NOTE: The governor signed this measure on 5/17/2016.
      
      
      HOUSE BILL 16-1100
      
      
      BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Pettersen and Esgar, Court, Danielson, Duran,
      Garnett, Ginal, Hamner, Kagan, Kraft-Tharp, Lebsock, Lee, Lontine,
      McCann, Melton, Mitsch Bush, Moreno, Primavera, Priola, Rosenthal,
      Ryden, Salazar, Singer, Tyler, Vigil, Williams, Winter, Young,
      Hullinghorst;
      also SENATOR(S) Cooke, Aguilar, Carroll, Crowder, Donovan, Garcia,
      Guzman, Heath, Hill, Hodge, Jahn, Johnston, Jones, Kefalas, Kerr,
      Merrifield, Newell, Roberts, Steadman, Todd, Ulibarri.
      
      
      Concerning the ability of unaccompanied homeless youth to
           determine domicile for purposes of in-state tuition status
           at institutions of higher education.
       
      
      Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
      
           SECTION 1.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 23-7-103.5 as
      follows:
      
           23-7-103.5.  Unaccompanied homeless youth - domicile -
      definitions. (1)  As defined in subsection (2) of this section, an
      unaccompanied homeless youth is a "qualified person", as defined
      in section 23-7-102, for purposes of determining his or her own
      domicile pursuant to the provisions of section 23-7-103.
      
           (2) (a)  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise
      requires, "unaccompanied homeless youth" means an individual
      who has not attained twenty-two years of age and who has been
      verified by a person described in paragraph (b) of this subsection
      (2) as either:
      
           (I)  An unaccompanied youth who is a homeless child or
      youth, as those terms are defined in section 725 of the federal
      "McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 11434a;
      or
      
           (II)  An unaccompanied youth, at risk of homelessness, and
      self-supporting. The Colorado commission on higher education
      shall include in its tuition classification policies a definition of
      "unaccompanied homeless youth, at risk of homelessness, and
      self-supporting".
      
           (b)  The following persons may verify that a youth is an
      unaccompanied homeless youth as defined in paragraph (a) of this
      subsection (2):
      
           (I)  A local educational agency homeless liaison,
      designated pursuant to section 722 (g) (1) (J) (ii) of the federal
      "McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 11432;
      
           (II)  The director of a program funded under the federal
      "Runaway and Homeless Youth Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 5701 et seq., or
      a designee of the director;
      
           (III)  The director of a program funded under subtitle B of
      Title IV of the federal "McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance
      Act", 42 U.S.C. sec. 11371 et seq., relating to emergency shelter
      grants, or a designee of the director; or
      
           (IV)  A financial aid administrator at an institution.
      
           SECTION 2.  In Colorado Revised Statutes, 23-7-102, amend (9)
      as follows:
      
           23-7-102.  Definitions. As used in this article, unless the context
      otherwise requires:
      
           (9)  "Qualified person" means a person qualified to determine his or
      her own domicile. A person over the age of twenty-two years, or years of
      age or older, a student commencing a postbaccalaureate degree-granting
      program, or an emancipated minor, or an unaccompanied homeless
      youth pursuant to section 23-7-103.5 is so qualified.
      
           SECTION 3.  Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
      determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
      preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.
      
      
      
      
      ________________________________________________________
      Dickey Lee Hullinghorst                Bill L. Cadman
      SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE                     PRESIDENT OF
      OF REPRESENTATIVES                         THE SENATE
      
      
      
      
      
      
      ____________________________  ____________________________
      Marilyn Eddins                            Effie Ameen
      CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE                 SECRETARY OF
      OF REPRESENTATIVES                         THE SENATE
      
      
      
      
                  APPROVED________________________________________
      
      
      
      
      
                                    _________________________________________
                                    John W. Hickenlooper
                                    GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO