Colorado Bill Funds Memorials on State Capitol Grounds

CO Legislature Bill Search

Published January 1st, 2026

Detected March 14th, 2026

Summary

Colorado Bill SB26-088 expands the allowable uses of the veterans' monument preservation trust fund to include maintenance and repair of memorials on state capitol grounds. Oversight of the fund transfers to History Colorado, and new reporting requirements are established.

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What changed

Colorado Bill SB26-088, introduced for the 2026 Regular Session, significantly alters the management and scope of the Colorado veterans' monument preservation trust fund. Oversight will shift from the department of personnel and a preservation trust committee to History Colorado. The bill expands the fund's use to cover maintenance, enhancement, and repair of all monuments and memorials within Lincoln veterans' memorial park and on the state capitol building grounds, not just veteran-specific memorials. History Colorado can expend principal from the fund every 20 years, subject to appropriation, and for unexpected maintenance costs. New reporting requirements mandate annual reports to the state capitol building advisory committee detailing maintenance plans and fund usage.

Regulated entities and state agencies involved in the capitol grounds or memorial placement will be affected. Specifically, History Colorado must implement the new oversight and reporting duties. Any entity proposing a new memorial or art object for the capitol grounds must now demonstrate sufficient funding for lifetime maintenance, dedicating at least 5% of the total budget to this purpose, before the proposal can be recommended for approval. Compliance with these new maintenance funding requirements is critical for future memorial proposals.

What to do next

History Colorado to assume oversight of the veterans' monument preservation trust fund and implement new reporting requirements.
Entities proposing new memorials or art on capitol grounds must ensure at least 5% of the total budget is dedicated to lifetime maintenance.
State capitol building advisory committee to verify lifetime maintenance funding for new memorial proposals.

Source document (simplified)

SB26-088

Funding for Memorials on State Capitol Grounds

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | State Government |
Concerning the grounds surrounding the state capitol building, and, in connection therewith, providing for the maintenance and repair of memorials and monuments on the capitol grounds and in Lincoln veterans' memorial park.

Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:

Under current law, the department of personnel and a statutorily created preservation trust committee oversee the Colorado veterans' monument preservation trust fund (trust fund). The bill moves oversight of the trust fund to the state historical society (history Colorado) and repeals the preservation trust committee. The bill also expands the allowable uses of the trust fund, which were previously restricted to maintaining and enhancing the Colorado veterans' monument and any fallen heroes memorials in Lincoln veterans' memorial park, to include the maintenance, enhancement, and repair of monuments and memorials both in Lincoln veterans' memorial park and on the state capitol building grounds. History Colorado may expend principal from the trust fund for these purposes once every 20 years beginning in state fiscal year 2027-2028, subject to appropriation by the general assembly, and for unexpected necessary maintenance costs that are not covered by insurance. On or before December 31, 2026, and on or before each December 31 thereafter, history Colorado must submit a report to the state capitol building advisory committee that includes information on:

History Colorado's plans to maintain, enhance, and repair monuments and memorials in Lincoln veterans' memorial park and on the state capitol building grounds; and
The actual and planned use of money in the trust fund. The bill also requires the state capitol building advisory committee, before recommending a proposal for the placement of a memorial or an object of art on the state capitol building grounds to the capital development committee and the governor for approval, to ensure that the proposal includes funding sufficient to provide lifetime maintenance of the proposed memorial or object of art. Only a proposal that dedicates at least 5% of its total budget to maintenance includes funding sufficient to provide lifetime maintenance of the proposed object of art or memorial.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)