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House approves suspension of select interim committees, rejects amendment to fully cut COYAC funding
Summary
The Colorado House passed a bill suspending a set of interim committees to reduce legislative expenses; an amendment that would have reallocated funding tied to the Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) failed after debate over the council’s educational value and a $50,000 consultant line.
The Colorado House on March 23 approved House Bill 13‑31, a measure to suspend a group of interim legislative committees and limit travel and per‑diem reimbursements as part of cost‑cutting measures for the 2026 interim.
Supporters said the change would save roughly $400,000 while preserving opportunities for legislators to work on policy through working groups outside formal interim committees. “This is to help us with our budget gap,” the speaker explained when introducing the bill.
The most contested element was an amendment (L1001) offered by Representative DeGraaf that would shift funding tied to the Colorado Youth Advisory Council, a student engagement program sometimes referred to in debate as COYAC. DeGraaf argued that the program’s fiscal note and consultant costs were inappropriate in a tight budget and said the amendment would move the $50,000 consultant line. “We have 2 volunteers that are already working with them,” DeGraaf said, framing the change as one that would preserve the council’s work while cutting consultant spending.
Opponents, including Representative Bradley, defended COYAC as an educational opportunity. “These are some of the smartest kids I have ever met,” Bradley said, urging members to preserve student engagement while trimming consultant or overnight expenses. Minority Leader Caldwell also clarified that the bill as drafted reduces the council’s budget by about $2,300 rather than allocating $50,000 to it.
Amendment L1001 was put to a vote and lost. Following additional floor discussion, House Bill 13‑31 passed on final passage. Sponsors said the bill preserves the statutory committee structures that remain while suspending others for the interim year to reduce costs and staff FTEs.
The House moved quickly from the COYAC debate back into a wider bundle of committee‑suspension and legislative budget items, and members signaled that other interim work could continue through ad hoc meetings or working groups rather than formal interim committee hearings.
Next steps: The bill passed the House and will follow the standard enactment process; members flagged that some suspended committees may hold final meetings before the interim begins and that legislative managers will monitor ongoing policy work.
