JBC declines expanded Sustainability Office funding; committee splits on retaining director

JBC staff recommended denying the Department of Personnel’s request to fund an expanded State Sustainability Office. Staff proposed denying the full department request while offering an alternate option to retain only the director position funded at a smaller ongoing amount.

The proposal generated a tight and partisan debate. Proponents, including Vice Chair Bridges, argued the office has demonstrated measurable savings and that a focused office prevents agency-by-agency inertia: "I've seen receipts from the office that show that the sustainability office is saving the state a significant amount of money," Bridges said. Opponents, including several committee members, questioned whether those functions could be absorbed by existing offices such as the Colorado Energy Office or the State Architect and whether one director would have sufficient authority to implement change across agencies.

The committee first considered the smaller, director-only alternative and then the staff recommendation to eliminate state funding. The motion to retain the director failed on a 2–4 vote. A later motion for the staff-recommended full elimination failed to secure a definitive majority, leaving the practical result that no new general fund appropriation will be added for fiscal year 2627 and that the committee will revisit whether statute should be updated if future funding is contemplated.

Julia Bova told the committee she believed agencies could absorb many sustainability functions given the current budget environment but recommended clarifying any statutory language to specify the office implements practices "subject to available appropriations." Craig Harper (JBC staff) clarified that absent an appropriation the line-item base and detail will assume no state funding for the office next year.

The committee recorded votes and directed staff follow-up rather than adopting a new funding path for the office at this time.