# Colorado SB26-072: Increased Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault Colorado SB26-072, Increased Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault, is a 2026 Regular Session Senate bill sponsored by Bob Marshall (Democratic), Cecelia Espenoza (Democratic), John Carson (Republican) and 1 others; status signed, last action 2026-05-28 (Governor Signed) (as of 2026-10-16). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/CO-SB26-072-2026A - As of: 2026-10-16 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Colorado SB26-072 - State: Colorado - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: Increased Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault - Status: signed - Chamber: Senate - Introduced: 2026-01-28 - Last action: 2026-05-28, Governor Signed - Sponsors: Bob Marshall (Democratic), Cecelia Espenoza (Democratic), John Carson (Republican), Marc Snyder (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 16 - Subjects: Crimes, Corrections, & Enforcement - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 5 (140 yes, 5 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 4 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Separate fatal phone-use offense is repealed: benefit, low. Colorado repeals the separate class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense for mobile-device use that directly causes someone's death. This removes that distinct offense, not other criminal charges that apply to the conduct. The repeal covers offenses committed on or after September 1, 2026, unless a refere… - Serious driving offenses trigger license loss: cost, low. Colorado must immediately revoke licenses or permits after receiving conviction records for vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, or motor-vehicle criminally negligent homicide. This includes minor drivers. Mandatory revocation also covers juveniles found delinquent for conduct equivalent to vehic… - Stronger penalties for fatal negligent driving: cost, low. Colorado explicitly treats driving with criminal negligence that directly causes someone's death as criminally negligent homicide, a class 5 felony. This conviction counts toward habitual-offender status, along with vehicular homicide, vehicular assault, and manslaughter arising from driving. The t… - Limits and duties for driver testing: mixed, low. People required to take chemical tests must cooperate; failure to cooperate counts as refusal. After refusal or failure to complete testing, physical restraint requires probable cause for motor-vehicle criminally negligent homicide, vehicular homicide, third-degree assault, or vehicular assault. A… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Bob Marshall (Democratic), House - Sponsor: Cecelia Espenoza (Democratic), House - Sponsor: John Carson (Republican), Senate - Sponsor: Marc Snyder (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Andrew Boesenecker (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Amy Paschal (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Chris Richardson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Julie McCluskie (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Monica Duran (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Matt Soper (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Ryan Gonzalez (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Sheila Lieder (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Barbara Kirkmeyer (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Byron Pelton (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Cleave Simpson (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Dylan Roberts (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: James Coleman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Janice Marchman (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Kyle Mullica (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Lisa Frizell (Republican), Senate ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-05-13 | House | Third reading: Bill | pass | 61 | 4 | | | 2026-05-11 | House | Refer Senate Bill 26-072 to the Committee of the Whole. | pass | 10 | 1 | | | 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third reading: Bill | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-04-10 | Senate | Third reading: Amend | pass | 31 | 0 | | | 2026-04-06 | Senate | Refer Senate Bill 26-072, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. | pass | 7 | 0 | | ## Actions (12) - 2026-05-28: Governor Signed (House) - 2026-05-21: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-05-21: Signed by the Speaker of the House (House) - 2026-05-21: Sent to the Governor (House) - 2026-05-13: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-12: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments (House) - 2026-05-11: House Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole (House) - 2026-04-14: Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary (House) - 2026-04-10: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee (Senate) - 2026-04-06: Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole (Senate) - 2026-01-28: Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary (Senate) ## Bill text - Engrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114289/download) - Final Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116579/download) - Introduced: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111035/download) - Reengrossed: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114366/download) - Rerevised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116458/download) - Revised: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116409/download) - Senate Judiciary Preamend: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114224/download) - Signed Act: [PDF](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116815/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/114289/download) - [Final Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116579/download) - [Introduced (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/111035/download) - [Reengrossed (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114366/download) - [Rerevised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116458/download) - [Revised (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116409/download) - [Senate Judiciary Preamend (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/114224/download) - [Signed Act (PDF)](https://leg.colorado.gov/bill_files/116815/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-SB26-072-2026A (as of 2026-10-16).