1. Too many bills, not enough time…
K-12 Fiscal Note Process
Too many bills, not enough time…

2. Addressing the Fiscal Impact of Proposed Legislation
Authorized by statute
Critical to the legislative process
Two-pronged approach
Three step process

3. Two-pronged Approach
Communicate district/BOCES level fiscal impacts to legislative counsel staff to add a fiscal note on a specific bill.
Post districts/BOCES fiscal impacts to the legislative counsel website to inform legislators and assist lobbyists.

4. History
C.R.S put in place the ability for school districts to participate in the state fiscal note process.
C.R.S allows for the posting of info

5. Implementation Overview
Legislative council staff sends bills to our contracted fiscal expert Justin Silverstein (APA).
Key finance officers, superintendents and BOCES staff weigh in on the potential local cost of statutory change.
Prior to the introduction of a bill, legislative council staff will send bills
The goal being to ensure educators have a voice.

6. Implementation Approach
Ensures a consistent approach for consolidating feedback from a broad range of districts and BOCES from around the state.
For the past several years CASE, CASB and the Colorado BOCES have collaborated on this process.
Prior to the introduction of a bill, legislative council staff will send bills
A two-pronged approach:

7. Implementation
Within 2 days, Leg Council staff are notified of a potential fiscal impact.
Within 5 days
In addition to providing consistent feedback and having phone calls with Abrams from the fiscal note
office, school districts and BOCES also have the ability to post information on the General Assembly Website.
This information can provide specifics above and beyond what the fiscal note analyst may or may note include in the fiscal note.
Process (developed in conjunction with Justin Silverstein):
1) A consistent approach in terms of formatting and outreach to 4-5 groups of education experts including finance directors, superintendents and BOCES directors
2) The need to prioritize bills so that we do not waste time on ideas that don't have the backing to potentially pass
3) The lens for feedback needs to include a range of districts including size differences, geography and student populations.
4) Need to develop protocols for how to move this process forward in a straightforward way.
5) Need to develop a dual prong approach that will allow specific detail on the financial impact to emerge through lobbying, communication and testimony.
Next steps:
1) Work with Justin Silverstein to develop a consistent process and a format for feedback
2) Once a process is developed, share the process with the Fiscal Note office (Legislative Council),
DBO representatives and CDE.
3) Schedule regular check in calls; coordinate regular lobbyist communication from CASE, CASB and
Colorado BOCES.
4) Get moving! Recalibrate as needed.
Prior to the introduction of a bill, legislative council staff will send bills

8. Implementation
office, school districts and BOCES also have the ability to post information on the General Assembly Website.
This information can provide specifics above and beyond what the fiscal note analyst may or may note include in the fiscal note.
Process (developed in conjunction with Justin Silverstein):
1) A consistent approach in terms of formatting and outreach to 4-5 groups of education experts including finance directors, superintendents and BOCES directors
2) The need to prioritize bills so that we do not waste time on ideas that don't have the backing to potentially pass
3) The lens for feedback needs to include a range of districts including size differences, geography and student populations.
4) Need to develop protocols for how to move this process forward in a straightforward way.
5) Need to develop a dual prong approach that will allow specific detail on the financial impact to emerge through lobbying, communication and testimony.
Next steps:
1) Work with Justin Silverstein to develop a consistent process and a format for feedback
2) Once a process is developed, share the process with the Fiscal Note office (Legislative Council),
DBO representatives and CDE.
3) Schedule regular check in calls; coordinate regular lobbyist communication from CASE, CASB and
Colorado BOCES.
4) Get moving! Recalibrate as needed.
Prior to the introduction of a bill, legislative council staff will send bills

9. Overview:
HB 1077 put in place the ability for school districts to participate in the state fiscal note process. For the
past several years CASE, CASB and the Colorado BOCES have collaborated on a process that brings
together key finance officers, superintendents and BOCES executive directors to weigh in on the
potential local cost of statutory change, so it no longer is just a state level event. We all know the
cascading effect of the costs of legislation do reach schools and districts and this process is designed to
ensure educators have a voice.
How it will work:
Prior to the introduction of a bill, Fiscal Analyst Josh Abrams, who conducts the k-12 education fiscal
note process for the General Assembly, will send bills to our contracted fiscal expert Justin Silverstein
(APA). Justin is in the process of developing a consistent approach for consolidating feedback from pre-
identified individuals who work in small, medium and large districts/BOCES around the state. This
consistent approach will include written feedback from districts and phone calls coordinated by
Silverstein.
A two-pronged approach:
In addition to providing consistent feedback and having phone calls with Abrams from the fiscal note
office, school districts and BOCES also have the ability to post information on the General Assembly
Website. This information can provide specifics above and beyond what the fiscal note analyst may or
may note include in the fiscal note.
Process (developed in conjunction with Justin Silverstein):
1) A consistent approach in terms of formatting and outreach to 4-5 groups of education experts
including finance directors, superintendents and BOCES directors
2) The need to prioritize bills so that we do not waste time on ideas that don't have the backing to
potentially pass
3) The lens for feedback needs to include a range of districts including size differences, geography and
student populations.
4) Need to develop protocols for how to move this process forward in a straightforward way.
5) Need to develop a dual prong approach that will allow specific detail on the financial impact to
emerge through lobbying, communication and testimony.
Next steps:
1) Work with Justin Silverstein to develop a consistent process and a format for feedback
2) Once a process is developed, share the process with the Fiscal Note office (Legislative Council),
DBO representatives and CDE.
3) Schedule regular check in calls; coordinate regular lobbyist communication from CASE, CASB and
Colorado BOCES.
4) Get moving! Recalibrate as needed.

