Last week we were pleased to welcome Governor Jared Polis to Senate District 19 for a bill signing ceremony. The event took place at  Red Rocks Community College Arvada campus where he signed four of my education bills in to law:  

• SB20-009 Expand Adult Education Grant Program 
• SB20-175 Remove Assessment Score On A Student's Transcript 
• HB20-1002 College Credit for Work Experience
• HB20-1407 College Admission Use Of National Test Score 

These bills will help make post-secondary options and higher education more affordable and more attainable. 

According to our Constitution, once the General Assembly delivers a bill to the governor, he has 10 days to sign or veto the bill. If he doesn't act within that time, the bill automatically becomes law without his signature. However, if the General Assembly delivers a bill to the governor after we have adjourned sine die, then the governor has 30 days to act on the bill or the bill automatically becomes law without his signature. 

Since the General Assembly adjourned sine die on Monday, June 15, we are nearing the end of the 30 day clock, and all bills not yet signed will take effect at 12:01 a.m this coming Thursday, July 16. After that, we won't have any more bill signings until the next legislative session. But just because a bill is signed, that doesn't necessarily mean it becomes effective immediately. 

In Colorado, If a bill contains a safety clause, and not subject to the citizens' right to file a referendum petition against it, the bill takes effect on the date specified in the legislation. If no date is specified, then it takes effect when the Governor signs the bill. If a bill contains a petition clause, and assuming that a referendum petition is not filed against it, the earliest a bill can take effect is after a 90-day period following adjournment. 

This year, due to the delayed session and the late date in which we adjourned sine die, many of the bills signed by Governor Polis will take effect some time in October.