HB26-1283 Protections Regarding Seizures of Identification Documents
Summary
Colorado bill HB26-1283 would prohibit employers and their agents from demanding, confiscating, retaining, or requiring surrender of an employee's government-issued identification card. Violations constitute criminal possession of an identification document, classified as a class 2 misdemeanor, while bias-motivated violations targeting individuals based on protected characteristics constitute a class 1 misdemeanor with enhanced penalties. The bill passed House third reading on April 22, 2026, by a vote of 41-23-1. Colorado employers should review existing HR policies and practices regarding employee identification document handling to assess potential compliance needs if this legislation advances.
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What changed
HB26-1283 creates a new prohibition in Colorado law preventing employers and their agents from demanding, confiscating, retaining, or requiring surrender of any government-issued identification card belonging to an employee or job applicant. The bill establishes criminal possession of an identification document as a class 2 misdemeanor for violations, and elevates violations motivated by bias based on race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, or transgender identity to a class 1 misdemeanor, allowing victims to seek additional remedies. If enacted, Colorado employers across all industries would need to revise workplace policies, training, and practices related to employee identification documents to ensure compliance with the new prohibition.
Employers that currently maintain policies requiring employees to surrender government-issued ID cards—whether for security, record-keeping, or other purposes—would need to discontinue those practices immediately upon enactment. The bias-motivated crime provision also creates potential criminal exposure for employers who use identification document threats or disclosures as a means of intimidating employees regarding immigration status. Human resources, legal, and compliance teams should monitor this legislation as it progresses through the Colorado Senate.
Penalties
Class 2 misdemeanor for criminal possession of an identification document; Class 1 misdemeanor for bias-motivated crime
Archived snapshot
Apr 23, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
HB26-1283
Protections Regarding Seizures of Identification Documents
| Type | Bill |
|---|---|
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement Immigration |
Concerning protections relating to the confiscation of individuals' identification documents.
Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:
With certain exceptions, the bill prohibits an employer or an employer's agent from demanding, confiscating, retaining, or otherwise requiring an individual to surrender the individual's government-issued identification card.
~~The bill states that an individual~~ A person who violates the bill's prohibition commits ~~criminal confiscation of a government-issued identification card if the individual knowingly takes into possession or control, or attempts to take into possession or control, another individual's government-issued identification card without lawful authority. Criminal confiscation of a government-issued identification card~~ criminal possession of an identification document, which is a class 2 misdemeanor.
~~An individual~~ A person commits a bias-motivated crime if, with the intent to intimidate or harass another individual, in whole or in part, because of that individual's actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, or transgender identity, the ~~individual~~ person:
- Violates the bill's prohibitions; or
- Provides, or threatens to provide, an individual's government-issued identification ~~or personal documents~~ document to federal immigration authorities, except where required or permitted by state or federal law. Such a bias-motivated crime is a class 1 misdemeanor, and a victim may seek additional remedies available under law.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)
Prime Sponsors
Naquetta Ricks
Representative
Junie Joseph
Senator
Janice Marchman
Committees
House
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Status
Under Consideration
Introduced
Under Consideration
Related Documents & Information
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/22/2026 | Reengrossed | |
| 04/21/2026 | Engrossed | |
| 02/20/2026 | Introduced |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/17/2026 | PA1 |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 03/11/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt amendment L.008 (Attachment C). | The motion passed on a vote of 7-4. | Vote summary |
| Refer House Bill 26-1283, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 6-5. | Vote summary |
| Hearing Summary | Committee Report: PDF | |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
Hearing Summary
| Date | Calendar | Motion | Vote | Vote Document |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 04/22/2026 | Third Reading | BILL | 41 AYE 23 NO 1 OTHER | Vote record |
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | L.016 | Second Reading | Lost [**] | |
| 04/21/2026 | L.021 | Second Reading | Passed [**] | |
| 04/21/2026 | L.017 | Second Reading | Passed [**] | |
| 04/21/2026 | L.013 | Second Reading | Passed [**] | |
| 04/21/2026 | L.022 | Second Reading | Passed [**] | |
| 04/15/2026 | L.008 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [*] |
- 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 04/22/2026 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/21/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor |
| 04/20/2026 | House | House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments |
| 04/15/2026 | House | House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 03/24/2026 | House | House Committee on Judiciary Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only |
| 02/20/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary |
Prime Sponsor
Rep. J. Joseph | Rep. N. Ricks
Sponsor
(None) Co-Sponsor
Rep. J. Bacon | Rep. R. English | Rep. J. Jackson | Rep. K. McCormick
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