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Colorado Bill HB26-1123: Preventing Sexual Abuse in Jails

CO Legislature Bill Search

Published January 1st, 2026

Detected March 21st, 2026

Summary

Colorado Bill HB26-1123 proposes new measures to prevent sexual abuse in jails. Key provisions include stricter standards for strip searches, enhanced reporting requirements for abuse, whistleblower protections for staff, and the removal of POST certification for officers found to have committed sexual abuse.

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What changed

Colorado Bill HB26-1123, introduced for the 2026 Regular Session, aims to significantly enhance protections against sexual abuse within local detention facilities. The bill mandates a "reasonable belief" standard for all strip searches, requires two peace officers to authorize such searches, and mandates detailed documentation of the process and results. It also restricts the use and access to video recordings of strip searches and prisoner nudity. Furthermore, it requires facilities to establish policies for responding to sexual abuse, report all suspected or witnessed abuse, and implement whistleblower protections for staff. Prisoners will be informed of their rights and available resources, and sexual assault advocates will be granted access. A PREA coordinator must be designated, and facilities will be subject to audits by qualified third parties or certified PREA auditors upon request.

This legislation introduces substantial new compliance obligations for local detention facilities in Colorado. Compliance officers must ensure that policies and procedures are updated to reflect the new standards for strip searches, reporting, and prisoner rights. Staff training will be critical to implement these changes effectively. The requirement for PREA coordinators and potential audits by third parties necessitates proactive engagement with these new oversight mechanisms. Failure to comply could lead to the removal of POST certification for peace officers involved in sexual abuse and potential legal ramifications for facilities. The bill's focus on documentation and reporting also increases the risk of scrutiny and potential penalties for non-compliance.

What to do next

Update detention facility policies to align with new strip search standards and abuse reporting protocols.
Implement whistleblower protection policies for jail staff.
Ensure prisoners are informed of their rights and available resources regarding sexual abuse.

Penalties

Removal of P.O.S.T. certification from peace officers found to have sexually abused a prisoner.

Source document (simplified)

HB26-1123

Preventing Sexual Abuse in Jails

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement |
Concerning measures to prevent sexual abuse in jails.

Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:

The bill requires that the reasonable belief standard to conduct a strip search apply to all arrests, not just the arrest of an individual for a traffic or petty offense. The bill requires 2 peace officers to make a determination that there is reasonable belief to conduct a strip search and requires that the reason and results of a strip search be documented in a report. The bill prohibits the use of body-worn cameras to capture videos during strip searches when other forms of recording or surveillance are available. The bill limits access to video recordings that depict prisoner nudity. The bill requires courts to deny requests by a defendant in a criminal proceeding to copy, photograph, duplicate, or otherwise reproduce a video recording of a strip search.

The bill requires local detention facilities to have a policy detailing staff protocol for responding to suspected, alleged, or witnessed sexual abuse and requires jail staff to report suspected, alleged, or witnessed sexual abuse. The bill creates whistleblower protection policies for jail staff.

The bill requires local detention facilities to inform prisoners of their rights and the resources available to them if they are a victim of sexual abuse while in jail and allow sexual assault advocates to access prisoners who request advocacy services. The bill requires local detention facilities to designate a "Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003" (PREA) coordinator and requires jails to provide the coordinator's contact information to prisoners and the public.

The bill requires the legislative oversight committee concerning Colorado jail standards (committee) to develop guidelines for identifying, and creating a process for, qualified third parties or certified PREA auditors to audit local detention facilities and their sexual abuse prevention policies upon request of the committee.

The bill requires the removal of P.O.S.T. certification from any peace officer who is found by an administrative law judge, hearing officer, or internal investigation to have sexually abused a prisoner in a local detention facility.

(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Prime Sponsors

Representative

Katie Stewart
Representative

Javier Mabrey
Senator

Judy Amabile
Senator

Mike Weissman

Committees

House

Judiciary Appropriations

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Status

Under Consideration

Introduced

Under Consideration

Upcoming Schedule

1 meeting

Tue

Mar 24

House General Orders - Second Reading of Bills

9:00 AM House Chamber

Related Documents & Information

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02/04/2026 | Introduced | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/13/2026 | PA1 | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/17/2026 | First Revised Fiscal Note | PDF |
| 03/04/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/18/2026 | SA1 | PDF |

| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment J.001 | The motion passed on a vote of 8-3. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1123, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 8-3. | Vote summary |
Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment B) | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment C) | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.003 (Attachment D) | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment E) | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.005 (Attachment F) | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1123, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | The motion passed on a vote of 7-4. | Vote summary |
Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 03/20/2026 | J.001 | HOU Appropriations | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/11/2026 | L.005 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/11/2026 | L.004 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/11/2026 | L.003 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/11/2026 | L.002 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/11/2026 | L.001 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
* Amendments passed in committee are not incorporated into the measure unless adopted by the full House or Senate.

** The status of Second Reading amendments may be subsequently affected by the adoption of an amendment to the Committee of the Whole Report. Refer to the House or Senate Journal for additional information.

| Date | Location | Action |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/20/2026 | House | House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 03/11/2026 | House | House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Appropriations |
| 02/04/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary |
Prime Sponsor

Rep. J. Mabrey | Rep. K. Stewart

Sen. J. Amabile | Sen. M. Weissman

Sponsor

Rep. M. Duran

Co-Sponsor

(None)