Concerning allowing approved facility schools to affiliate with the public employees' retirement association.
Summary
HB26-1146 expands eligibility for participation in the Colorado Public Employees' Retirement Association (PERA) by adding "approved facility schools" to the statutory definition of an "employer." Under the bill, an approved facility school may apply to the PERA board to affiliate with PERA, and if approved, the school and its employees become subject to the rights, duties, and responsibilities that apply to affiliated employers and members.
The bill also specifies that any approved facility school that affiliates with PERA must be assigned to the local government division. It makes corresponding changes to the statutes governing affiliation and termination of affiliation so that approved facility schools are treated like other public entities that may join or leave PERA under board-approved procedures. The act takes effect after the referendum period unless referred to voters.
Impact
The bill amends Colorado Revised Statutes sections 24-51-101, 24-51-309, and 24-51-313 to include approved facility schools within PERA's affiliation framework. This changes state retirement law by allowing a new category of public education employer to seek PERA membership, subject to approval by the PERA board, and by placing those schools in the local government division once affiliated. It affects approved facility schools, their employees, and PERA administration, including the process for affiliation and any later termination of affiliation.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill was generally noncontroversial and received enough support to pass and be signed by the governor. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes in the provided material, there is little direct evidence of debate or opposition. The bill's purpose appears technical and targeted, focusing on retirement-system access for a specific type of school employer.
Contention
No specific points of contention are documented in the provided materials. Potential issues implied by the text could include the fiscal and actuarial impact on PERA, whether approved facility schools should be treated as public employers for retirement purposes, and how affiliation would affect employees and existing PERA members. However, the record provided does not show any organized opposition or disputed amendments.