SB26-036 Colorado Prison Population Management Measures
Summary
Colorado Senate Bill 26-036 proposes to strengthen prison population management measures by requiring the Department of Corrections executive director to file monthly compliance reports detailing actions taken and their documented impact. The bill accelerates notification timelines and expands the list of required recipients when the prison bed vacancy rate falls below 3% for 30 consecutive days, and adds new inmate-management measures including earned-time grants and expedited parole reviews.
The bill directly affects the Colorado Department of Corrections, which would need to adjust reporting workflows, release procedures, and parole-review timelines. Courts, parole officers, and attorneys handling sentencing or resentencing matters in Colorado should also monitor the bill's progress, as it encourages consideration of alternatives to incarceration when prison-population management measures are triggered.
“When the prison bed vacancy rate in correctional facilities and state-funded private contract prisons falls below 3% for 30 consecutive days, current law requires the department to notify certain individuals and entities (notification) and implement prison population management measures.”
Colorado DOC staff responsible for reporting, inmate-release processing, and parole review should monitor SB26-036's progress through the legislature, as enactment would impose binding operational deadlines (monthly reports by the 5th, 7-day release finalization, 120-day/60-day earned-time grants) that do not exist under current law.
What changed
SB26-036 would amend Colorado's prison population management framework by tightening reporting timelines and expanding the list of entities subject to vacancy-rate notifications. Key new requirements include: monthly compliance reports due by the fifth day of each month; 48-hour notifications to an expanded recipient list when the prison bed vacancy rate falls below 3% for 30 consecutive days; acknowledgment and compliance-confirmation obligations for notified parties; earned-time grants of an additional 60 days to eligible inmates; release finalization within 7 days of conditional parole-board approval; and expedited parole reviews for inmates past their parole eligibility date.
The bill's measures would take effect upon enactment and would primarily affect the Colorado Department of Corrections, which would bear new reporting, notification, and inmate-processing obligations. Courts and parole officers would also be directly implicated, as the bill encourages consideration of sentencing alternatives when prison-population management measures are in effect.
Archived snapshot
Apr 22, 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.
SB26-036
Prison Population Management Measures
| Type | Bill |
|---|---|
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement |
Concerning increasing operational efficiency of existing prison population management measures, and, in connection therewith, making and reducing an appropriation.
Recent Bill (PDF) Recent Fiscal Note (PDF) Bill Summary:
The bill requires the executive director of the department of corrections (department) to report, no later than the fifth day of each month, the department's previous month's compliance with the prison population management mandates, including, if certain measures must be in effect, actions taken by the department and the documented impact of implementing the required measures.
When the prison bed vacancy rate in correctional facilities and state-funded private contract prisons falls below 3% for 30 consecutive days, current law requires the department to notify certain individuals and entities (notification) and implement prison population management measures. The bill includes additional individuals and entities that are required to receive the notification and requires the notification to occur within 48 hours of the vacancy rate falling below 3% for 30 consecutive days. The bill requires the individuals and entities that receive the notification to acknowledge receipt of the notification and confirm compliance with the prison population management measures.
The bill includes additional prison population management measures, including measures to:
- Transition certain inmates from a community corrections program to nonresidential status, require the division of adult parole to notify community parole officers of the prison bed shortage and consider alternate sanctions for technical violations, and identify potential alternative placements for transition inmates at risk of being regressed back to prison from a community corrections program;
- Grant certain inmates who are within 120 days of their mandatory release date or statutory discharge date with an additional 60 days of earned time;
- Finalize an inmate's release within 7 days of the department finding the inmate was granted conditional release by the parole board and satisfied the specific conditions prior to the release; and
- Identify eligible inmates who are past their parole eligibility date and review each application for parole on an expedited basis. If the prison population management measures are in effect, the bill encourages certain individuals and entities that received the notification to consider an alternative to a prison sentence, if lawfully available, for cases pending sentencing or resentencing.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)
Prime Sponsors
Julie Gonzales
Senator
Mike Weissman
Representative
Jennifer Bacon
Representative
Yara Zokaie
Committees
Senate
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Status
Under Consideration
Introduced
Under Consideration
Upcoming Schedule
1 meeting
Apr 22
Senate Third Reading of Bills - Final Passage
9:00 AM Senate Chamber
Related Documents & Information
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | Engrossed | |
| 01/26/2026 | Introduced |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | PA2 | |
| 04/14/2026 | PA1 |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/17/2026 | First Revised Fiscal Note | |
| 04/07/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note |
| Date | Version | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| 04/20/2026 | SA1 |
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| Adopt amendment J.002 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.004 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-036, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 4-3. | 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 |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-036, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | The motion passed on a vote of 4-3. | Vote summary |
Committee Report: PDF
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 04/21/2026 | L.007 | Second Reading | Lost [] | PDF |
| 04/21/2026 | L.005 | Second Reading | Passed [] | PDF |
| 04/21/2026 | L.006 | Second Reading | Lost [] | PDF |
| 04/21/2026 | L.008 | Second Reading | Lost [] | PDF |
| 04/21/2026 | L.004 | SEN Appropriations | Passed [] | PDF |
| 04/21/2026 | J.002 | SEN Appropriations | Passed [] | PDF |
| 04/13/2026 | L.003 | SEN Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 04/13/2026 | L.002 | SEN Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 04/13/2026 | L.001 | SEN 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 04/21/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor |
| 04/21/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 04/13/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Appropriations |
| 01/26/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary |
Prime Sponsor
Sen. J. Gonzales | Sen. M. Weissman
Rep. J. Bacon | Rep. Y. Zokaie
Sponsor
(None) Co-Sponsor
(None)
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