KLS Keeping Law Simple Legislation in plain English

Straight-ahead summaries built from the official bill text. We keep the source links front and center and leave the decision up to you.

Back to Colorado

HB26-1085 • 2026

Offer Pregnant Person Do Not Abort Form

The bill requires a pregnant person's health-care provider to offer a pregnant person the option to fill out a "Do Not Abort" form that expresses the person's wishes to not receive an abortion in the

Abortion Healthcare
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Rep. R. Keltie
Last action
2026-02-25
Official status
House Committee on Health & Human Services Postpone Indefinitely
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary provided does not include information about what happens if a 'Do Not Abort' form is not filled out, or how healthcare providers will be trained or reminded of this requirement. These points remain speculative based on the given information.

Offering 'Do Not Abort' Forms to Pregnant People

This bill requires health-care providers to offer pregnant people a form called 'Do Not Abort,' which expresses the person's wish not to receive an abortion if they are incapacitated or unable to communicate.

What This Bill Does

  • Requires health-care providers to give pregnant people the option to fill out a 'Do Not Abort' form.
  • If someone fills out the form, the provider must add it to their medical record.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Pregnant people who receive healthcare services in Colorado
  • Health-care providers who treat pregnant patients

Terms To Know

Do Not Abort form
A document that a pregnant person can fill out to express their wish not to have an abortion if they are incapacitated or unable to communicate.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if the 'Do Not Abort' form is not filled out.
  • It's unclear how healthcare providers will be trained or reminded about this requirement.

Amendments

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

L.003

HOU Health & Human Services

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill that allows pregnant patients to create an 'Advanced Pregnancy Directive' if they become incapacitated and are not expected to regain decision-making capacity, which would authorize healthcare providers to continue somatic support for fetal development.

  • Adds definitions for terms like 'advanced pregnancy directive', 'incapacitated', 'somatic support', and 'viable'.
  • Requires health-care providers to inform pregnant patients about the option to create an advanced pregnancy directive, which is voluntary and not a condition of care.
  • Specifies that if a patient becomes incapacitated and the fetus is viable, healthcare providers must continue somatic support as per the directive.
  • The amendment text does not specify all details about how the directive would be implemented or enforced in practice.

Bill History

  1. 2026-02-25 House

    House Committee on Health & Human Services Postpone Indefinitely

  2. 2026-02-02 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

Official Summary Text

The bill requires a pregnant person's health-care provider to offer a pregnant person the option to fill out a "Do Not Abort" form that expresses the person's wishes to not receive an abortion in the event the person is incapacitated or incapable of communicating. If the pregnant person fills out a "Do Not Abort" form, the health-care provider shall input the form into the pregnant person's medical record.
(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. 26-0476.02 Shelby Ross x4510 HOUSE BILL 26-1085
House Committees Senate Committees
Health & Human Services
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING REQUIRING A PREGNANT PERSON 'S HEALTH -CARE101
PROVIDER TO OFFER THE PREGNANT PERSON THE OPTION TO102
FILL OUT A "DO NOT ABORT" FORM.103
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 requires a pregnant person's health-care provider to offer
a pregnant person the option to f ill out a "Do Not Abort" form that
expresses the person's wishes to not receive an abortion in the event the
person is incapacitated or incapable of communicating. If the pregnant
person fills out a "Do Not Abort" form, the health-care provider shall
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Keltie,
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.
input the form into the pregnant person's medical record.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 25-3-135 as2
follows:3
25-3-135. Do not abort form for pregnant person.4
A PREGNANT PERSON'S HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER SHALL OFFER THE5
PERSON THE OPTION TO FILL OUT A "DO NOT ABORT" FORM THAT6
EXPRESSES THE PERSON'S WISHES TO NOT RECEIVE AN ABORTION IN THE7
EVENT THE PERSON IS INCAPACITATED OR INCAPABLE OF COMMUNICATING.8
IF THE PREGNANT PERSON FILLS OUT A "DO NOT ABORT" FORM , THE9
HEALTH-CARE PROVIDER SHALL INPUT THE FORM INTO THE PERSON 'S10
MEDICAL RECORD.11
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act12
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the13
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August14
12, 2026, if adj ournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a15
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the16
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act17
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect18
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in19
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the20
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.21
HB26-1085-2-