Proponents revise draft of initiative to guarantee top 10% automatic admission to Colorado state colleges

A review-and-comment hearing on proposed Initiative Measure 2025-26 No. 40 focused on rules for automatic admission to state-supported institutions of higher education for in-state students who graduate in the top 10% of their high school classes.

Rachel Kurtz Phelan, director with the Legislative Council staff, opened the March 17 session noting the statutory requirement that the directors of the Colorado Legislative Council and the Office of Legislative Legal Services review initiative petitions and offer comments and questions to designated representatives.

The proposal, as discussed, would (1) authorize automatic admission for in-state students ranking in the top 10% of their graduating class who apply as incoming freshmen; (2) allow state-supported institutions to require additional college-preparation courses for admitted students; and (3) set enrollment thresholds and posting requirements intended to manage the share of automatically admitted students in an incoming class.

Alana Rosen of the Office of Legislative Legal Services asked whether the initiative has a single subject, citing Article V, Section 1(5.5) of the Colorado Constitution. Jaden Wong (identified in the transcript as "Curator") and the proponents confirmed the single subject…