Merit Institute Merit

The Colorado Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (CO-ACSA)

Colorado state companion to ACSA. Extends licensure recognition under C.R.S. Title 24 and 12, Colorado Community College System, Colorado Workforce Development Council, and C.R.S. Title 39 income-tax credits, with labor-protective provisions.

THE COLORADO WORKER-MERIT CREDENTIALING ACT (CO-ACSA)

Vehicle: State passage. Colorado General Assembly, regular session. Primary referral to House / Senate Business Affairs and Labor / Finance / Education.

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE

This Act may be cited as the “Colorado Worker-Merit Credentialing Act (CO-ACSA).”

SECTION 2. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND INTENT

The General Assembly finds that Colorado occupational licensure operates under C.R.S. Title 12 through the Division of Professions and Occupations; that C.R.S. 24-60-3901 et seq. provides for licensure portability; that the Colorado Community College System operates under C.R.S. Title 23 Art. 60; that the Colorado Workforce Development Council operates under C.R.S. 24-46.3; that C.R.S. Title 39 authorizes income-tax credits; and that C.R.S. Title 8 (labor) and C.R.S. 24-34-402 (employment discrimination) apply. This Act extends these frameworks.

TITLE I — DEFINITIONS & COORDINATION WITH COLORADO LAW

Sec. 101. Definitions

  1. (a) “Colorado Recognized Merit Credential” or “CORMC” means a competency-based credential designated by the Chancellor of the Colorado Community College System in coordination with the Colorado Workforce Development Council under Sec. 201.
  2. (b) “Federal FRAC” means a Federally Recognized Alternative Credential under Section 202 of the federal ACSA.
  3. (c) “Covered State licensing authority” means a board under C.R.S. Title 12.

Sec. 102. Coordination with Existing Colorado Law

  1. (a) Consistent with:
  • C.R.S. Title 12 (professions).
  • C.R.S. 24-60-3901 et seq. (licensure portability).
  • C.R.S. Title 23 Art. 60 (CCCS).
  • C.R.S. 24-46.3 (CWDC).
  • C.R.S. Title 39 (income tax).
  • C.R.S. Title 8; 24-34-402.

TITLE II — COLORADO RECOGNIZED MERIT CREDENTIALS

Sec. 201. Designation Authority

  1. (a) The Chancellor of CCCS, in coordination with CWDC, shall maintain a Colorado Recognized Merit Credentials registry (“CORMC Registry”) in machine-readable form, updated at least annually, crosswalked to Federal FRAC.

Sec. 202. Degree-Optional State Employment

  1. (a) The Department of Personnel and Administration, acting under Colo. Const. Art. XII and C.R.S. Title 24 Art. 50, shall apply classifications so that a CORMC-holder satisfies any position qualification stated in terms of a college degree, unless expressly required by Colorado statute.

TITLE III — WORKFORCE-TRAINING TAX CREDIT (Worker-Protective Rewire)

Sec. 301. Skills-Based Hiring Tax Credit

  1. (a) A new credit is added to C.R.S. Title 39 equal to a percentage of qualified first-year wages paid to a Colorado-resident employee whose qualifying pathway is a CORMC or Federal FRAC.
  2. (b) Credit availability is conditioned on compliance with C.R.S. Title 8 (wage and hour) and C.R.S. 24-34-402.
  3. (c) Coordinated with federal IRC Sec. 45AA; aggregate cap.
  4. (d) Department of Revenue administers.

TITLE IV — OCCUPATIONAL LICENSURE PORTABILITY

Sec. 401. Licensure by Demonstrated Competency

  1. (a) Demonstrated-competency pathway accepting CORMC, Federal FRAC, or examination-plus-supervised-experience, subject to public health and safety requirements.

Sec. 402. Interstate Recognition for Federal-Fund Recipients

  1. (a) Recognition by federally-funded authorities, consistent with Section 401 of the federal ACSA and C.R.S. 24-60-3901 et seq.

TITLE V — IMPLEMENTATION & GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 501. Severability

If any provision is held invalid, the invalidity shall not affect the remainder.

Sec. 502. Effective Date

This Act shall take effect January 1 of the year following enactment.

Canonical federal version: ACSA. Other Colorado bills: CO-MEWRA, CO-GT&P, CO-AI-Workforce.