The House Appropriations Committee advanced Senate Bill 319, a technical amendment to last year’s refundable tax credit for Colorado high-school graduates who enroll in Colorado higher-education institutions.

Representative Taggart said the bill shortens the time between student enrollment and when families can receive the refundable credit by moving the reporting date for student grade-point averages earlier in the academic year (to January). Under the existing program, sponsors said, reporting lagged — delaying the refundable credit by as much as 18 months. The change is intended to reduce that delay to roughly nine months or less so families receive credits sooner.

Under the program description in committee materials, eligibility includes: graduation from high school within the previous two years, gross family income below $90,000, in-state tuition qualification, enrollment of at least six credit hours in a semester and maintenance of a 2.5 grade-point average. The bill advances the reporting timeline so families can apply for the refundable credit earlier in the tax year.

Committee members did not record substantive opposition during the Appropriations hearing. Representative Taggart moved the bill to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; the committee recorded the motion as passing 8 to 3.

The bill is procedural and technical in nature; committee discussion focused on shortening the administrative lag rather than changing eligibility or funding levels.