Details of state budget command focus at the Capitol

Progress of higher education flexibility legislation delayed again

The long appropriations bill, the main legislation that will determine the state's budget for the 2010-11 fiscal year, was introduced in the Colorado House of Representatives on Friday, March 26. It will be reviewed by various committees before advancing to the floor of the House for debate.

The long bill reflects the long-anticipated decline in state funding for higher education. The University of Colorado's Office of Government Relations continues to monitor the bill's progress, working to guard against any changes to a funding formula that might further erode state support of the university.

A narrative of the bill is available at this link.

Legislation that would give higher education institutions greater flexibility with tuition, fiscal rules, capital construction, enrollment of international students and more remains on hold in part because of the long bill's status.

Senate majority leader John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and Rep. Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, had been set to meet with Gov. Bill Ritter last week to discuss the package of legislation; the meeting was postponed because of the midweek snowstorm. With the long bill now demanding attention, the flexibility package likely won't be reviewed before the end of next week.

— Jay Dedrick