HB26-1009 • 2026

Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act

The bill creates the 'Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act', which requires peace officers to conduct a lethality assessment when responding to a domestic violence incident and include the resu

Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Rep. M. Duran, Rep. R. Gonzalez, Sen. B. Pelton, Sen. K. Wallace, Rep. C. Barron, Rep. B. Bradley, Rep. M. Brooks, Rep. K. Brown, Rep. J. Caldwell, Rep. S. Camacho, Rep. C. Clifford, Rep. M. Froelich, Rep. L. García, Rep. L. Goldstein, Rep. E. Hamrick, Rep. J. Jackson, Rep. R. Keltie, Rep. S. Lieder, Rep. M. Lindsay, Rep. M. Lukens, Rep. J. Mabrey, Rep. B. Marshall, Rep. T. Mauro, Rep. J. McCluskie, Rep. K. McCormick, Rep. K. Nguyen, Rep. A. Paschal, Rep. M. Rutinel, Rep. G. Rydin, Rep. E. Sirota, Rep. L. Smith, Rep. K. Stewart, Rep. R. Stewart, Rep. T. Story, Rep. B. Titone, Rep. T. Winter
Last action: 2026-03-16
Official status: Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to Appropriations
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify a date for when each law enforcement agency must ensure that each peace officer has completed the mandatory training. The official text specifies it is required beginning July 1, 2027.

Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act

This act requires peace officers to conduct a lethality assessment when responding to domestic violence incidents, connect high-risk victims with advocates, and complete mandatory training by July 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

Requires peace officers to perform a lethality assessment during responses to domestic violence calls.
Includes the results of the lethality assessment in incident reports.
Connects high-risk victims identified through assessments or officer judgment directly to victim's advocates for support.
Develops mandatory training for police on conducting lethality assessments and making referrals.

Who It Names or Affects

Peace officers responding to domestic violence incidents
Victims of domestic violence identified as high-risk

Terms To Know

Lethality Assessment: A standardized safety screening tool used by police during domestic violence responses.
High-Risk Victim: Someone determined to be at high risk of harm based on a lethality assessment or officer judgment.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not require assessments if the victim is unavailable, incapacitated, or circumstances make it impractical.
It remains unclear how effective this approach will be in reducing domestic violence fatalities until evaluated by the Domestic Violence Fatality Review Board.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

L.001

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the definition of a 'high-risk victim' and modifies several sections related to lethality assessments conducted by peace officers in response to domestic violence incidents.

Changes the definition of a high-risk victim to include those determined as such by a lethality assessment or by a peace officer's judgment.
Modifies the requirement for peace officers to conduct lethality assessments when responding to reports of domestic violence, not just at specific times.
Updates language in several sections to clarify that peace officers must provide victims with an opportunity to speak with community-based victim advocates if they are identified as high-risk.
Adds a training requirement for peace officers to address language access issues.

The amendment text is technical and may require further context to fully understand all implications.

L.002

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment requires law enforcement agencies to report annually to the Attorney General's office about domestic violence incidents, lethality assessments conducted, and high-risk victims identified.

Law enforcement agencies must now submit an annual report to the Attorney General’s Office.
Reports will include data on the number of domestic violence incidents responded to by law enforcement.
The total number of lethality assessments conducted during the year is part of the reporting requirement.
Agencies are required to track and report how many lethality assessments identified high-risk victims.

Details on how the Attorney General’s Office will prescribe the manner of reporting are not specified in this amendment text.

L.003

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment adds an exception to the training requirement for law enforcement agencies that have already provided lethality assessment training before July 1, 2027.

Adds a new clause after 'SUBSECTION (5).' in the bill text, stating that law enforcement agencies which have given lethality assessment training prior to July 1, 2027, do not need to provide further training under this subsection.

L.004

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment to HB26-1009 adds an exception that allows a peace officer to not conduct a lethality assessment if the individual involved in the domestic violence incident declines to participate.

Adds language allowing peace officers to skip conducting a lethality assessment if the person involved does not want to take part.

The amendment text is limited and does not provide additional details about how this exception will be implemented or what happens after an individual declines participation.

L.005

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment to HB26-1009 adds exceptions for when a peace officer does not have to conduct a lethality assessment and provides protection from liability for officers who make decisions related to the assessment in good faith.

Adds an exception allowing peace officers to skip conducting a lethality assessment if the victim is unavailable, incapacitated, or other circumstances prevent it.
Includes a provision that protects peace officers from criminal, administrative, and civil liability when making decisions about administering a lethality assessment in good faith.

The exact situations where a lethality assessment would be impractical are not clearly defined.

