HB26-1103 • 2026

Report Child Sexual Assault & Courtroom Testimony

The bill requires a law enforcement entity that receives a report alleging an offense involving sexual assault or abuse of a child to contact notify a child advocacy center within the judicial distric

Children Crime Taxes

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Rep. L. García, Rep. L. Goldstein, Sen. L. Cutter, Rep. J. Bacon, Rep. A. Boesenecker, Rep. K. Brown, Rep. S. Camacho, Rep. M. Carter, Rep. C. Clifford, Rep. M. Duran, Rep. R. English, Rep. C. Espenoza, Rep. M. Froelich, Rep. L. Gilchrist, Rep. R. Gonzalez, Rep. E. Hamrick, Rep. J. Jackson, Rep. J. Joseph, Rep. S. Lieder, Rep. M. Lindsay, Rep. M. Lukens, Rep. J. Mabrey, Rep. B. Marshall, Rep. J. McCluskie, Rep. K. Nguyen, Rep. J. Phillips, Rep. M. Rutinel, Rep. E. Sirota, Rep. K. Stewart, Rep. T. Story, Rep. B. Titone, Rep. Y. Zokaie, Sen. J. Amabile, Sen. A. Benavidez, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. T. Exum, Sen. J. Gonzales, Sen. N. Hinrichsen, Sen. I. Jodeh, Sen. C. Kipp, Sen. K. Wallace, Sen. M. Weissman
Last action: 2026-04-02
Official status: House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The candidate explanation included details about closed-circuit television which are not supported by the official source material.

Reporting Child Sexual Assault and Courtroom Testimony

This bill requires law enforcement to notify child advocacy centers about reports of child sexual assault within 24 hours, and it creates a presumption that young or disabled witnesses may suffer emotional distress if they testify in court.

What This Bill Does

Requires law enforcement agencies to notify a child advocacy center within the judicial district where the alleged crime occurred, or the nearest one if there is none, within 24 hours after receiving a report of child sexual assault or abuse.
Law enforcement must provide basic information about the alleged crime and victim to the child advocacy center.
If necessary, law enforcement will work with the child advocacy center to arrange for a forensic interview of the child victim.

Who It Names or Affects

Law enforcement agencies
Child advocacy centers
Judges and courts
Victims of child sexual assault

Terms To Know

Forensic interview: A professional conversation with a child victim to gather information about an alleged crime.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify a timeline for investigations or forensic interviews beyond requiring notification within 24 hours.
It is unclear how this legislation will be funded or what resources will be provided to child advocacy centers.

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 time limit for law enforcement to notify a child advocacy center from 24 hours to one week and adds rules about explaining delays if needed.

Changes the notification period from 24 hours to one week.
Adds new language allowing exceptions with explanations when extenuating circumstances prevent timely reporting.

The amendment does not specify what constitutes 'extenuating circumstances'.

L.002

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to require a trial court to make findings on record about a child's ability to testify in court.

Changes the requirement for law enforcement to contact or notify a child advocacy center within the judicial district to something else not specified in this amendment text.
Adds a new requirement for the trial court to document its assessment of whether a child witness can testify in the courtroom and face the defendant.

The exact change regarding law enforcement's duty is unclear because the original wording ('contact' or 'notify') is not provided.
Details about how the court will assess the child's ability to testify are not specified.

L.003

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment adds a new section to the bill that declares the purpose and scope of the legislation regarding child victims of sexual assault or abuse.

Adds a legislative declaration stating that the act aims to provide more pathways for justice and healing for child victims without interfering with existing mandatory reporting requirements.

The amendment does not specify new actions but rather clarifies the intent of the bill, so its concrete impacts are limited.
It is unclear how this declaration will be implemented or enforced in practice.

L.004

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to allow a law enforcement entity or peace officer to decide if a forensic interview is necessary and appropriate for a victim of child sexual assault or abuse.

Adds language allowing law enforcement to determine whether a forensic interview is needed and suitable.

The amendment does not specify what criteria are used to deem a forensic interview necessary and appropriate.

L.008

SEN Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for law enforcement to notify a child advocacy center when they receive information suggesting there is reasonable suspicion of sexual assault or abuse involving a child.

Changes 'reporting' to 'notification'.
Replaces 'TAKES A REPORT ALLEGING' with 'DETERMINES THERE IS REASONABLE SUSPICION FOR'.
Substitutes 'TAKING THE REPORT, NOTIFY AND REPORT' with 'MAKING A DETERMINATION, PROVIDE NOTIFICATION OF'

The amendment text does not provide details on how the notification process will work or what specific information must be provided to the child advocacy center.

L.005

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes how law enforcement entities notify child advocacy centers about reports of child sexual assault or abuse, ensuring that the notification process is clear and consistent across different jurisdictions within the state.

