Bill
SB 25-247
Converts Colorado National Guard tuition aid to a full tuition waiver for eligible members at designated colleges, funded by DMVA subject to annual appropriations.
Status & timeline
- Introduced in Senate: March 31, 2025
- Passed both chambers: April 2025
- Sent to Governor: April 25, 2025
- Governor signed into law: May 1, 2025 (effective same date)
- Prime sponsors: Sens. Jeff Bridges and Barbara Kirkmeyer; Reps. Shannon Bird and Rick Taggart.
Purpose / intent
- Convert the existing Colorado National Guard tuition assistance program (which paid at least half of tuition) into a full tuition waiver program for eligible Colorado National Guard members, with the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA) reimbursing designated institutions for waived tuition subject to annual appropriations.
Key provisions
- Tuition waiver coverage
- Eligible members accepted to a “designated institution of higher education” may receive tuition waived up to:
- 65 credit hours at a designated 2‑year institution, or
- 130 credit hours at a designated 4‑year institution, or
- 145 total credit hours if the member attends both 2‑ and 4‑year institutions.
- “Designated institutions” include state universities (e.g., CSU, CU campuses, Colorado School of Mines), state-supported universities and colleges, community colleges governed by the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education, area technical colleges, and local district colleges.
- Eligibility & administration
- Member must be accepted by a designated institution, be in good standing with the Colorado National Guard, and complete the Colorado application for state financial aid or the FAFSA.
- DMVA administers the program and adopts rules (including criteria for postgraduate programs).
- Each institution determines whether a member remains in satisfactory academic standing; if not, the member must reimburse DMVA for waived tuition for that term.
- Enrollment management & funding rules
- DMVA calculates a base (three‑year average fall enrollment) per institution. To prevent hardship to institutions, the number of waiver recipients cannot exceed the greater of a 25% increase over base enrollment or five additional members.
- DMVA may request appropriation adjustments for enrollment or tuition changes.
- If the difference between calculated tuition need and appropriation is <25%, funds may be prorated across institutions. If >25%, the program is suspended and remaining funds are distributed to members on a first‑come, first‑served basis.
- Community college caps: DMVA sets caps and provides funds through the State Board for Community Colleges and Occupational Education, which distributes funds to colleges.
Fiscal impact and appropriations
- FY 2025‑26 appropriation included: $562,787 General Fund to the Colorado National Guard Tuition Cash Fund (cash fund continuously appropriated to DMVA).
- Fiscal estimate:
- Additional DMVA General Fund cost in FY 2025‑26: ~$563,000 (to convert program from partial assistance to full waiver).
- Total estimated full program cost in FY 2025‑26: $1,770,987 (includes existing Long Bill appropriation of ~$1.2 million plus the $562,787 increment).
- No new FTE required (0.0 FTE).
- Institutions’ net revenue/expenditures: unchanged (schools already received full tuition amounts under prior practice; DMVA previously paid partial tuition).
Implementation notes
- DMVA will adopt rules for selection when demand exceeds caps and may request adjustments during annual budget processes for enrollment or tuition increases.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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