HB 1299: Reducing Regulatory Burden on Education Providers - Colorado

Final Act → Signed Act · 4 edits · Jun 3, 2026

MODERATE

This bill modernizes Colorado's education laws by reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens on local schools. It clarifies that voluntary data collection requests from the state cannot be treated as mandatory requirements for schools. The legislation also updates specific reporting thresholds and simplifies how missing children lists are distributed to ensure schools can focus more on student learning rather than administrative paperwork.

Scope change

The bill applies to all local education providers, including school districts, charter schools, and boards of cooperative services, by streamlining their compliance requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that the state cannot force schools to complete voluntary data collection requests under penalty of losing benefits.

Updated the student enrollment threshold for simplified school plan submissions from 1,200 students to 1,000 students.

TECHNICAL

Corrected formatting and spelling errors in the text regarding missing children distribution and assessment policies.

DEFINITION

Added a legislative declaration affirming that state laws should prioritize student well-being while avoiding outdated administrative requirements.

Rerevised → Final Act · 5 edits · May 29, 2026

MODERATE

This bill was finalized to reduce regulatory burdens on local education providers by clarifying data reporting rules, simplifying assessment policies, and limiting voluntary data collection requests. The final act adds specific language to prevent the state from treating voluntary data requests as mandatory and ensures voluntary requests do not condition benefits unrelated to specific grants. It also refines requirements for missing child notifications and assessment formats to give districts more flexibility.

Scope change

The scope remains focused on Colorado public schools, charter schools, and the state education department, but the applicability of certain data collection rules is now explicitly limited to prevent coercion of local providers.

REQUIREMENT

Added a specific prohibition preventing the state department from representing voluntary data collection requests as mandatory or using them to condition benefits unrelated to specific grants.

Modified the missing children notification process to clarify that districts must distribute the bureau's list to individual schools and compare it against their enrollment records.

Modified assessment policies to allow districts with 1,200 or fewer students to submit a single plan for both district and school requirements, and to permit charter school networks with similar student counts to submit a single plan.

Modified assessment policies to allow local education providers to decide on pencil-and-paper testing for specific portions of computerized state assessments, provided parents are consulted and policies are posted.

TECHNICAL

Added a note indicating the bill is prepared for signatures and includes all amendments adopted in the second house.

Revised → Rerevised · 3 edits · May 4, 2026

MINOR

The bill was re-revised to include amendments adopted by the Senate, adding three new sponsors (Coleman, Kipp) and a reading date of May 4, 2026. The document also removed a section detailing requirements for schools to notify a bureau about missing children, indicating that specific procedural text was deleted or moved elsewhere in the legislative process.

Scope change

The bill's scope of sponsorship was expanded to include three additional Senate sponsors, and the procedural timeline was updated to reflect a Senate 3rd Reading date in May 2026.

SCOPE

Added three new Senate sponsors: Coleman, Kipp, and Pelton B. and Bridges.

TIMELINE

Added a Senate 3rd Reading date of May 4, 2026.

REQUIREMENT

Removed text requiring schools to immediately notify a bureau if they encounter a child on a missing children list or to send names of all new or transfer students to the bureau.

Reengrossed → Revised · 3 edits · May 1, 2026

MINOR

The bill text was updated from a 'Reengrossed' version to a 'Revised' version, reflecting amendments adopted during the second reading in the Senate. The primary substantive change is the addition of a new Senate sponsor, Bridges, while the bill's core purpose regarding the reduction of regulatory burdens on local education providers remains unchanged.

Scope change

The bill's scope and applicability remain unchanged; the text continues to concern the reduction of regulatory burdens on local education providers.

TECHNICAL

Added a new Senate sponsor, Bridges, to the list of sponsors.

Updated the document header title from 'REENGROSSED' to 'REVISED' to reflect the current legislative stage.

Adjusted the legislative history note to clarify that the summary applies to the reengrossed version upon passing the House, rather than the current revised text.

Engrossed → Reengrossed · 3 edits · Mar 20, 2026

MINOR

The bill's title was updated from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' to reflect that it now includes all amendments adopted during the House of Introduction phase. Additionally, the list of co-sponsors was expanded to include several new legislators, and a placeholder note was added indicating that a summary for the reengrossed version will be available after the third reading.

TECHNICAL

The bill status header was changed from 'Engrossed' to 'Reengrossed' to accurately reflect the legislative stage where all amendments have been incorporated.

A new note was inserted stating that a specific bill summary for the reengrossed version will be published after the third reading in the House of Introduction.

The list of co-sponsors was updated to include Barron, Camacho, Clifford, Duran, Goldstein, Gonzalez R., Jackson, Keltie, Lieder, Lindsay, Marshall, McCluskie, Nguyen, Phillips, Richardson, Rydin, Smith, Stewart K., Weinberg, and Woog.

Introduced → Engrossed · 1 edit · Mar 17, 2026

MINOR

The bill was amended to remove a specific provision requiring local education providers to have written policies on paper-and-pencil assessment options for students. This change eliminates the mandate that districts decide whether students use pencils instead of computers for state tests, likely to streamline administrative requirements and align with existing digital testing frameworks.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed by removing a specific operational requirement that applied to all local education providers regarding assessment formats.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted the statutory requirement for school districts and other local education providers to adopt and implement written policies allowing students to use pencil and paper for state assessments.

Reducing Regulatory Burden on Education Providers

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