10. Overview:
HB 1077 put in place the ability for school districts to participate in the state fiscal note process. For the
past several years CASE, CASB and the Colorado BOCES have collaborated on a process that brings
together key finance officers, superintendents and BOCES executive directors to weigh in on the
potential local cost of statutory change, so it no longer is just a state level event. We all know the
cascading effect of the costs of legislation do reach schools and districts and this process is designed to
ensure educators have a voice.
How it will work:
Prior to the introduction of a bill, Fiscal Analyst Josh Abrams, who conducts the k-12 education fiscal
note process for the General Assembly, will send bills to our contracted fiscal expert Justin Silverstein
(APA). Justin is in the process of developing a consistent approach for consolidating feedback from pre-
identified individuals who work in small, medium and large districts/BOCES around the state. This
consistent approach will include written feedback from districts and phone calls coordinated by
Silverstein.
A two-pronged approach:
In addition to providing consistent feedback and having phone calls with Abrams from the fiscal note
office, school districts and BOCES also have the ability to post information on the General Assembly
Website. This information can provide specifics above and beyond what the fiscal note analyst may or
may note include in the fiscal note.
Process (developed in conjunction with Justin Silverstein):
1) A consistent approach in terms of formatting and outreach to 4-5 groups of education experts
including finance directors, superintendents and BOCES directors
2) The need to prioritize bills so that we do not waste time on ideas that don't have the backing to
potentially pass
3) The lens for feedback needs to include a range of districts including size differences, geography and
student populations.
4) Need to develop protocols for how to move this process forward in a straightforward way.
5) Need to develop a dual prong approach that will allow specific detail on the financial impact to
emerge through lobbying, communication and testimony.
Next steps:
1) Work with Justin Silverstein to develop a consistent process and a format for feedback
2) Once a process is developed, share the process with the Fiscal Note office (Legislative Council),
DBO representatives and CDE.
3) Schedule regular check in calls; coordinate regular lobbyist communication from CASE, CASB and
Colorado BOCES.
4) Get moving! Recalibrate as needed.

11. Implementation
A process for districts and BOCES to submit fiscal impact summaries to the General Assembly (pursuant to Section , C.R.S.). 
This provision of law is separate from the one permitting the CDE to request information from K12 budget offices for preparation of a fiscal note response to Leg Council.  That is the process currently being coordinated by Justin Silverstein and is separate and distinct from provision allowing districts and BOCES to submit fiscal impact summaries. Remember that the impact summaries are posted unedited and unrevised to the web and members are alerted to their presence.   The summaries provided under this provision will not necessarily be incorporated into the fiscal analysis prepared by Legislative Council Staff.  This provision has been used only once since 2011.  Districts and BOCES will have no idea about this authority unless you (CASE, CASB, BOCES)  make an effort to spread the word. Please call with questions.

12. Implementation Instructions are available at:
This provision of law is separate from the one permitting the CDE to request information from K12 budget offices for preparation of a fiscal note response to Leg Council.  That is the process currently being coordinated by Justin Silverstein and is separate and distinct from provision allowing districts and BOCES to submit fiscal impact summaries. Remember that the impact summaries are posted unedited and unrevised to the web and members are alerted to their presence.   The summaries provided under this provision will not necessarily be incorporated into the fiscal analysis prepared by Legislative Council Staff.  This provision has been used only once since 2011.  Districts and BOCES will have no idea about this authority unless you (CASE, CASB, BOCES)  make an effort to spread the word.

13. Implementation Email the summaries to: For questions, contact:
For questions, contact:
Josh Abram Principal Fiscal Analyst Colorado Legislative Council

14. Implementation
The impact summaries are posted unedited and unrevised to the web and members are alerted to their presence.   
The summaries provided under this provision will not necessarily be incorporated into the fiscal analysis prepared by Legislative Council Staff. 
This provision of law is separate from the one permitting a K12 fiscal note response to Leg Council. 
This provision has been used only once since 2011.  Districts and BOCES will have no idea about this authority unless you (CASE, CASB, BOCES)  make an effort to spread the word.

15. We have re-created a process for districts and BOCES to submit fiscal impact summaries to the General Assembly (pursuant to Section , C.R.S.).  Instructions are on the website below.  The address for districts and BOCES to use is This provision of law is separate from the one permitting the CDE to request information from K12 budget offices for preparation of a fiscal note response to Leg Council.  That is the process currently being coordinated by Justin Silverstein and is separate and distinct from provision allowing districts and BOCES to submit fiscal impact summaries. Remember that the impact summaries are posted unedited and unrevised to the web and members are alerted to their presence.   The summaries provided under this provision will not necessarily be incorporated into the fiscal analysis prepared by Legislative Council Staff.  This provision has been used only once since 2011.  Districts and BOCES will have no idea about this authority unless you (CASE, CASB, BOCES)  make an effort to spread the word. Please call with questions. h ttps:// Thanks Josh Abram Principal Fiscal Analyst Colorado Legislative Council