House Education Committee sends higher‑education modernization bill to Appropriations; data advisory group codified

Representatives Smith and Taggart presented Senate Bill 78, a package of targeted statutory updates aimed at modernizing higher‑education processes: improving fiscal‑note transparency, updating review thresholds for capital projects, clarifying CU campuses’ authority to self‑perform certain inspections, and revising duplicative bonding provisions.

Rep. Taggart explained an amendment (L009) to formalize the Data Advisory Group (DAG) role and permit institutions to access de‑identified student‑level data for institutional research under CCHE policy. Institutional researchers and research officers from the CU system and the University of Northern Colorado testified in support, saying codification would improve data reciprocity while keeping CCHE as final policymaker on data issues.

Ryan Allred (CU) described CERDS and the student‑unit record data system as a public asset used for longitudinal analysis; Chad Martirano (CU CFO) emphasized that the bill helps institutions operate more efficiently. The committee adopted the amendment and voted unanimously to send SB 78 to Appropriations with a favorable recommendation.

What happens next: Appropriations will evaluate any fiscal impacts; sponsors said the DAG amendment may trigger a fiscal note and additional administrative steps.