Senate panel advances bill to modernize Colorado Workforce Development Council statutes

The Senate Business, Labor and Technology Committee unanimously voted to refer Senate Bill 156 to the Appropriations Committee after sponsors said the bill would modernize the statutory framework governing the Colorado Workforce Development Council and produce modest budget savings.

Senator Kipp, the bill’s primary sponsor, told the committee the measure updates statutes that "have not been updated since 2015" and would allow the council to develop career pathways "based on current labor market data and real employer feedback" rather than a prescribed statutory formula. She said the changes would shift the council’s work toward in‑demand occupations and streamline the postsecondary and workforce readiness coordinator’s workload, producing "fund savings of just over $46,000" in the current budget environment.

The bill’s cosponsor, Senator Carson, described SB 156 as a government‑efficiency measure and emphasized workforce shortages the bill seeks to address. "This produces some savings for us, about $50,000 a year going forward each year," she said, and urged support for updating statutes that have governed the program for over a decade. Carson and Kipp said the CWDC coordinates cross‑agency efforts, including with the Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Higher Education, Department of Education and the Office of Economic Development, to produce the annual Talent Pipeline Report used by policymakers and educators.

Lee Weaver Leonard, managing director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council, testified in support. "My name is Lee Weaver Leonard, and I get to serve as the managing director of the Colorado Workforce Development Council," he said, noting the council’s national reputation for collaboration and data‑driven practice and asking members for a "yes" vote.

Sponsors offered and the committee adopted a single amendment, L001, intended to add resources for career exploration activities aligned with in‑demand occupations. According to sponsors, the amendment clarifies that the council may support and promote career exploration activities as an appropriate part of its work. The amendment was adopted by voice vote after no objections were recorded.

After closing testimony, Vice Chair Senator Henriksen moved to refer SB 156 to the Appropriations Committee with a favorable recommendation. The clerk polled the committee; Senators Catlin, Duda, Liston and Henriksen recorded affirmative votes and Chair Danielson indicated approval. The chair declared the bill passed unanimously and sent to appropriations for further review.

Next steps: SB 156 will be considered by the Senate Appropriations Committee. The committee record shows sponsors and the CWDC framed the bill as a technical modernization and efficiency measure; no substantive opposition or contested testimony was recorded in this hearing.