Colorado Bill HB26-1297 Standardizes Misdemeanor Traffic Offense Language

CO Legislature Bill Search

Published March 16th, 2026

Detected March 17th, 2026

Summary

Colorado bill HB26-1297, introduced for the 2026 Regular Session, aims to standardize language within state statutes. The bill will amend instances of "traffic misdemeanor" to uniformly use "misdemeanor traffic offense" when referencing these types of traffic violations.

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What changed

Colorado bill HB26-1297 seeks to standardize legal terminology by ensuring that "misdemeanor traffic offense" is the uniform term used throughout state statutes, replacing the existing use of both "misdemeanor traffic offense" and "traffic misdemeanor." This legislative change, originating from the Statutory Revision Committee, is intended to clarify and simplify legal references for traffic offenses.

This bill primarily impacts legal professionals and law enforcement by standardizing terminology. While it does not introduce new offenses or penalties, compliance officers should be aware of the updated language for accurate legal citation and interpretation. The bill was reengrossed on March 16, 2026, indicating it is moving through the legislative process.

What to do next

Review and update internal legal documentation to reflect the standardized terminology for misdemeanor traffic offenses.
Ensure all legal citations and references in new documents adhere to the uniform language established by HB26-1297.

Source document (simplified)

HB26-1297

Uniform Language for Misdemeanor Traffic Offense

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Courts & Judicial |
Concerning using uniform language to reference misdemeanor traffic offenses.

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

Statutory Revision Committee. In existing law, both "misdemeanor traffic offense" and "traffic misdemeanor" are used to describe the same type of traffic offense. The bill amends instances of "traffic misdemeanor" to make "misdemeanor traffic offense" the uniform term used throughout statute. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)