Bill History

2026-03-16 Senate
Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to Appropriations
2026-03-12 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary
2026-03-09 House
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-03-06 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
2026-03-06 House
House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-02-18 House
House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to Appropriations
2026-01-14 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary

Official Summary Text

The bill creates the 'Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act', which requires peace officers to conduct a lethality assessment when responding to a domestic violence incident and include the
results of the

completed
lethality assessment in the incident report.
A peace officer is not required to administer a lethality assessment if a victim is unavailable, not at the scene, incapacitated, or if circumstances otherwise make the administration of the lethality assessment impossible or impracticable.
If the lethality assessment indicates that an individual is a high-risk victim, or if
the lethality assessment does not indicate a victim is high-risk but
a peace officer determines an individual is a high-risk victim based on the totality of the circumstances, the peace officer is required to
immediately connect the victim to a

contact

a community-based
victim's advocate either by phone or in person
and provide the high-risk victim the opportunity to speak with the community-based victim's advocate
.
The bill requires the attorney general's office, in
coordination

consultation
with a Colorado-based coalition that advocates for survivors of domestic violence, to develop a mandatory training for peace officers to learn how to administer the lethality assessment and provide victim referrals.
No later than July 1, 2027, the attorney general is required to make the training available and offer assistance to law enforcement agencies in providing the training
.
Beginning July 1, 2027,
the bill requires each law enforcement agency to ensure that each peace officer employed by the agency has completed the mandatory training.
(Note: Italicized words indicate new material added to the original summary; dashes through words indicate deletions from the original summary.)
(Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0231.01 Shelby Ross x4510 HOUSE BILL 26-1009
House Committees Senate Committees
Judiciary
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING USING A MANDATORY LETHALITY ASSESSMENT WHEN101
RESPONDING TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT.102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill creates the "Colorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment
Act", which requires peace officers to conduct a lethality assessment
when responding to a domestic violence incident and include the results
of the lethality assessment in the incident report. If the lethality
assessment indicates that an individual is a high-risk victim, or if a peace
officer determines an individual is a high-risk victim based on the totality
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 9, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 6, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Duran and Gonzalez R., Barron, Bradley, Brooks, Brown, Caldwell, Camacho, Clifford,
Froelich, Garcia, Goldstein, Hamrick, Jacks on, Keltie, Lieder, Lindsay, Lukens, Mabrey,
Marshall, Mauro, McCluskie, McCormick, Nguyen, Paschal, Rutinel, Rydin, Sirota, Smith,
Stewart K., Stewart R., Story, Titone, Winter T.
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Wallace and Pelton B.,
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
of the circumstances, the peace officer is required to immediately connect
the victim to a victim's advocate either by phone or in person.
The bill requires the attorney general's office, in coordination with
a Colorado-based coalition that advocates for survivors of domestic
violence, to develop a mandatory training for peace officers to learn how
to administer the lethality assessment and provide victim referrals. The
bill requires each law enforcement agency to ensure that each peace
officer employed by the agency has completed the mandatory training.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 18-6-806 as2
follows:3
18-6-806. Mandatory lethality assessments - short title -4
legislative declaration - definitions.5
(1) Short title. T HE SHORT TITLE OF THIS SECTION IS THE6
"COLORADO MANDATORY LETHALITY ASSESSMENT ACT".7
(2) Legislative declaration. THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY FINDS AND8
DECLARES THAT REQUIRING LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES TO ADMINISTER9
A STANDARDIZED , EVIDENCE -BASED LETHALITY ASSESSMENT WHEN10
RESPONDING TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT WILL ENSURE HIGH-RISK11
VICTIMS PROMPTLY RECEIVE SAFETY RESOURCES AND REFERRALS.12
(3) Definitions. AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT13
OTHERWISE REQUIRES:14
(a) "D OMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENT " MEANS AN INCIDENT OF15
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, AS DEFINED IN SECTION 18-6-800.3.16
(b) "H IGH-RISK VICTIM" MEANS A VICTIM WHO IS DETERMINED17
HIGH-RISK BY A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT OR BY A PEACE OFFICER18
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4) OF THIS SECTION.19
(c) "L ETHALITY ASSESSMENT " MEANS A VALIDATED ,20
EVIDENCE-BASED SCREENING TOOL THAT INCLUDES STANDARDIZED21
