Colorado § 8-83-504.5 - Additional coal transition workforce assistance program funding - coal transition workforce assistance program account.

§ 8-83-504.5. Additional coal transition workforce assistance program funding - coal transition workforce assistance program account.

(1) (a) (I) The coal transition workforce assistance program account is hereby created in the fund.

(II) (A) On June 30, 2021, the state treasurer shall transfer seven million dollars from the general fund to the account.

(B) On July 1, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer ten million dollars from the general fund to the account.

(III) Subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly, the department shall expend money from the account for coal transition workforce assistance programs that directly assist coal transition workers, their family members, and other household members, including those coal transition workers, their family members, and their household members who are members of a disproportionately impacted community, including programs that:

(A) Establish or expand existing apprenticeship programs, the training capacity of such programs, and the placement of coal transition workers into such programs, prioritizing programs that are recognized as registered apprenticeship programs by the department or a state apprenticeship agency recognized by the United States department of labor;

(B) Aid implementation of the just transition plan;

(C) Provide tuition assistance;

(D) Provide job search assistance;

(E) Provide career planning services and financial counseling;

(F) Support child care assistance;

(G) Support housing assistance;

(H) Support health-care and behavioral health assistance;

(I) Support retirement assistance;

(J) Provide business start-up assistance;

(K) Provide other services authorized by the federal "Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act", Pub.L. 113-128, such as on-the-job training, subsidized employment, and other strategies that aid in the implementation of individual transition plans; or

(L) Test innovative coal transition work support programs through a pilot program. The department is encouraged to limit any pilot program to no more than forty total participants who are coal transition workers, coal transition worker family members, coal transition worker households, or a combination of coal transition workers, family members, and households.

(IV) Repealed.

(b) and (c) Repealed.

(d) The department is authorized to use up to five percent of the money to fund operational support for the activities authorized by this section including funding for the compensation of one additional full-time equivalent employee.

(e) The department shall expend or encumber the money transferred to the account pursuant to subsection (1)(a)(II)(B) of this section by the close of state fiscal year 2029-30.

(f) Any unexpended and unencumbered money in the account at the end of any fiscal year remains in the account and shall not be credited or transferred to the general fund.

(2) Subject to the requirements of subsection (1) of this section, the office may expend money from the account to make grants to any eligible entity.

(3) On March 7, 2022, the state treasurer shall transfer two million dollars from the account to the fund.

Source: L. 2021: Entire section added, (HB 21-1290), ch. 400, p. 2654, § 3, effective June 30. L. 2022: IP(1), IP(1)(a), (1)(a)(V), and (2) amended, (1)(a)(VII), (1)(a)(VIII), and (3) added, and (1)(b) and (1)(c) repealed, (HB 22-1193), ch. 11, p. 117, § 3, effective March 7; IP(1) and (1)(a) amended and (1)(e) and (1)(f) added, (HB 22-1394), ch. 437, p. 3076, § 2, effective June 8. L. 2023: (1)(a)(III)(A) amended, (SB 23-051), ch. 37, p. 143, § 14, effective March 23. L. 2024: (1)(a)(III) amended and (1)(a)(IV) repealed, (HB 24-1410), ch. 319, p. 2137, § 4, effective May 31. L. 2025: (1)(e) amended, (SB 25-037), ch. 364, p. 1977, § 3, effective June 3.