Colorado Bill: Missing Person Alert Training for Peace Officers

Detected March 10th, 2026

Summary

Colorado Bill SB26-120 requires peace officers seeking certification or recertification to undergo training on missing person alerts. It also outlines procedures for higher education institutions to follow when a student is reported missing, including a preliminary wellness assessment period before notifying law enforcement.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

Colorado Bill SB26-120, currently in its 2026 Regular Session, mandates that individuals seeking certification or recertification from the peace officers standards and training board must complete training related to various missing person alerts active within the state. The Department of Public Safety is tasked with developing this training program. Additionally, the bill specifies that state institutions of higher education may conduct a preliminary wellness assessment for a missing student for up to six hours before notifying law enforcement, unless there is evidence of immediate risk.

This bill introduces new training requirements for law enforcement personnel and establishes specific protocols for higher education institutions concerning missing students. Compliance will involve integrating the new training into certification programs and updating institutional policies and procedures for handling missing student reports. As the bill is still under consideration, its final effective date and specific compliance deadlines are not yet determined, but it represents a significant procedural change for both law enforcement and educational institutions in Colorado regarding missing persons.

What to do next

Review Colorado Bill SB26-120 for potential impact on peace officer training and higher education institution protocols.
Monitor the bill's progress through the legislative process for finalization and effective dates.
Prepare to update peace officer training curricula and higher education institution policies if the bill is enacted.

Source document (simplified)

SB26-120

Missing Person Training & Higher Education Reporting

| Type | Bill |
| --- | --- |
| Session | 2026 Regular Session |
| Subjects | Higher Education State Government |
Concerning law enforcement procedures related to missing persons.

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

The bill requires a person seeking certification or recertification from the peace officers standards and training board to undergo training on various missing person alerts active within the state. The department of public safety is required to create a missing person alert training program for persons seeking certification or recertification of their peace officer status.

The bill allows a state institution of higher education (institution) to conduct a preliminary wellness assessment for no longer than 6 hours if a student is reported missing. If the student is not found within the 6-hour period, the institution does not conduct a preliminary wellness assessment, or if there is evidence of a credible risk to the student's safety, the institution shall notify the institution's police department, or the nearest law enforcement agency if the institution does not have its own police department, of the missing student.

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

Prime Sponsors

Senator

Janice Marchman
Senator

Katie Wallace
Representative

Yara Zokaie
Representative

Brandi Bradley

Committees

Senate

Judiciary

If you require reasonable accessibility accommodation to access this content, please email accessibility@coleg.gov.

Status

Under Consideration

Introduced

Under Consideration

Upcoming Schedule

1 meeting

Tue

Mar 10

Senate General Orders - Second Reading of Bills

9:00 AM Senate Chamber

Related Documents & Information

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 02/23/2026 | Introduced | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/05/2026 | PA1 | PDF |

| Date | Version | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/02/2026 | Initial Fiscal Note | PDF |

| Activity | Vote | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Adopt amendment L.001 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Adopt amendment L.002 | The motion passed without objection. | Vote summary |
| Refer Senate Bill 26-120, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | The motion passed on a vote of 7-0. | Vote summary |
Committee Report: PDF
| Date | Amendment Number | Committee/ Floor Hearing | Status | Documents |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 03/04/2026 | L.002 | SEN Judiciary | Passed [] | PDF |
| 03/04/2026 | 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 |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 03/09/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 03/10/2026 - No Amendments |
| 03/04/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 02/23/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary |
Prime Sponsor

Sen. J. Marchman | Sen. K. Wallace

Rep. B. Bradley | Rep. Y. Zokaie

Sponsor

(None) Co-Sponsor

(None)