I am a member of the Senate Education Committee, and we have heard a variety of key bills over the last few weeks, including SB14-001, the College Affordability Act. Typically, the first bill of the year is reserved for a topic or issue considered the Senate's major focus of the session.  Over the past decade, the State's funding of higher education has decreased dramatically, and access to affordable higher education is out of reach for too many Coloradans. The College Affordability Act would allocate an additional $100 million to Colorado colleges, mostly in the form of financial aid; and the bill proposes  capping the yearly tuition rate increases at six percent. We heard testimony from Lt. Governor Joe Garcia; and college students from across the state told us how this bill would positively affect their lives. While I don't have a sponsorship position on this bill, I am a member of the Commission on Higher Education, which has endorsed the bill. It is still at the committee level, but I expect that the full Senate will take a vote on it soon. 

• The Safe2 Tell bill (SB14-002) would continue the hotline program for K-12 students, moving it under the jurisdiction of the Attorney General's office. 
• The Community College Four-Year Program bill (SB14-004) would allow the community colleges to grant limited types of four-year degrees (bachelors in applied sciences). 
• The Hospitality Career Education Program bill (SB14-015) would prepare high school students to work in the hospitality industry.