HB26-1022 • 2026

Jury Duty Opt-Out for People 72 Years or Older

The bill allows a person who is 72 years old or older to choose to temporarily or permanently opt out of jury service. The judge or jury commissioner may require documentation in support of the opt-ou

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Rep. C. Barron
Last action: 2026-05-14
Official status: House Committee on Appropriations Lay Over Unamended - Amendment(s) Failed
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date depends on whether a referendum petition is filed within ninety days after the legislature adjourns; if no petition is filed, it takes effect August 12, 2026.

Jury Duty Opt-Out for People Aged 72 and Older

This bill lets people who are at least 72 years old choose to skip jury duty either temporarily or permanently starting January 1, 2027.

What This Bill Does

Allows a person aged 72 or older on the date their jury service begins to request a temporary break from jury service starting January 1, 2027.
Permits people who are at least 72 years old on the date of their summons to ask for a permanent exemption from future jury duties.
Requires judges or jury commissioners to allow these requests if the person meets the age requirement and asks for an opt-out.
Gives courts the power to ask for documents that prove the person's age before approving an opt-out.
States that any document proving age is not a public record and cannot be shared with others.

Who It Names or Affects

People who are at least 72 years old on the date their jury service begins as stated on their summons.
Judges and jury commissioners in Colorado courts.
Courts that summon people for jury duty starting January 1, 2027.

Terms To Know

Jury Commissioner: An official who manages the selection and scheduling of jurors in a court.
Opt-out: A choice to not take part in an activity that is usually required, such as jury duty.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not say how long a temporary opt-out lasts; the court decides when it ends.
People must finish all steps for their request before the date listed on their jury summons.
If voters file a petition against this law, it will only start if approved in an election.

Amendments

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

L.001

HOU State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Passed [*]

Plain English: This amendment fixes a reference in the bill so that people aged 72 or older can opt out of jury duty under all parts of the new rule, not just one specific section.

The change updates the text to apply the jury duty opt-out option for seniors to the entire subsection instead of limiting it to a single part.

This amendment only corrects a technical reference in the bill and does not add new rules or explain how judges will handle documentation requests.
The full details about what documents are needed for seniors to opt out are not included in this specific amendment text.

L.002

HOU State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Passed [*]

Plain English: This amendment sets a specific one-year time limit for people aged 72 or older who choose to temporarily skip jury duty.

It changes the rule so that a temporary opt-out from jury service lasts exactly one year starting from the day the person asks for it.

The amendment text only explains how long a temporary break lasts and does not provide details on permanent opt-outs or what documents judges might require.
It is unclear if this change affects people who have already requested an opt-out before the bill passes.

Bill History

2026-05-14 House
House Committee on Appropriations Lay Over Unamended - Amendment(s) Failed
2026-01-29 House
House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Amended to Appropriations
2026-01-14 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Official Summary Text

The bill allows a person who is 72 years old or older to choose to temporarily or permanently opt out of jury service. The judge or jury commissioner may require documentation in support of the opt-out.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED

LLS NO. 26-0080.01 Jacob Baus x2173 HOUSE BILL 26-1022
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING AN OPT-OUT FROM JURY SERVICE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE101
AT LEAST SEVENTY-TWO YEARS OLD.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 allows a person who is 72 years old or older to choose to
temporarily or permanently opt out of jury service. The judge or jury
commissioner may require documentation in support of the opt-out.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Barron,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
(None),
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.
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-71-119.5, add1
(2.7) as follows:2
13-71-119.5. Persons entitled to be excused from or to opt out3
of jury service - temporary or permanent.4
(2.7) (a) (I) B EGINNING JANUARY 1, 2027, A JUDGE OR JURY5
COMMISSIONER OF THE COURT TO WHICH A PERSON IS SUMMONED FOR6
JURY SERVICE SHALL ALLOW A PERSON WHO IS SEVENTY-TWO YEARS OLD7
OR OLDER, AS OF THE BEGINNING DATE OF JURY SERVICE STATED ON THE8
JUROR SUMMONS , TO TEMPORARILY OPT OUT OF JURY SERVICE IF THE9
PERSON REQUESTS TO TEMPORARILY OPT OUT OF JURY SERVICE.10
(II) A PERSON WHO TEMPORARILY OPTS OUT PURSUANT TO THIS11
SUBSECTION (2.7)(a) IS ELIGIBLE FOR JUROR QUALIFICATION WHEN THE12
TEMPORARY OPT-OUT EXPIRES, AS DETERMINED BY THE COURT.13
(b) N OTWITHSTANDING SUBSECTION (2.7)(a) OF THIS SECTION ,14
BEGINNING JANUARY 1, 2027, A JUDGE OR JURY COMMISSIONER OF THE15
COURT TO WHICH A PERSON IS SUMMONED FOR JURY SERVICE SHALL16
ALLOW A PERSON WHO IS SEVENTY-TWO YEARS OLD OR OLDER, AS OF THE17
BEGINNING DATE OF JURY SERVICE STATED ON THE JUROR SUMMONS , TO18
PERMANENTLY OPT OUT OF JURY SERVICE IF THE PERSON REQUESTS TO19
PERMANENTLY OPT OUT OF JURY SERVICE.20
(c) THE JUDGE OR JURY COMMISSIONER OF THE COURT TO WHICH21
A PERSON IS SUMMONED FOR JURY SERVICE MAY REQUIRE THE PERSON22
WHO REQUESTS EITHER A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT OPT -OUT FROM23
JURY SERVICE PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (2.7) TO PROVIDE A24
DOCUMENT DEMONSTRATING PROOF OF THEIR AGE . A DOCUMENT25
PROVIDED PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (2.7) IS NOT A PUBLIC RECORD26
AND MUST NOT BE DISCLOSED TO THE PUBLIC.27
HB26-1022-2-
(d) A PERSON WHO REQUESTS A TEMPORARY OR PERMANENT1
OPT-OUT FROM JURY SERVICE PURSUANT TO THIS SUBSECTION (2.7) SHALL2
TAKE ALL ACTIONS NECESSARY TO OBTAIN A DETERMINATION REGARDING3
THE REQUEST BEFORE THE BEGINNING DATE OF JURY SERVICE STATED ON4
THE JUROR SUMMONS.5
(e) SUBSECTION (3) OF THIS SECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO A PERSON6
WHO TEMPORARILY OR PERMANENTLY OPTS OUT OF JURY SERVICE7
PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION (2.7)(a) OF THIS SECTION.8
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act9
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the10
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August11
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a12
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the13
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act14
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect15
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in16
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the17
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.18
HB26-1022-3-