HB26-1386 Colorado National Guard Tuition Waiver Funding Mechanism
Summary
Colorado House Bill HB26-1386 would restructure the funding for the Colorado National Guard tuition waiver program. Currently, the state funds all tuition waiver costs from the Colorado National Guard tuition fund. Under the bill, designated institutions of higher education would be required to waive the remaining tuition balance after accounting for private, state, or federal financial assistance. The Department of Military and Veterans Affairs would reimburse institutions for 50% of the waived tuition costs, with the General Assembly appropriating funds to cover these reimbursements.
What changed
HB26-1386 would fundamentally alter how the Colorado National Guard tuition waiver program is funded. Under current law, the state fully funds tuition waivers for National Guard members accepted to designated institutions of higher education. The bill would shift partial funding responsibility to institutions themselves, requiring them to waive the remaining tuition balance after all other financial assistance is applied, while the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs would reimburse only 50% of those costs.
Higher education institutions designated to participate in the program would face new administrative and financial obligations under this legislation. Institutions would need to develop systems to calculate remaining tuition balances after applying private, state, and federal financial assistance, submit reimbursement requests to the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, and budget for the 50% cost share. The General Assembly would need to appropriate funds to the Colorado National Guard tuition fund to cover the state's 50% reimbursement obligation.
What to do next
- Higher education institutions should monitor HB26-1386 for passage and potential implementation requirements
- Institutions should review current tuition waiver administrative processes in anticipation of 50% reimbursement structure
- Review financial aid packaging procedures for National Guard members
Archived snapshot
Apr 13, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
HB26-1386
Colorado National Guard Tuition Waiver Funding
| Type | Bill |
|---|---|
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Higher Education Military & Veterans |
Concerning changing the funding mechanism for the Colorado national guard tuition waiver program.
Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:
Joint Budget Committee. In current law, a person who is a member of the Colorado National Guard who is accepted for enrollment at a designated institution of higher education (member) has all their tuition costs waived. All tuition waiver costs are currently funded by the state from money in the Colorado National Guard tuition fund.
The bill changes the funding mechanism of the Colorado National Guard tuition waiver program by requiring each designated institution of higher education to waive the remaining balance of a member's tuition cost in excess of the amount of any private, state, or federal financial assistance received. The bill requires the department of military and veterans affairs to reimburse each institution for 50% of the cost of tuition waived by the institution and requires the general assembly to appropriate money to the Colorado National Guard tuition fund to cover the reimbursement.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Prime Sponsors
Kyle Brown
Representative
Rick Taggart
Senator
Jeff Bridges
Senator
Barbara Kirkmeyer
Committees
House
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Status
Under Consideration
Introduced
Under Consideration
Related Documents & Information
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/11/2026 | Reengrossed | |
| 04/09/2026 | Engrossed | |
| 04/02/2026 | Introduced |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/03/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Refer House Bill 26-1386 to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 9-2. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Date | Calendar | Motion |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 04/11/2026 | Third Reading | BILL |
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 04/11/2026 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/10/2026 | House | House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments |
| 04/09/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/08/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily - No Amendments |
| 04/06/2026 | House | House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 04/02/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations |
Prime Sponsor
Rep. K. Brown | Rep. R. Taggart
Sen. J. Bridges | Sen. B. Kirkmeyer
Sponsor
Co-Sponsor
Rep. J. Bacon | Rep. C. Barron | Rep. A. Boesenecker | Rep. M. Bradfield | Rep. B. Bradley | Rep. J. Caldwell | Rep. S. Camacho | Rep. M. Carter | Rep. C. Clifford | Rep. K. DeGraaf | Rep. M. Duran | Rep. R. English | Rep. C. Espenoza | Rep. L. Feret | Rep. A. Flanell | Rep. M. Froelich | Rep. L. Garcia Sander | Rep. L. Gilchrist | Rep. L. Goldstein | Rep. R. Gonzalez | Rep. E. Hamrick | Rep. A. Hartsook | Rep. D. Johnson | Rep. J. Joseph | Rep. R. Keltie | Rep. M. Lindsay | Rep. M. Lukens | Rep. J. Mabrey | Rep. B. Marshall | Rep. M. Martinez | Rep. T. Mauro | Rep. J. McCluskie | Rep. K. McCormick | Rep. K. Nguyen | Rep. A. Paschal | Rep. C. Richardson | Rep. N. Ricks | Rep. M. Rutinel | Rep. G. Rydin | Rep. S. Slaugh | Rep. L. Smith | Rep. K. Stewart | Rep. R. Stewart | Rep. T. Story | Rep. L. Suckla | Rep. B. Titone | Rep. A. Valdez | Rep. E. Velasco | Rep. R. Weinberg | Rep. J. Willford | Rep. T. Winter | Rep. Y. Zokaie
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