House Appropriations panel advances bill to implement Proposition 130, amid dispute over financing and timing

Vice Chair Byrd presented Senate Bill 310 to the House Appropriations Committee on behalf of the bill sponsors and moved it to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; the committee approved the motion 9 to 2.

The bill implements Proposition 130, a voter-approved measure that creates a peace officer training and support fund with $350,000,000 directed to recruitment, pay, bonuses, and initial and continuing training for peace officers, and a $1,000,000 death benefit for first responders killed in the line of duty. Representative Taggart, a co-sponsor, described the measure as intended to “hire and retain local peace officers, support their pay and bonuses, and their initial and continuing education and training.”

The bill establishes that funds must supplement—not supplant—existing federal, state and local funding and creates oversight and reporting requirements to enforce that restriction. Vice Chair Byrd described a financing mechanism in which a $500,000,000 corpus of reserve funds would be placed in PERA’s custodianship to be invested; the interest earned would be used, along with a minimum annual distribution mechanism, to help fund the voter-mandated $350,000,000 program over time. Byrd summarized: “The voters also specifically required this new funding to supplement existing federal, state, and local dollars currently budgeted for the same purposes.”

Law enforcement representatives offered divergent views on the bill’s financing plan. Chief Adam Turk, second vice president of the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police and chief of police in Greeley, testified in an amend position, saying the funding structure delays distributions “far beyond the time frame in which departments need it most.” He warned that, depending on market conditions, “the distribution of funds could take anywhere from 13 to 26 years,” and asked the committee to consider a higher guaranteed floor and options to front‑load support.

Jeremy Schupach of the Colorado Municipal League said CML supports the bill as drafted, commending sponsors and stakeholders for clarifying permissible uses and streamlining reporting so local agencies do not face duplicative audits. Amanda Gall, an attorney representing the Colorado Fraternal Order of Police, also testified in a supportive amend position and praised the “creative financing mechanism” as a way to implement voter intent while protecting other state priorities.

Committee members adopted two sponsor-requested amendments during the hearing. Amendment L005 narrowed permissible uses to align more closely with the ballot language and removed conflicting language the sponsors said could lead to unintended spending. Amendment L006 strengthened anti-supplanting language, expanded audit review authority for the Department of Public Safety, and added reporting guardrails.

Representative Luck pressed sponsors on the mechanics and timeline of the PERA component, asking why a $500,000,000 corpus was used and whether a larger up-front payment could meet immediate needs. Sponsors responded that the mechanism preserves statutory reserve targets and maintains compliance with the state’s reserve and fiscal policies while using investment returns to support the ongoing payout schedule.

After testimony and amendment adoption, Vice Chair Byrd moved the bill as amended. The committee voted to advance the bill to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation by a vote of 9 to 2.

The bill now moves to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration; committee members and stakeholders signaled continued interest in adjusting the distribution floor and timing to accelerate aid to agencies facing current staffing and retention challenges.