# Colorado SB26-036: Prison Population Management Measures Colorado SB26-036, Prison Population Management Measures, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Mike Weissman (Democratic) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-06-01 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-036-2026A - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB26-036 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Prison Population Management Measures - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-26 - Last action: 2026-06-01, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Mike Weissman (Democratic), Yara Zokaie (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 25 - Subjects: Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 10 (196 yes, 105 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 11 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Attorneys and parole officers consider alternatives: benefit, low. After receiving the shortage notice, designated prosecutors, defense offices, chief judges, and probation chiefs must alert their staff. Defense offices must ask attorneys to investigate and advocate for lawful alternatives to prison in pending sentencing or resentencing cases. While the measures o… - Inmates get faster community placement referrals: benefit, low. During population measures, case managers must review each inmate for community corrections and initiate eligible referrals within seven days of determination. When vacancy stays below 4% for 30 consecutive days, Corrections must request available-bed information, due within 72 hours and weekly aft… - More community options for qualifying inmates: benefit, low. For covered inmates, Corrections can refer community placement, and the Governor can consider and grant sentence reductions, 90 days before current parole eligibility. Corrections can also refer offenders to approved, contracted local-government intensive supervision programs. Those offenders must… - Officials get recurring prison shortage notices: benefit, low. After prison vacancy stays below 4% for 30 consecutive days, Corrections must send shortage notices within 48 hours. Notices go to designated government, court, defense, corrections, and county officials, who must acknowledge receipt and confirm compliance. The Governor and Parole Board get updates… - Officials review barriers to inmate release: benefit, low. Within 14 days after shortage notice, Corrections must list inmates meeting conditional-release terms who need neither full-board review nor victim notice. Corrections must tell the Parole Board when listed inmates meet their release conditions. For an unmet program-completion condition, the board… - Persistent crowding requires more release recommendations: benefit, low. If vacancy does not rise above 5% within 120 days after notice, Corrections must prepare further release recommendations. It must send a list of parole-eligible inmates to the Parole Board and Governor within 30 days after that determination. Recommendations cover parole, residential or nonresident… - Prison crowding triggers coordinated safety measures: benefit, low. Colorado's population measures activate when vacancy across state prisons and state-funded private prison beds stays below 4% for 30 consecutive days. The measures remain in effect until vacancy stays above 5% for 30 consecutive days. Vacancy means unused operational capacity; infirmary, restrictiv… - Some new inmates get sentencing reconsideration: benefit, low. Within 14 days of a new prison commitment, Corrections must notify the court about eligible offenders past or within 90 days of parole eligibility. Level 1 drug felonies and listed offenses are excluded. Except for exact-year stipulated plea agreements, the court must notify defense counsel and pro… - Colorado funds reentry help and parole staff: benefit, low. For state fiscal year 2026–27, Colorado provides $320,587 from the General Fund to implement the law. This includes $159,366 for wrap-around reentry services and $140,511 for parole staffing, assuming two additional full-time positions. It also provides $16,560 for parole operating expenses and $4,… - Local jails receive less state funding: cost, low. For state fiscal year 2026–27, Colorado cuts the General Fund appropriation for local-jail payments by $535,105. The payment line uses a rate of $77.16 per inmate per day. The law does not specify changes to individual jail services or household costs. - Faster parole reviews with tighter eligibility: mixed, low. Within 14 days after shortage notice, Corrections must list qualifying inmates past parole eligibility with favorable parole plans. They must have medium-or-lower assessed risk or minimum or minimum-restrictive custody; eligible sentences are limited to Level 3–4 drug felonies or Class 3–6 nonviole… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Jennifer Bacon (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Julie Gonzales (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Mike Weissman (Democratic), Senate - Sponsor: Yara Zokaie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chad Clifford (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Emily Sirota (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jamie Jackson (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Javier Mabrey (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jacque Phillips (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kyle Brown (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Kenny Nguyen (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Lorena Garcia (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Michael Carter (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Mandy Lindsay (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Regina English (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sean Camacho (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Tammy Story (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Sen. A. Benavidez - Cosponsor: Cathy Kipp (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Iman Jodeh (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Judy Amabile (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Marchman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Katie Wallace (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Cutter (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Nick Hinrichsen (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Robert Rodriguez (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Exum (Democratic), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-08 | Senate | House amendments: Repass | pass | 22 | 12 | | | 2026-05-08 | Senate | House amendments: Concur | pass | 33 | 1 | | | 2026-05-07 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 41 | 23 | | | 2026-05-06 | House | Committee of the whole: Amd (h.001) | fail | 21 | 44 | | | 2026-05-06 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-036, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 8 | 3 | | | 2026-04-28 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-036 to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 7 | 4 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 22 | 12 | | | 2026-04-22 | Senate | Third reading: Amend (l.009) | pass | 34 | 0 | | | 2026-04-21 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-036, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 4 | 3 | | | 2026-04-13 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-036, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. | pass | 4 | 3 | | ## Actions (15) - 2026-06-01: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-05-22: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-05-22: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-05-22: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-08: Senate Considered House Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass (Senate) - 2026-05-07: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-06: House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-05-06: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (House) - 2026-04-28: House Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to Appropriations (House) - 2026-04-22: Senate Third Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor (Senate) - 2026-04-22: Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary (House) - 2026-04-21: Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-04-21: Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor (Senate) - 2026-04-13: Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-01-26: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114982/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116626/download) - House Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115878/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110943/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115065/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116079/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115963/download) - Senate Appropriations Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114974/download) - Senate Judiciary Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114564/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116925/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/114982/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116626/download) - [House Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115878/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/110943/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115065/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116079/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/115963/download) - [Senate Appropriations Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114974/download) - [Senate Judiciary Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114564/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116925/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-SB26-036-2026A (as of 2026-10-16).