# Colorado SB26-018: Legal Protections for Dignity of Minors

Colorado SB26-018, Legal Protections for Dignity of Minors, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Chris Kolker (Democratic), Katie Wallace (Democratic), Lorena Garcia (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-04-20 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-16).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-018-2026A
- As of: 2026-10-16
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Colorado SB26-018
- State: Colorado
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Legal Protections for Dignity of Minors
- Status: signed
- Chamber: Senate
- Introduced: 2026-01-14
- Last action: 2026-04-20, Governor Signed
- Sponsors: Chris Kolker (Democratic), Katie Wallace (Democratic), Lorena Garcia (Democratic), Meg Froelich (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 27
- Subjects: Children & Domestic Matters, Courts & Judicial
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 9 (186 yes, 193 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 2

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Courts consider children's identity in parenting decisions: benefit, low. Courts must consider whether the parties recognize the child's identity as it relates to a legally protected class. This applies when courts decide parenting time and who has responsibility for making decisions about the child.
- More privacy for children's name changes: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, courts restrict public access to name-change records when the person is under 18 at filing. Courts cannot post the person's old or new name online, but can use the records for administrative tasks. Automatic protection does not apply to changes granted under § 13-15-101(3) w…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Chris Kolker (Democratic), Senate
- Sponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate
- Sponsor: Lorena Garcia (Democratic), House
- Sponsor: Meg Froelich (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Amy Paschal (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Alex Valdez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Brianna Titone (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Emily Sirota (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Elizabeth Velasco (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Gretchen Rydin (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Junie Joseph (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jenny Willford (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kyle Brown (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Karen McCormick (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kenny Nguyen (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lindsay Gilchrist (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Lesley Smith (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Michael Carter (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matthew Martinez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Sean Camacho (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Steven Woodrow (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tammy Story (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Yara Zokaie (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Mike Weissman (Democratic), Senate
- Cosponsor: Nick Hinrichsen (Democratic), Senate

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-02 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 42 | 22 |   |
| 2026-04-01 | House | Misc: Limit | pass | 38 | 24 |   |
| 2026-04-01 | House | Committee of the whole: Amd (h.001) | fail | 21 | 37 |   |
| 2026-04-01 | House | Committee of the whole: Amd (h.003) | fail | 19 | 38 |   |
| 2026-04-01 | House | Committee of the whole: Amd (h.002) | fail | 19 | 38 |   |
| 2026-03-25 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-018 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 7 | 4 |   |
| 2026-02-24 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 20 | 11 |   |
| 2026-02-23 | Senate | Committee of the whole: Cow * (s.001) | fail | 15 | 17 |   |
| 2026-02-18 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-018, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 5 | 2 |   |

## Actions (13)

- 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)
- 2026-04-02: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House)
- 2026-04-01: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-30: House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-25: House Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole (House)
- 2026-02-25: Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary (House)
- 2026-02-24: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate)
- 2026-02-23: Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (Senate)
- 2026-02-18: 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/112513/download)
- Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114173/download)
- Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110723/download)
- Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/112539/download)
- Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113986/download)
- Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113947/download)
- Senate Judiciary Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/112245/download)
- Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114965/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/112513/download)
- [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114173/download)
- [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110723/download)
- [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/112539/download)
- [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113986/download)
- [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/113947/download)
- [Senate Judiciary Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/112245/download)
- [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114965/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-SB26-018-2026A (as of 2026-10-16).