CO HB1449

Requires school districts to complete cost-benefit analyses before recommending professional services contracts worth $100,000 or more for nine specified service categories (para-professionals, clerical, custodial, food, transportation, technical, skilled trades, security, and health/student services).

Mandates competitive bidding, public bid review in regular board meetings, at least one public hearing prior to soliciting bids, and allows affected employees' associations to counter bids for contracts of $100,000 or more.

Prohibits school districts from contracting with any contractor that committed unfair labor practices within the 5 years before bid solicitation and prevents contracts from taking effect before existing collective bargaining agreements expire.

Requires all professional services contractors to provide liability insurance equivalent in amount and scope to that of the school district and must offer available positions to existing school district employees whose employment is terminated or hours are reduced by 50 percent or more.

Exempts small rural school districts from the requirements and applies the law to contracts solicited on or after January 1, 2017.