1009-2-
QUESTIONS AND THAT IS ADMINISTERED BY A PEACE OFFICER WHEN1
RESPONDING TO A REPORT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE.2
(d) "PEACE OFFICER" MEANS A PERSON CERTIFIED BY THE P.O.S.T.3
BOARD PURSUANT TO SECTION 24-31-305 WHO RESPONDS TO AND4
INVESTIGATES INITIAL REPORTS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AS PART OF THE5
PEACE OFFICER'S ROUTINE DUTIES. A "PEACE OFFICER" DOES NOT INCLUDE6
A PAROLE OR PROBATION OFFICER.7
(4) Mandatory lethality assessment.8
(a) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2027, A PEACE OFFICER IS REQUIRED TO9
CONDUCT A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT WHEN RESPONDING TO A DOMESTIC10
VIOLENCE INCIDENT AND INCLUDE THE COMPLETED LETHALITY11
ASSESSMENT IN THE INCIDENT REPORT. THIS SUBSECTION (4)(a) DOES NOT12
REQUIRE A PEACE OFFICER TO ADMINISTER A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT IF A13
VICTIM IS UNAVAILABLE , NOT AT THE SCENE, INCAPACITATED, OR IF14
CIRCUMSTANCES OTHERWISE MAKE THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE15
LETHALITY ASSESSMENT IMPOSSIBLE OR IMPRACTICABLE.16
(b) I F THE LETHALITY ASSESSMENT INDICATES THAT AN17
INDIVIDUAL IS A HIGH -RISK VICTIM , OR IF THE ASSESSMENT DOES NOT18
INDICATE THE VICTIM IS HIGH-RISK BUT A PEACE OFFICER DETERMINES19
THAT THE INDIVIDUAL IS A HIGH-RISK VICTIM BASED ON THE TOTALITY OF20
THE CIRCUMSTANCES, THE PEACE OFFICER SHALL IMMEDIATELY CONTACT21
A COMMUNITY-BASED VICTIM 'S ADVOCATE , AS DEFINED IN SECTION22
13-90-107 (1)(k)(II), EITHER BY PHONE OR IN PERSON, AND PROVIDE THE23
HIGH -RISK VICTIM THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH THE24
COMMUNITY-BASED VICTIM'S ADVOCATE.25
(5) Training and implementation.26
(a) THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, IN CONSULTATION WITH A27
1009-3-
COLORADO-BASED COALITION THAT ADVOCATES FOR SURVIVORS OF1
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SHALL DEVELOP A MANDATORY TRAINING FOR PEACE2
OFFICERS TO LEARN HOW TO ADMINISTER THE LETHALITY ASSESSMENT3
AND PROVIDE VICTIM REFERRALS PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (4) OF THIS4
SECTION. AT A MINIMUM, THE TRAINING MUST ADDRESS LANGUAGE5
ACCESS.6
(b) NO LATER THAN JUNE 1, 2027, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL7
MAKE THE MANDATORY TRAINING AVAILABLE AND OFFER ASSISTANCE TO8
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES IN PROVIDING THE MANDATORY TRAINING.9
(c) BEGINNING JULY 1, 2027, EACH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY10
SHALL ENSURE THAT EACH PEACE OFFICER EMPLOYED BY THE AGENCY HAS11
COMPLETED THE MANDATORY TRAINING DEVELOPED PURSUANT TO THIS12
SUBSECTION (5). A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT HAS PROVIDED13
TRAINING ON THE ADMINISTRATION OF LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS PRIOR TO14
JULY 1, 2027, IS NOT REQUIRED TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL TRAINING15
PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (5)(c).16
(6) Reporting and oversight.17
(a) BEGINNING JANUARY 2028, AND EACH JANUARY THEREAFTER,18
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE SHALL REPORT THE TOTAL NUMBER OF19
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS IN THE PREVIOUS CALENDAR YEAR , THE20
TOTAL NUMBER OF LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS CONDUCTED , THE TOTAL21
NUMBER OF HIGH-RISK VICTIMS IDENTIFIED, AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF22
REFERRALS MADE , AS PART OF THE OFFICE 'S "SMART ACT"23
PRESENTATION REQUIRED PURSUANT TO PART 2 OF ARTICLE 7 OF TITLE 2.24
(b) NO LATER THAN JANUARY 31, 2030, THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE25
FATALITY REVIEW BOARD CREATED IN SECTION 24-31-702 SHALL26
EVALUATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF MANDATORY LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS27
1009-4-
AND REFERRAL TO RESOURCES PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND SUBMIT1
THE EVALUATION TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUDICIARY2
COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE , OR THEIR3
SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES.4
(c) EACH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT UTILIZES A LETHALITY5
ASSESSMENT SHALL ANNUALLY REPORT THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION TO6
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, IN A MANNER PRESCRIBED BY THE7
ATTORNEY GENERAL:8
(I) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE INCIDENTS THE9
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RESPONDED TO DURING THE PRECEDING10
CALENDAR YEAR;11
(II) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS CONDUCTED12
BY THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY DURING THE PRECEDING CALENDAR13
YEAR; AND14
(III) T HE TOTAL NUMBER OF LETHALITY ASSESSMENTS THAT15
RESULTED IN IDENTIFICATION OF A HIGH-RISK VICTIM.16
(7) Nonliability. THIS SECTION DOES NOT IMPOSE CRIMINAL,17
ADMINISTRATIVE, OR CIVIL LIABILITY ON ANY PERSON FOR AN ACT OR18
OMISSION MADE IN GOOD FAITH RELATED TO ADMINISTERING A LETHALITY19
ASSESSMENT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE INTERPRETATION OR20
USE OF A LETHALITY ASSESSMENT, DECIDING WHETHER TO ADMINISTER A21
LETHALITY ASSESSMENT, OR DECLINING TO USE THE LETHALITY22
ASSESSMENT.23
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,24
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate25
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for26
1009-5-
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state1
institutions.2
1009-6-