A bill by a freshman Democrat requiring English language competency of all students before graduating high school was passed on third reading today in the Senate.

Senate Bill 73, by Sen. Chris Romer, D-Denver, is en route to the state House for consideration. The measure was approved 33-1 by senators, while the lone opponent was Sen. Sue Windels, D-Arvada, who is the chairwoman of the Education Committee.

Senate Republicans were prime backers of the bill in committee and during its consideration on the floor.

SB 73 aims to help Coloradans who are hindered by their second-language status better assimilate into the workforce after graduating high school.

Sen. Shawn Mitchell, R-Broomfield, is a proponent of the bill because it challenges students on grasping necessary reforms in education.

“It’s educational fraud not to have English competency,” Mitchell said. “Let’s not perpetuate an injury by giving students a false high-school diploma.”

If it becomes law, SB 73 – which asks for no funding – will go into effect in 2012, giving schools enough time to experiment with tactics and realign their resources in order to meet the requirements.

School districts will get to individually define “competency,” which is critical because needs vary by district. However, SB 73 ups the ante on districts to focus on English language acquisition and competency.