Committee Approves Bill to Connect Coloradans to Well-Paying Jobs

DENVER, CO – The Senate Education Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County, to better connect students and workers with the resources they need to secure well-paying jobs. 

“The programs we’ve built to help people find jobs just don’t connect the way they should. This fragmentation makes them less effective for the very people they’re supposed to serve,” Bridges said. “This bill starts to fix that by reworking how we think about postsecondary pathways so more Coloradans can find real opportunities, contribute in their communities, and earn wages that actually pay the bills.”

HB26-1317, cosponsored by Senator Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, would lay the foundation for a new, unified system and department for postsecondary education development. With a focus on a thoughtful, inclusive stakeholder process, this bill would establish a Transition Advisory Committee (TAC) of 27 members, including representatives from state agencies, institutions of higher education, apprenticeship programs, organized labor, local workforce centers, local government, non-profit associations and the business community. The TAC’s recommendations will serve as the structural outline for the new department.

This bill would also begin the process to unite several programs, including the Divisions of Employment and Training, Regional Talent Summit Initiatives, Plans and Opportunity Now Grants and Adult Education and Literacy Programs, among others, under one new agency. Last year, Governor Polis shared a new report outlining a robust roadmap to streamline and strengthen the way Coloradans access education, training and career support. 

Research shows that in the next six years, nearly three in four job openings will require some type of post-secondary credential. However, there is an attainment gap between the need for credentials and the number of Coloradans earning these skills, which is a challenge for Colorado’s economy and workforce. HB26-1317 would begin the process to streamline more than 20 divisions, offices and units across seven state entities that deliver more than 100 programs and initiatives to create a one-stop-shop for Coloradans access to postsecondary education, training and employment.

HB26-1317 now moves to the Senate floor for further consideration. Track its progress here.