(1) The library located at the center, which is administered by the university of Colorado at Denver and which serves Metropolitan state university of Denver and the community college of Denver, is hereby designated and shall be the site of the state economic development database. The library shall compile data which is useful and relevant to persons concerned with economic development in the state, including but not limited to statistical and demographic profiles of Colorado communities, labor and market statistics, statutory and regulatory requirements for business formation, and such other information as will assist the creation, expansion, and relocation of business in Colorado. The library is authorized to receive and expend all moneys, public and private, tendered to it for the performance of its duties under this section. The department of local affairs shall assist the library in the performance of such duties.
(2) No policy shall be established that would prevent equal access by any individual or organization in the state of Colorado to the database relating to economic development.
Source: L. 88: Entire section added, p. 870, � 1, effective April 20. L. 90: (1) amended, p. 1156, � 13, effective July 1. L. 2012: (1) amended, (SB 12-148), ch. 125, p. 428, � 18, effective July 1.
Cross references: For the legislative declaration in the 2012 act amending subsection (1), see section 1 of chapter 125, Session Laws of Colorado 2012.
23-70-117. Displaced Aurarian scholarship - created - appropriation - legislative declaration - definitions. (1) (a) The general assembly finds and declares that:
(I) When the Auraria higher education center was built in the 1970s, a well-established, close-knit, largely Hispanic community of more than three hundred households were displaced;
(II) As part of the forced relocation, the residents were compensated for their homes and promised free education for the years to come;
(III) The displaced Aurarian scholarship program began in the 1990s and provided funds for tuition and fees for former residents of the Auraria neighborhood, their children, and their grandchildren; and
(IV) An expansion of the scholarship will allow all lineal descendants of people who lived in the Auraria neighborhood from 1955 to 1973 to be eligible and will fund scholarships for undergraduate and graduate programs.
(b) Therefore, the general assembly declares that the creation of the displaced Aurarian scholarship for descendants of people who lived in the Auraria neighborhood will make attending Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, or the community college of Denver more accessible. The displaced Aurarian scholarship reaffirms the state's commitment to equity and restorative justice by supporting and making educational opportunities accessible to the descendants of those displaced by the Auraria higher education center.
(2) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:
(a) Auraria higher education center or Auraria center means the multi-institutional higher education complex described in section 23-70-101.
(b) Department means the department of higher education created in section 24-1-114.
(c) Displaced Aurarian means a person whose family was displaced by the development of the Auraria center.
(d) Displaced Aurarian scholarship or scholarship means the displaced Aurarian scholarship created in subsection (3)(a) of this section.
(3) (a) There is created the displaced Aurarian scholarship. The purpose of the scholarship is to fully fund the tuition of descendants of displaced Aurarians to attend Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, or the community college of Denver.
(b) To the extent that money is available, Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver must supplement and support the investment of scholarship funds for the scholarship.
(c) Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver shall, in collaboration, establish criteria for scholarship recipients, including, but not limited to:
(I) Defining eligible recipient;
(II) Defining lineal descendants;
(III) Defining Auraria neighborhood;
(IV) Defining qualified degree programs; and
(V) Determining the documentation required to receive a scholarship.
(4) (a) For the 2022-23 state fiscal year, the general assembly shall appropriate two million dollars from the general fund for scholarships to the department to be allocated in the following manner:
(I) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents to the board of trustees for Metropolitan state university of Denver, as established in section 23-54-103;
(II) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-six cents to the board of regents, as established by section 12 of article IX of the state constitution, of the university of Colorado at Denver; and
(III) Six hundred sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six dollars and sixty-seven cents to the state board for community colleges and occupational education, as established in section 23-60-104, for the community college of Denver.
(b) Metropolitan state university of Denver, the university of Colorado at Denver, and the community college of Denver shall each hold the funds in trust or transfer the funds to the institutional foundation of the institutions, and shall only use the funds for the purpose of the scholarship and any administrative costs of the scholarship. Any interest, income, and profit must be used for the scholarship.
Source: L. 2022: Entire section added, (HB 22-1393), ch. 432, p. 3043, � 1, effective August 10.
23-70-118. Requirements for money that is appropriated to the department of higher education for use by the Auraria higher education center in the 2025-26 state fiscal year - repeal. (1) Any money that the general assembly appropriates to the department of higher education for the Auraria higher education center to use for operational costs in the 2025-26 state fiscal year must be used as agreed upon by the constituent institutions in baseline service level agreements, including operational costs associated with:
(a) Building operations and maintenance;
(b) Custodial or janitorial services;
(c) The Auraria campus police department;
(d) Business services;
(e) Campus planning;
(f) Events management in support of university- and student-led activities;
(g) Communications; and
(h) Public relations.
(2) Any baseline service level agreement that the Auraria higher education center enters into using money appropriated by the general assembly for the 2025-26 state fiscal year must:
(a) Be executed by the contracting parties no later than September 1, 2025, until which time the Auraria higher education center and the constituent institutions shall operate according to existing service level agreements;
(b) Clearly describe the services, service and staffing levels, and performance expectations that are contracted for; and
(c) Provide that, if costs for services exceed the prices provided for in the baseline service level agreements, those excessive costs will not be assumed or incurred until an additional agreement that addresses the excessive costs is executed or until the original baseline service level agreement is amended.
(3) In the 2025-26 state fiscal year, the Auraria higher education center shall manage all resources related to baseline service level agreements and goals and shall present quarterly updates regarding baseline service level agreements and goals to the constituent institutions.
(4) The Auraria higher education center shall establish fee structures for the 2025-26 state fiscal year for all services that are not already provided for in the baseline service level agreements. The constituent institutions may enter into additional agreements with the Auraria higher education center for services that are not provided for in the baseline service level agreements, in which case the Auraria higher education center shall explain why the additional contracted services do not fall within the baseline service level agreements. The fee structures established pursuant to this subsection (4) must:
(a) Clearly describe the services for which each fee structure is established; and
(b) Apply each fee structure consistently to each constituent institution.
(5) This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.
Source: L. 2025: Entire section added, (SB 25-316), ch. 431, p. 2485, � 1, effective June 4.