ColoradoColorado law provides crime victims notice and hearing rights
Colorado’s Victim Rights Act provides victims preferred-name requests, participation in specified hearings, and notice about certain case developments.
What it does
Victims may ask to be called by initials, a pseudonym, or another preferred name during hearings to protect their safety or privacy.
Victims have the right to be informed of and attend specified case stages, and to speak at hearings about certain records or restitution.
District attorneys must notify affected victims about certain crime laboratory wrongdoing and post-conviction hearings, and tell them they may request a preferred name during hearings.
If a victim has died or cannot act, the victim’s immediate family may represent the victim at specified proceedings. For a child or at-risk adult, the defendant or alleged offender cannot serve as designee.
Argument forVictims could better protect their safety or privacy by asking to use a preferred name during hearings.
Argument againstVictims could find it harder to follow a case as they receive notices about hearings and decide when to take part.
More detail
A victim may request to be called by initials, a pseudonym, or another preferred name during hearings. This applies to victims of crimes. The request must be made to protect the victim’s safety or privacy. The act states that it takes effect August 12, 2026, unless a referendum petition is filed; in that case, voters must approve it for it to take effect.
Victims have the right to be informed of and attend specified critical stages, and to be heard at proceedings about certain records or restitution. These rights apply to crime victims in proceedings covered by the Victim Rights Act. The right to be heard covers court proceedings about subpoenas for certain victim records and restitution assessment hearings. The act states that it takes effect August 12, 2026, unless a referendum petition is filed; in that case, voters must approve it for it to take effect.
District attorneys must inform victims about certain crime laboratory notices and post-conviction hearings, and tell them about the preferred-name request right. The duties apply to victims of crimes identified in the relevant crime laboratory notice and victims covered by the specified post-conviction hearing provision. A crime laboratory notice concerns a victim only when the criminal case identified in the notice involves a crime against that victim. The act states that it takes effect August 12, 2026, unless a referendum petition is filed; in that case, voters must approve it for it to take effect.
A victim’s immediate family may represent the victim’s interests as the victim’s designee if the victim has died or is incapacitated. This applies when a crime victim has died or is incapacitated. The designee may be informed, present, or heard at specified proceedings. If the victim is a child or an at-risk adult, the defendant or alleged offender in the case cannot be the designee. The act states that it takes effect August 12, 2026, unless a referendum petition is filed; in that case, voters must approve it for it to take effect.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jun 3Governor Jared Polis SignedBecame Law
- Jun 2Signed by the Speaker of the HouseMajor
- Jun 2Signed by the President of the SenateMajor
- Jun 2Sent to the GovernorTo Governor
- Apr 30Senate Third Reading Passed - No AmendmentsPassed Senate
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 29Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
- Apr 27Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the WholeMinor
- Vote recorded Refer House Bill 26-1052 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 23Introduced In Senate - Assigned to JudiciaryMinor
- Apr 22House Third Reading Passed - No AmendmentsPassed House
- Vote recorded BILL. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the WholeMinor
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.006. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Refer House Bill 26-1052, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 21House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
- Feb 3House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to AppropriationsMinor
- Vote recorded Refer House Bill 26-1052, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment A), as amended by L.004. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.002 (Attachment B). Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Adopt amendment L.004 (Attachment C), which amends L.001. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 14Introduced In House - Assigned to JudiciaryIntroduced
Criminal Justice