Hello everyone,
We are over a third of the way through the 2026 session and most of the supplemental bills making changes to the current-year budget are on their way to the Governor. This past week was supplemental week in the Senate. The supplemental bill making mid-year changes to the Department of Public Safety’s budget (HB 1166) does not make any changes to the Patrol’s budget.
On Wednesday morning, the Senate Appropriations Committee passed all the supplemental and orbital bills. On Thursday, the Senate debated the package of bills and passed them on Second Reading. On Friday, the Senate passed HB 1166 on a vote of 33 to 0. However, there were some technical drafting errors in HB 1166 that were fixed in the Senate. As a result, HB 1166 must go back to the House to consider those changes before HB 1166 can go to the Governor.
On Wednesday, the CSPA Board of Directors held their monthly board meeting during which they took positions on some bills. CSPA is supporting SB 011 Search Warrants Provided to Covered Platforms. SB 011 requires operators of certain online platforms with at least one million monthly users to establish a streamlined process for Colorado law enforcement to submit search warrants and receive responses within specified timeframes. CSPA is also supporting SB 072 Increase Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault. SB 072 increases criminal penalties for assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle by adding causing death while operating a vehicle with criminal negligence to the crime of criminally negligent homicide and classifying vehicular homicide and vehicular assault as crimes of violence.
CSPA has an amend position on SB 035 Increase of Traffic Violation Penalties. Currently, SB 035 increases penalties for illegal passing in no-passing zones and for multiple speeding violations. It also requires CDOT to prioritize installing signage on roadways with increased incidents of illegal overtaking. We would like to see the bill amended to also establish an additional driver license point penalty of 4 additional points for speeds over 100 mph. This would be in addition to the current point penalties for 25-39 mph over and 40 mph over. We would also like to see the current $250 fine for Hazmat Unauthorized Routes doubled to $500. Thanks to the great work of Captain Brandon Nathlich, Sen. Dylan Roberts, the sponsor of SB 035, has already agreed to these amendments. Once those amendments are adopted, CSPA will move to a support position.
Finally, the Board voted to oppose SB 071 Use of Surveillance Technology by Law Enforcement. SB 071 would regulate law enforcement agencies’ use of surveillance technologies such as facial recognition systems, automated license plate readers, traffic cameras, and drones, requiring warrants for certain uses and imposing strict data retention and destruction requirements.
So far, there have been 405 bills introduced – 286 in the House and 119 in the Senate. Only 79 more days until the General Assembly is required to adjourn sine die.
Bill Skewes
Lobbyist