Senate Approves Tranche of JBC Bills to Support Justice-Involved Youth, Invest in Transitional Housing, Improve Law Enforcement Training, & Bolster Workforce Programs

DENVER, CO – Today the Senate approved a tranche of Joint Budget Committee (JBC) bills to implement voter-approved Proposition 130, expand services for justice-involved youth, expand transitional housing investments, and bolster workforce readiness programs. The bills are considered “orbitals,” which make statutory changes needed to balance the budget.

“Fiscal responsibility means investing in our future," said Senator Jeff Bridges, D-Arapahoe County. "This group of orbital bills sets our state up for success – it fulfills our mandate by the voters to improve public safety, while prioritizing Medicaid, affordable housing, and creating opportunities for working families.”

“After months of precise and careful decision-making, these bills represent the final touches to the 2025-2026 state budget that will best serve the people of Colorado with the resources we have,” said Senator Judy Amabile, D-Boulder. “These bills build upon our priorities of protecting access to Medicaid, boosting public safety, and creating opportunities for Coloradans to access affordable housing and job training. These crucial programs give Coloradans the opportunity to rebuild their lives, contribute to their communities, and thrive.” 

SB25-310, sponsored by Bridges and Senator Barb Kirkmeyer, R-Weld County, would implement the voter-approved Proposition 130 and direct a total of $350 million to keep Coloradans safe and to recruit new peace officers, hire additional peace officers, and provide continuing education and training for peace officers.

On or after July 1, 2025, the bill would require an additional one-time issuance of $500 million from the general fund reserve into the Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) to be invested. On July 1, 2026, the bill would require the state treasurer to transfer $15 million from the General Fund to the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund and would allow the General Assembly to appropriate an additional $20 million in FY26-27 to the fund. Beginning in FY 27-28, the annual direct distribution to PERA would be reduced by an amount equal to the interest earnings on the $500 million investment and the state treasurer would annually transfer that same amount (up to a maximum of $35 million annually) from the general fund to the Peace Officer Training and Support Fund. This process would continue until the state has transferred a total of $350 million to the fund. 

The bill would also establish a death benefit of $1 million to the surviving spouse, family member, or designee any first responder that died as a result of injuries or an occupational disease sustained while performing their job, and create the Death Benefit Fund. The bill would transfer $5 million on July 1, 2025, and again on July 1, 2026, to the Death Benefit Fund. Beginning in 2027, the bill would require an annual transfer from the General Fund to the Death Benefit Fund that restores the fund balance to $10 million.

SB25-308, sponsored by Amabile and Kirkmeyer, would allow the Department of Health Care Policy and Financing (HCPF) to implement federal Medicaid coverage of health-related social need and reentry services. The bill would then allow the state to reinvest the savings realized when Medicaid begins partially funding services through two new cash funds, the Health-Related Social Needs Reinvestment Cash Fund and the Reentry Services for Justice-Involved Individuals Reinvestment Cash Fund.

SB25-313, sponsored by Bridges and Amabile, would expand the use of the existing Affordable Housing Support Fund, created following Proposition 123’s passage in 2022, for homelessness services to include capital development and operating costs at two transitional housing communities: Fort Lyon Supportive Residential Community and Ridge View Supportive Residential Community.

SB25-315, sponsored by Bridges and Kirkmeyer, would restructure existing postsecondary workforce (PWR) readiness funding into a singular, coordinated distribution mechanism in the Colorado Department of Education to improve access to programs that will boost highly-skilled, in-demand career opportunities. The new PWR Innovation Grant Program would distribute grants to local education providers for the development and implementation of programs that support students in completing postsecondary credit, credentials, or work-based learning.

The Senate also approved SB25-311, SB25-312, SB25-314, SB25-316, SB25-317; additional orbitals to balance the FY25-26 budget.

All of the bills now move to the House for further consideration.