Colorado Youth Advisory Council

?? COYAC in the news: Colorado lawmakers opt to keep program getting teens involved at Capitol, but cut panel’s bill-drafting power by Jesse Paul, The Colorado Sun Colorado lawmakers reversed course on Wednesday and decided to keep in place a 20-year-old program that gets teens involved at the Capitol — with a big caveat. The Colorado Youth Advisory Council will no longer have the power to draft bills for the legislature’s consideration. https://lnkd.in/guCrqvar

?? COYAC in the news: Colorado May End Program Promoting Teen Participation in Lawmaking by Hannah Metzger, Denver Westword "Young people have a hard time connecting with state policy; it feels so far away and out of reach. COYAC brings it down to a level you can relate to,"?[COYAC alum Aimee] Resnick says.?"Young people already feel really disinvested in politics right now across the political spectrum. If we lose COYAC, it's just further telling young people that politics is not the place that they belong. "It's also a loss for the state of Colorado," she adds. "It's divesting in?young people who are interested in public service and want to work to better our state." https://lnkd.in/dXRwMpQd

The Colorado Department of Education seeks youth ages 12-21 to share your thoughts on how schools can better support your mental health and wellbeing. There are two ways to get involved: 1. Join a Virtual Discussion Group ?? When: Wednesday, April 30, 2025, 4:00–5:15 PM on Zoom ?? Chat with a small group (5-8 people) and share your thoughts. ?? After you take part in the virtual meeting, you will receive a $30 electronic gift card. 2. Take a Short Survey ?? If you’d rather share your thoughts on your own time, fill out a short survey. Sign up by Friday, March 21, 2025 at https://lnkd.in/gydVgeHZ Have questions? Email [email protected]. Please share this info and flyer with anyone else who might be interested—they want to hear from as many young people as possible!

Fri March 7 @8:30am: The Colorado Legislature's Senate Appropriations Committee will discuss pausing/eliminating the Colorado Youth Advisory Council (COYAC) as part of the bill SB25-188?Fiscal Year 2025-26 Legislative Appropriation. They will hear public testimony over Zoom and in person in Room B of the Legislative Services Building, 200 E 14th Ave, Denver, CO 80203. Members of the public can sign up to testify here: https://lnkd.in/gvCTGqeZ

?? Opinion in The Colorado Sun by COYAC member Kate Glover: Dear Colorado legislators: Don’t cut your youth advisory council just for a $50k savings https://lnkd.in/dKc7tHam

?? COYAC in the news: The Colorado Sun Legislature set to cut program getting teens involved at the Capitol The Colorado legislature, as part of its efforts to close a budget hole of more than $1 billion, is planning to axe a nearly two-decade effort to enlist teenagers from across the state to help draft and offer input on bills. Shutting down the Colorado Youth Advisory Council would save about $50,000 a year. That’s a relatively paltry amount, but it’s meant to send a message that costs must be trimmed wherever possible. The legislative branch plans to trim its budget by 5%, or more than $4 million next year, and suspending as many as a dozen interim committees like the Colorado Youth Advisory Council is part of that effort. The trimming foreshadows the big line-item reductions the legislature’s Joint Budget Committee must make in the coming weeks. (paywalled) https://lnkd.in/gvjEWmN5

At 8am tomorrow (Friday, Feb 21), the leadership of the State Legislature/Executive Committee of the Legislative Council will discuss whether to cut, pause, or eliminate the legislature’s?Colorado Youth Advisory Council.?This is a public meeting. There is no public testimony scheduled. The State of Colorado faces a structural budget deficit, and the legislature and governor must find over $1 billion in cuts for the State fiscal year 2025-26 (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). https://lnkd.in/gwZdqqEZ

?? COYAC in the news! FOX31 KDVR / Channel 2 KWGN: Effort to reduce food waste in schools clears Colorado [Legislature] committee The new bill encourages public schools to establish a program where students can return whole food or drinks, an idea presented to lawmakers by the Colorado Youth Advisory Council — the group of young people that presents ideas for laws every year.? https://lnkd.in/gRGwmEkJ

We do!

We're preparing for our annual retreat, where members ages 14-19 will build relationships, learn Colorado Government 101, and divide themselves into policy committees.