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Second Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For SB26-068

SENATE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
Date Mar 16, 2026       Location SCR 357

SB26-068 - Amended, referred to Senate Appropriations
01:57:29 PM  
Senators Kolker and Pelton B., co-sponsors, presented Senate Bill 26-068, which concerns modifying the administration of education assessments. They provided opening comments and distributed strike below amendment L.001 (Attachment C). They answered questions from the committee.

02:12:45 PM
 Motion Adopt amendment L.001
Moved Kolker
Seconded
Bright
Frizell
Kipp
Rich
Snyder
Marchman
Kolker
YES: 0   NO: 0   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  Pass Without Objection
02:12:46 PM  
Dan Schaller, representing Colorado League of Charter Schools, testified in opposition to the bill. Charlotte Brantley, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Brenda Dickhoner, representing Ready Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill. Shannon Nicholas, representing Colorado Succeeds, testified in opposition to the bill. The panel answered questions from the committee.
02:33:13 PM  
Madi Ashour, representing Colorado Children's Campaign, testified in opposition to the bill. Nicholas Hernandez, representing Transform Education Now, testified in opposition to the bill. Yesica Escalante, representing themself, testified in a neutral position on the bill. Vernon Jones Jr, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. The panel answered questions from the committee.
02:59:51 PM  
Tim Nelson, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Ryan Marks, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill.
03:06:46 PM  
Wendy Birhanzel, representing Harrison School District 2, testified in support of the bill. Mike Bowers, representing Lone Star School District, testified in support of the bill. Chris Burr, representing Prairie Schools, testified in support of the bill. Jeremy Burmiester, representing CO Association of School Executives, testified in support of the bill. The panel answered questions from the committee.
03:30:12 PM  
The prior panel continued to answer questions from the committee.
03:45:29 PM  
Judy Solano, representing Advocates for Public Education Policy, testified in support of the bill. Carlye Holladay, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. They answered questions from the members.
04:03:46 PM  
Kelly Jones-Wagy, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Liz Waddick, representing Colorado Education Association, testified in support of the bill. Sarah Hunt, representing Charter Advocacy Coalition, testified in support of the bill. Matthew Cook, representing Colorado Association of School Boards, testified in support of the bill. The panel answered questions from the committee.
04:20:10 PM  
Angela Engel, representing Uniting4kids, testified in support of the bill. She distributed a handout to the committee (Attachment D). Kincaid Perdue, representing Colorado Gifted and Talented State Board, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Arianna Josue, representing AFT Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Melissa Gibson, representing Colorado Association of School Executives, testified in support of the bill. The panel answered questions from the committee.
04:38:53 PM  
Christina Wirth-Hawkins, representing Colorado Department of Education, answered questions from the committee.
04:55:12 PM  
Additional written comments submitted can be found as Attachment E. The co-sponsors provided closing comments on the bill. Committee members made comments.

05:06:40 PM
 Motion Refer Senate Bill 26-068, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Moved Kolker
Seconded
Bright No
Frizell No
Kipp Yes
Rich No
Snyder Yes
Marchman Yes
Kolker Yes
Final YES: 4   NO: 3   EXC: 0   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS