Committee transfers veterans‑memorial oversight to History Colorado; SB 88 adopted and added to consent calendar

Senator Carson and other sponsors told the committee that Senate Bill 88 proposes administrative changes to move oversight of the Veterans Memorial Trust Fund and maintenance of memorials on the State Capitol grounds and Lincoln Veterans Memorial Park to History Colorado, the state's historical agency. Sponsors said the change uses History Colorado’s professional collections and preservation expertise to ensure consistent upkeep of monuments and memorials without adding costs to the state general fund.

Dawn DePrince, president and CEO of History Colorado and the state's historic preservation officer, testified the agency stands ready to inventory, preserve and maintain memorials and artifacts, and that the work could begin after private donations or existing trust funds are made available — in time for Colorado’s 150th anniversary celebrations. DePrince described History Colorado’s stewardship role following recent legislation that transferred Capitol artifacts into the agency’s collection.

Committee members asked about worker and pedestrian safety during conservation work, the agency’s collection size (DePrince referenced roughly "15,000,000 objects"), and the age of certain items (a Folsom point dating about 13,000 years). The committee adopted amendment 001, described as administrative, and voted unanimously to place SB 88 on the consent calendar.

Next steps: SB 88 was added to the consent calendar for approval as part of the committee’s consent items.