1. (1) In accordance with section 17 (4) of article IX of the state constitution, there is hereby created in the state treasury the state education fund. The fund shall consist of state education fund revenues, all interest and income earned on the deposit and investment of moneys in the fund, and any gifts or other moneys that are exempt from the limitation on state fiscal year spending set forth in section 20 (7)(a) of article X of the state constitution and section 24-77-103, C.R.S., that may be credited to the fund. All interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of moneys in the fund shall be credited to the fund. At the end of any state fiscal year, all unexpended and unencumbered moneys in the fund shall remain in the fund and shall not revert to the general fund or any other fund.

2. (2)

   1. (a) The legislative council, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, shall calculate the amount of state education fund revenues for the period commencing December 28, 2000, and ending June 30, 2001, and the amount of state education fund revenues for each state fiscal year commencing on or after July 1, 2001. The legislative council and the office of state planning and budgeting shall rely upon the quarterly state revenue estimates issued by the legislative council in calculating such amounts and shall update its calculations no later than five days following the issuance of each quarterly state revenue estimate.

   2. (b) To ensure that all state education fund revenues are transferred to the state education fund and that other state revenues are not erroneously transferred to the fund:

      1. (I) No later than two days after calculating or recalculating the amount of state education fund revenues for the period commencing December 28, 2000, and ending June 30, 2001, or for any state fiscal year commencing on or after July 1, 2001, the legislative council, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, shall certify to the department of revenue the amount of state education fund revenues that the department shall transfer to the state treasurer for deposit into the state education fund on the first day of each of the three succeeding calendar months as required by paragraph (c) of this subsection (2);
      2. (II) Notwithstanding the provisions of subparagraph (I) of this paragraph (b), no later than May 25 of any state fiscal year commencing on or after July 1, 2000, the legislative council, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, may certify to the department of revenue an adjusted amount for any transfer to be made on the first business day of the immediately succeeding June; and
      3. (III) Subject to review by the state auditor, the legislative council, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, may correct any error in the total amount of state education fund revenues transferred during any state fiscal year by adjusting the amount of any transfer to be made during the next state fiscal year.
   3. (c) On the first business day of each calendar month that commences after June 5, 2001, the department of revenue shall transfer to the state treasurer for deposit into the state education fund state education fund revenues in an amount certified to the department by the legislative council, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, pursuant to paragraph (b) of this subsection (2).

3. (3)

   1. (a) Except as provided by law, all moneys in the state education fund are subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department of education for the purposes set forth in this subsection (3). The department shall expend all interest derived from the deposit and investment of moneys in the fund prior to expending any of the principal in the fund. The moneys in the fund shall only be used to comply with the requirements of section 17 (1) of article (IX) of the state constitution and for such purposes as may be authorized by law and that are consistent with section 17 (4)(b) of article IX of the state constitution.
   2. (b) Nothing in this subsection (3) shall be construed to require additional or future appropriations from the state education fund for any program for which an appropriation from the fund has previously been authorized for any given fiscal year in accordance with the provisions of paragraph (a) of this subsection (3).
4. (4) Moneys in the state education fund may be invested in the types of investments authorized in sections 24-36-109, 24-36-112, and 24-36-113, C.R.S.

5. (5) Pursuant to section 17 (3) of article IX of the state constitution, all moneys credited to the fund, appropriated by the general assembly out of the fund, or distributed from the fund and expended by any school district shall be exempt from:

   1. (a) The limitation on state fiscal year spending set forth in section 20 (7)(a) of article X of the state constitution and section 24-77-103, C.R.S.;
   2. (b) The limitation on local government fiscal year spending set forth in section 20 (7)(b) of article X of the state constitution; and
   3. (c) The statutory limitation on general fund appropriations.

6. (6)

   1. (a) As used in this subsection (6), unless the context otherwise requires, account means the kids matter account created in subsection (6)(b) of this section.

   2. (b)

      1. (I) The kids matter account is created in the state education fund. Beginning July 1, 2026, state fiscal year, the state treasurer must deposit in the account all state revenues collected from an existing tax on sixty-five percent of one-tenth of one percent on federal taxable income, as modified by law, of every individual, estate, trust, and corporation, as defined in law.
      2. (II) The account consists of money deposited into the account pursuant to subsection (6)(b)(I) of this section; any money transferred to the account by the general assembly; and any gifts, grants, or donations from any public or private sources that the department of education is authorized to seek and accept. The state treasurer shall credit all interest and income derived from the deposit and investment of money in the account to the account.

      3. (III) The money in the account is subject to annual appropriation by the general assembly to the department of education only for the purpose of funding:

         1. (A) District total program funding; and
         2. (B) Total state funding for all categorical programs.
      4. (IV) Any money not expended or encumbered, and all interest earned on the investment or deposit of money in the account, remains in the account at the end of any state fiscal year.

   3. (c)

      1. (I) Beginning July 1, 2026, the legislative council staff, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, shall calculate the amount of revenue to be deposited in the account pursuant to this section. The legislative council staff and the office of state planning and budgeting shall use the quarterly state revenue estimates issued by the legislative council staff in calculating the amount and update the calculation not later than five days after the issuance of each quarterly state revenue estimate.

      2. (II) To ensure that the correct amount of revenue is deposited in the account:

         1. (A) No later than two days after calculating or updating the calculation, the legislative council staff, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, shall certify to the department of revenue the amount of revenue that the department shall transfer to the state treasurer for deposit into the account on the first business day of each of the next three calendar months;
         2. (B) Notwithstanding subsection (6)(c)(II)(A) of this section, no later than May 25, 2027, and no later than May 25 of each state fiscal year thereafter, the legislative council staff, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, may certify to the department of revenue an adjusted amount for any deposit to be made on the first business day of June; and
         3. (C) Subject to review by the state auditor, the legislative council staff, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, may correct an error in the amount of revenue transferred during any state fiscal year by adjusting the amount of any transfer to be made during the next state fiscal year.
      3. (III) Beginning July 1, 2026, and on the first business day of each calendar month thereafter, the department of revenue shall transfer to the state treasurer for deposit into the account revenue in an amount certified to the department of revenue by the legislative council staff, in consultation with the office of state planning and budgeting, pursuant to subsections (6)(c)(II)(A) and (6)(c)(II)(B) of this section.

Source: L. 2001: Entire article added, p. 993, § 1, effective June 5. L. 2009: (5)(c) amended, (SB 09-228), ch. 410, p. 2256, § 4, effective July 1. L. 2025: (6) added, (HB 25-1320), ch. 236, p. 1173, § 21, effective May 23.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 25-1320, see section 1 of chapter 236, Session Laws of Colorado 2025.