# Colorado SB26-014: Modification to Defense of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity Colorado SB26-014, Modification to Defense of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Gretchen Rydin (Democratic), Judy Amabile (Democratic), Matt Soper (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-04-20 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-014-2026A - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB26-014 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Modification to Defense of Not Guilty by Reason of Insanity - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-14 - Last action: 2026-04-20, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Gretchen Rydin (Democratic), Judy Amabile (Democratic), Matt Soper (Republican) - Cosponsors: 11 - Subjects: Courts & Judicial, Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement, Human Services - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (134 yes, 49 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 6 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - More community treatment for committed defendants: benefit, low. For defendants committed under Colorado criminal procedure articles 8 or 8.5, institution officials can approve community treatment and rehabilitation. The chief officer or designee must notify the committing court and prosecutor by certified mail at least 35 days before approval. A written objecti… - More rights for defendants seeking release: benefit, low. After an insanity or impaired-mental-condition acquittal, the court must schedule an initial release hearing within 120 days of commitment. Colorado’s Department of Human Services must complete a release exam at least 30 days before that hearing. The defendant can request another exam by a medical… - Defendants must prove eligibility for full release: cost, low. A defendant on conditional release faces a proof requirement when seeking release without conditions. If evidence shows they are ineligible, they must prove it is more likely than not that they meet the release test. The court must order unconditional release if they meet that test. Otherwise, cond… - Defendants’ exam reports reach state treatment agency: cost, low. When the defense requests an examination, the report must reach the court and prosecutor a reasonable time before trial. The court must also send a copy to Colorado’s Department of Human Services a reasonable time before trial. - New standards for defendants seeking release: mixed, low. New release tests apply to offenses charged or allegedly committed on or after July 1, 2026. Unconditional release requires no abnormal mental condition likely to endanger the defendant, others, or the community in the reasonably foreseeable future. The defendant must also know right from wrong and… - Registration rules reach defendants in community treatment: mixed, low. Sex-offense registration rules extend to community placement, as well as temporary removal for treatment, with registration through local police. A treatment official can recommend registration based on information indicating an offense involving unlawful sexual behavior. Colorado’s Department of H… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Gretchen Rydin (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Judy Amabile (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Matt Soper (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Eliza Hamrick (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Jackson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Marc Snyder (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-06 | Senate | House amendments: Repass | pass | 23 | 12 | | | 2026-04-06 | Senate | House amendments: Concur | pass | 35 | 0 | | | 2026-04-02 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 44 | 19 | | | 2026-03-18 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-014 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 7 | 4 | | | 2026-02-10 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 20 | 12 | | | 2026-02-04 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-014, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 5 | 2 | | ## Actions (15) - 2026-04-20: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-04-08: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-04-07: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-04-07: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-04-06: Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass (Senate) - 2026-04-02: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-03-31: House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments (House) - 2026-03-30: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Floor (House) - 2026-03-23: House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments (House) - 2026-03-18: House Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-02-11: Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary (House) - 2026-02-10: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2026-02-09: Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee (Senate) - 2026-02-04: Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-01-14: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111552/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114200/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110713/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111641/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113971/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113866/download) - Senate Judiciary Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111350/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114964/download) ## Related bills - HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements (signed) - HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture (signed) - HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests (signed) - HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments (signed) - SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise (signed) - HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111552/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114200/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110713/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111641/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113971/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113866/download) - [Senate Judiciary Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111350/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114964/download) ## Related - [HB26-1298: Background Checks for Child Welfare Placements](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1298-2026A) - [HB26-1250: Procedures Related to Civil Asset Forfeiture](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1250-2026A) - [HB26-1414: Medical Record Requests](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1414-2026A) - [HB26-1430: Transportation Funding Adjustments](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1430-2026A) - [SB26-155: Increase Access Homeowner's Insurance Enterprise](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-155-2026A) - [HB26-1429: County Administration Public Assistance Programs](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-HB26-1429-2026A) - [Colorado bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado/bills) - [Colorado state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/colorado) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-014-2026A (as of 2026-10-16).