Colorado Bill: Municipal Jail Standards and Custody Limits

Detected February 28th, 2026

Summary

Colorado Bill HB26-1039 proposes to require municipal jails to meet existing county jail standards and data collection requirements. The bill also limits the custody duration in municipal jails to 72 hours and includes specific provisions for pregnant individuals in labor.

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What changed

Colorado Bill HB26-1039, introduced for the 2026 Regular Session, aims to extend existing county jail oversight requirements to municipal jails. Key provisions include mandating compliance with current jail data collection, standards, and oversight, and establishing a strict 72-hour limit for holding individuals in municipal custody. Furthermore, the bill mandates specific protocols for pregnant individuals in labor, prioritizing their health and welfare, prohibiting restraints during labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery if they are not released, and requiring detailed written records if confinement occurs at the jail.

This legislation, if passed, will impose new operational and compliance obligations on municipal jails within Colorado. Jail administrators will need to review and potentially revise their policies and procedures to align with county jail standards and the 72-hour custody limit. Specific attention must be paid to the new requirements concerning pregnant individuals, including staff training and record-keeping. Compliance will be critical to avoid potential sanctions or legal challenges, although specific penalties are not detailed in this summary. The bill is currently under consideration, with a scheduled meeting on March 2, 2026.

What to do next

Review Colorado Bill HB26-1039 for applicability to municipal jail operations.
Update municipal jail policies and procedures to meet county jail standards and the 72-hour custody limit.
Develop and implement protocols for the care of pregnant individuals in labor, including restraint policies and record-keeping, if the bill is enacted.

Source document (simplified)

HB26-1039

Adding Municipal Jails to County Jail Oversight Requirements

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement |
Concerning requirements for municipal jails.

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

The bill requires municipal jails to comply with existing jail data collection requirements, standards, and oversight. The bill limits a municipal jail to holding a person for no longer than 72 hours.

The bill requires a keeper of a municipal jail to take all reasonable steps, prioritizing the health and welfare of the pregnant person, to release a pregnant person from custody if jail staff have a reasonable belief the person is in labor. If the pregnant person in labor is not released, the use of restraints is prohibited during the labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery and the jail staff shall make a written record that the labor, delivery, and postpartum recovery occurred at the jail.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Prime Sponsors

Representative

Michael Carter
Representative

Naquetta Ricks
Senator

Iman Jodeh
Senator

Mike Weissman

Committees

House

Judiciary

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Status

Under Consideration

Introduced

Under Consideration

Upcoming Schedule

1 meeting

Mon

Mar 2

House General Orders - Second Reading of Bills

10:00 AM House Chamber

Related Documents & Information

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 01/14/2026 | Introduced | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02/25/2026 | PA1 | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 01/23/2026 | FN1 | PDF |

| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Refer House Bill 26-1039, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 9-2. | Vote summary |
Committee Report: PDF
| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
Hearing Summary
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 02/24/2026 | L.006 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 02/24/2026 | L.004 | HOU Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 02/24/2026 | L.003 | 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 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02/27/2026 | House | House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments |
| 02/24/2026 | House | House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 02/04/2026 | House | House Committee on Judiciary Witness Testimony and/or Committee Discussion Only |
| 01/14/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary |
Prime Sponsor

Rep. M. Carter | Rep. N. Ricks

Sen. I. Jodeh | Sen. M. Weissman

Sponsor

Rep. C. Richardson

Co-Sponsor

(None)