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Senate Education

Monday, March 2, 2026·33m·▶ Watch / Listen

The Senate Education Committee unanimously confirmed three nominees to the Colorado School of Mines Board of Trustees — including former Senate President Steve Fenberg, whose confirmation was pulled off the consent calendar for a separate floor process — and advanced SB 26-078, a higher education administrative streamlining bill, to the Committee on Appropriations after adopting two amendments that shifted CCHE from opposition to neutral.

Key Actions

·School of Mines Board of Trustees Confirmation HearingPassed

+ 1 more action

Controversies

DAG response times and data access

Senator Marchman raised concern about what she attributed to the fiscal note — that DAG receives approximately 30 requests per year, takes approximately six months per answer, and can answer only approximately half — stating 'that's a ridiculous amount of time to have surds.' Ryan Allred countered that the limitations are not technical but rather 'just having a discussion about what is available,' and Chad Martorano added that amendment L001 and CCHE policy development would create a more efficient framework.

+ 3 more controversies

Notable Quotes

“Senate Education Committee will come to order. Ms. Chris Fayler would please call the roll. Senator Zimabile. Here. Right here. Brazil. President Kipp. Excused. Rich. Here. Marchman. Here. Mr. Chair. Here. And we have a quorum. So we'll get to business. Our first point of business is a confirmation hearing for the School of Mines Board of Trustees. I think we have Dr. Paul Johnson here, President of School of Mines. And your confirmes, David Lawler, Wendy Lee and somebody else. So. Thank you, Mr.”

David Lawler — Lawler, appearing virtually from Seoul, Korea, spoke during his confirmation hearing as a reappointment nominee to the Colorado School of Mines Board of Trustees, addressing the school's global reputation.

+ 4 more quotes

Votes

Amendment L001 to Senate Bill 78Passed
Amendment L002 to Senate Bill 78Passed
Motion to refer SB 26-078 as amended to the Committee on AppropriationsPassed
Yes (7)Judy Amabile, Scott Bright, Lisa Frizell, Cathy Kipp, Janice Rich, Janice Marchman, Chris Kolker
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TranscriptPreview
Senate Education Committee will come to order. Ms. Chris Fayler would please call the roll. Senator Zimabile. Here. Right here. Brazil. President Kipp. Excused. Rich. Here. Marchman. Here. Mr. Chair. Here. And we have a quorum. So we'll get to business. Our first point of business is a confirmation hearing for the School of Mines Board of Trustees. I think we have Dr. Paul Johnson here, President of School of Mines. And your confirmes, David Lawler, Wendy Lee and somebody else. So. Thank you, Mr. Chair. Go ahead. Dr. Johnson, if you would. Well, do we have someone online? Yes. So Trustee Lawler, who's up for his second appointment, is with us virtually. Excellent, excellent. And you want to just start us off? Sure. First of all, thank you for your time today and it's my great pleasure to present three candidates for our Board of trustees nominated by the Governor. First, David Lawler, who's hanging up there on the screen with us, is up for his second four year appointment. First appointments for Wendy Lee and Steve Fenberg. School is very excited by all of these candidates and we would be very appreciative if you were to find to…
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