing staff support to assist the council in conducting its duties and responsibilities. Any staff support personnel provided by the designated organization or a nonprofit agency or private organization, either donated or engaged through a contract, shall not be considered employees of the council or the state.
(5) The council is authorized to contract with the designated organization or other nonprofit or private entities for the implementation of this part 13. Any contract entered into by the council must be signed by the chair of the review committee and the chair of the legislative council.
(6) (a) Repealed.
(b) On or before April 20, 2023, and on or before April 1 of each year thereafter, the council shall select five members to serve as nonvoting members of the review committee during the subsequent legislative interim.
(c) The council shall notify the director of research of the legislative council of the appointments made pursuant to this subsection (6).
Source: L. 2008: Entire part added, p. 1672, � 1, effective May 29. L. 2009: (4) and (5) added, (HB 09-1099), ch. 92, p. 355, � 5, effective August 5. L. 2013: (2)(a) repealed and (4)(a) R&RE, (SB 13-148), ch. 390, pp. 2266, 2267, �� 3, 4, effective June 5. L. 2019: (6) added, (HB 19-1024), ch. 373, p. 3393, � 2, effective May 30. L. 2020: (6)(b) amended, (SB 20-214), ch. 200, p. 979, � 2, effective June 30. L. 2022: (2)(b), (2)(d), and (5) amended, (SB 22-014), ch. 32, p. 180, � 2, effective March 17. L. 2023: (4)(a) and (6)(b) amended, (SB 23-076) ch. 325, p. 1954, � 1, effective June 2. L. 2025: (1)(e) and (1)(f) added, (SB 25-164), ch. 168, p. 680, � 1, effective August 6.
Editor's note: Subsection (6)(a)(II) provided for the repeal of subsection (6)(a), effective June 30, 2020. (See L. 2019, p. 3393.)