(1) Subject to available appropriations or money from other sources, the state council, in collaboration with the department of higher education, the department of labor and employment, and the department of human services, shall implement and maintain a free online platform to provide Coloradans with personalized information to assist them in making career and education planning decisions. The online platform shall promote career, education, and training exploration and planning and shall provide tools, resources, and information to assist in such exploration and planning. The state council, the department of higher education, the department of labor and employment, the department of human services, and other state agencies may conduct outreach and training for the individuals who provide career counseling and for the public to promote awareness of the online platform.
The state council may receive money from other state agencies for the purposes ofimplementing and maintaining the platform. The general assembly may appropriate money received from other state agencies, from the general fund, or from any other available source to the state council for the purpose of implementing and maintaining the free online platform. In addition, the state council, in collaboration with any other state agency, may solicit, accept, and expend gifts, grants, and donations for the purposes of this section.
The state council may transfer any money appropriated by the general assembly forthe purposes of this section to the department of higher education for the purpose of implementing and maintaining the online platform, disseminating information regarding the online platform, and providing training about the online platform, pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.
The governor's office of information technology, created in section 24-37.5-103, shall ensure that the online platform implemented and maintained pursuant to subsection (1) of this section complies with state and federal information technology security, privacy, and other information technology requirements and standards. To ensure such compliance, the governor's office of information technology shall ensure that the contract for the online platform includes a requirement that, within two years of the effective date of this section, the vendor conduct an external security assessment that complies with the office's requirements and standards and that the assessment and remediation plan be shared with the office. The governor's office of information technology may conduct or cause to be conducted subsequent security assessments as deemed necessary by the office to ensure compliance with state and federal security and privacy requirements and standards.
The state auditor may, in his or her discretion, conduct an audit or assessment of theonline platform and of the administration and maintenance of the platform by the state council, the department of higher education, the department of human services, any other state agency, and any contractor involved in the implementation and maintenance of the platform. The audit may include an assessment of information technology security and data privacy in connection with the platform.
Notwithstanding the provisions of section 24-1-136 (11), on or before January 1,2021, and on or before January 1 each year thereafter, the state council shall prepare a report regarding the online platform created pursuant to this section. The state council shall include the report in the annual Colorado talent report required pursuant to section 24-46.3-103 (3)(a). The report shall include:
The total number of unique users of the platform;
The percentages of users of the platform who are new and returning users;
Data on the trainings held for users of the platform, the number of participants in thetrainings, and the outreach activities undertaken to inform people of the platform and the trainings;
The number of users on the platform who provide educational and career counselingand related services; and
Any other measurable outcomes the state council deems appropriate.
Before February 15, 2025, the joint technology committee shall assess the impact,effectiveness, and compliance with state and federal information technology requirements and standards of the online platform and shall make a recommendation to the general assembly regarding whether to continue the online platform implemented and maintained pursuant to subsection (1) of this section.
This section is repealed, effective June 30, 2025.
Source: L. 2020: Entire section added, (HB 20-1396), ch. 138, p. 597, § 1, effective September 14.