1. (1) Definitions. As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

   1. (a) Colorado energy office or office means the Colorado energy office created in section 24-38.5-101.
   2. (b) District means the regional transportation district created in article 9 of title 32.
   3. (c) RTD accountability committee or committee means the regional transportation district accountability committee created in subsection (2) of this section.
2. (2) Membership. (a) There is created in the Colorado energy office the regional transportation district accountability committee. The purpose of the committee is to evaluate and make recommendations concerning the district as described in subsection (3) of this section.

3. (b) The committee consists of fourteen voting members and one ex officio nonvoting member as follows:

   1. (I) Six voting members appointed by the governor, including one member who is a former member of the board of directors of the district, one member who is a current member of the board of directors of the district, and four members who collectively have expertise in the following areas:

      1. (A) Local government within the district's service area;
      2. (B) Financial planning and management;
      3. (C) Multimodal transportation; and
      4. (D) Environmental organization;

   2. (II) Three voting members appointed by the president of the senate, including one member who is twenty-two years of age or younger and who uses district services, and two members who collectively have expertise in the following areas:

      1. (A) Workforce development; and
      2. (B) Transportation equity;
   3. (III) One voting member who has expertise in economic development, appointed by the minority leader of the senate;

   4. (IV) Three voting members appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, including:

      1. (A) One member who represents transit riders with disabilities;
      2. (B) One member who represents the labor organization that represents a plurality of transit workers of the district; and
      3. (C) One member who has expertise in urban planning;
   5. (V) One voting member who has expertise in safety for the public and transit workers, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives; and
   6. (VI) One ex officio nonvoting member who is a current member of the board of directors of the district, appointed by the board of directors of the district.
4. (c) The committee shall select one of its members to serve as chair of the committee.

5. (d)

   1. (I) The appointing authorities shall make the appointments described in subsection (2) of this section no later than August 1, 2025.
   2. (II) Each member of the committee serves at the pleasure of the appointing authority. The term of appointment is for the duration of the committee's existence.
   3. (III) If a vacancy occurs on the committee for any reason, the original appointing authority shall appoint an individual to fill the vacancy as soon as possible after the vacancy occurs. In making the vacancy appointment, the appointing authority shall ensure that the committee maintains the expertise required by subsection (2)(b)(II) of this section.
6. (e) Each member of the committee serves without compensation.
7. (f) Members of the committee may participate remotely in committee meetings and other activities.
8. (g) The office shall be available to assist the committee in carrying out its duties. The office may adopt internal procedures to ensure that the committee's work is conducted in an orderly, timely, and goal-oriented manner aligned with its statutory purpose.

9. (3) Evaluation and recommendations. (a) The purpose of the committee is to evaluate and make recommendations on:

   1. (I) The governance structure of the board of directors and executive leadership of the district;
   2. (II) Compensation for the board of directors and executive leadership of the district;
   3. (III) The paratransit services provided within the district's geographic service area. As used in this subsection (3)(a)(III), paratransit services means complementary parallel transit services for individuals with disabilities who are unable to utilize regular or fixed-route transit services for some or all of their transit needs.
   4. (IV) How transit services within the district can be expanded while ensuring good-paying jobs with benefits for transit service and maintenance providers, given state investments to expand transit in the state;
   5. (V) How transit services within the district may be served by implementing employer harmony agreements that protect against labor disputes and other disruptions that can lead to workforce retention challenges and service reliability and safety concerns;
   6. (VI) The representation of local governments and state agencies within the district; and
   7. (VII) The district's workforce retention.
   8. (b) The committee's work is intended to build on the work of the previous RTD accountability committee created in 2020. The committee should begin its evaluation pursuant to this subsection (3) with an assessment of the status of each recommendation included in the previous RTD accountability committee's July 2021 final report, including assessment of existing district subregional service councils and identification of opportunities to improve the scope and effectiveness of the service councils.
   9. (c) On or before January 30, 2026, the committee shall submit a report to the governor, the house of representatives transportation, housing, and local government committee, and the senate transportation and energy committee, or their successor committees, that includes a summary of the work accomplished by the RTD accountability committee, the findings of its evaluation, and any recommendations to the general assembly concerning matters evaluated by the committee.
10. (4) Repeal. This section is repealed, effective July 1, 2026.

Source: L. 2025: Entire section added, (SB 25-161), ch. 186, p. 821, § 8, effective May 13.