Changes 'contact' to 'notify' a child advocacy center when receiving a report of child sexual assault or abuse.
Clarifies that if an offense occurred in a jurisdiction other than where it was reported, law enforcement must notify the appropriate child advocacy center as determined by them.
Removes specific language about reporting allegations directly to the child advocacy center and replaces it with 'notifying' the center.

The amendment text is somewhat technical and may require additional context for full understanding, particularly regarding how law enforcement entities will determine which jurisdiction's child advocacy center should be notified in cross-jurisdiction cases.

L.006

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for law enforcement to notify a child advocacy center when they receive a report of child sexual assault or abuse, and it modifies how interviews are coordinated.

Changes 'Mandatory' to 'Required' in the bill text.
Inserts 'NOTIFY AND' before 'REPORT' on page 2, line 10.
Replaces 'REQUEST' with 'COORDINATE' and adds new language after 'INTERVIEW'.

The exact implications of these changes are not fully explained in the provided amendment text.

L.009

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: The amendment changes the requirement for law enforcement to notify a child advocacy center after conducting a minimal facts interview with an alleged victim of child sexual assault or abuse.

Changes 'reporting' to 'notification' when referring to contacting a child advocacy center.
Adds specific information that must be included in the notification sent to a child advocacy center, such as the child's name and contact details, the offender's name, date of the alleged offense, and a summary of the incident.
Clarifies what is meant by 'minimal facts interview' as a short conversation with a child to gather basic information about potential abuse or neglect.

The amendment text does not specify how the notification process will be implemented in practice, such as who exactly within law enforcement will carry out this duty.

Bill History

2026-04-02 House
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Concur - Repass
2026-03-18 House
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily
2026-03-17 Senate
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-03-16 Senate
Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Floor
2026-03-13 Senate
Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 03/16/2026 - No Amendments
2026-03-12 Senate
Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 03/13/2026 - No Amendments
2026-03-09 Senate
Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
2026-03-02 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary
2026-02-25 House
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-02-24 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
2026-02-23 House
House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-02-18 House
House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-02-03 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary

Official Summary Text

The bill requires a law enforcement entity that receives a report alleging an offense involving sexual assault or abuse of a child to
contact

notify
a child advocacy center within the judicial district where the alleged crime occurred, or
the nearest child advocacy center if the judicial district where the alleged crime occurred does not have a

another appropriate
child advocacy center, within
24 hours

one week
after taking the report. The law enforcement entity is required to collaborate with the child advocacy center in requesting a forensic interview for the alleged child victim
if the law enforcement entity deems a forensic interview is necessary and appropriate.

The bill
creates a rebuttable presumption that

requires a judge to make findings on the record regarding
a witness who is a child or a person who has an intellectual and developmental disability,
specifically, if the witness
will suffer serious emotional distress or trauma from courtroom testimony when the defendant is present.
(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
REREVISED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the Second House
LLS NO. 26-0382.01 Owen Hatch x2698 HOUSE BILL 26-1103
House Committees Senate Committees
Judiciary Judiciary
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING AMENDING SPECIFIC LEGAL PROCESSES FOR CERTAIN101
VULNERABLE POPULATIONS.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 requires a law enforcement entity that receives a report
alleging an offense involving sexual assault or abuse of a child to contact
a child advocacy center within the judicial district where the alleged
crime occurred, or the nearest child advocacy center if the judicial district
where the alleged crime occurred does not have a child advocacy center,
within 24 hours after ta king the report. The law enforcement entity is
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
March 17, 2026
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 16, 2026
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
February 25, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
February 24, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Garcia and Goldstein, Bacon, Boesenecker, Camacho, Clifford, Duran, English, Espenoza,
Froelich, Gilchrist, Gonzalez R., Hamrick, Jackson, Lindsay, Lukens, Mabrey, Marshall,
McCluskie, Nguyen, Rutinel, Sirota, Stewart K., Story, Titone
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Cutter, Amabile, Benavidez, Coleman, Exum, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp,
Wallace, Weissman
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.
required to collaborate with the child advocacy center in requesting a
forensic interview for the alleged child victim.
The bill creates a rebuttable presumption that a witness who is a
child or a person who has an intellectual and developmental disability will
suffer serious emotional distress or trauma from courtroom testimony
when the defendant is present.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) This act seeks to provide further pathways for justice and4
healing for child victims and does not usurp or otherwise interfere with5
the current mandatory reporting structure; and6
(b) This act does not impose a required timeline for an7
investigation, or for a forensic interview to be completed, but instead8
ensures that a child victim receives professional care as early as is9
feasible after an allegation of sexual abuse.10
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 24-31-908 as11
follows:12
24-31-908. Required notification of child sexual abuse -13
definition.14
(1) WHEN A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THE COLORADO15
STATE PATROL , OR THE COLORADO BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION , OR A16
PEACE OFFICER THEREOF, TAKES A REPORT ALLEGING AN OFFENSE LISTED17
IN SECTION 18-3-411 (1) AND CONDUCTS A MINIMAL FACTS INTERVIEW18
WITH THE ALLEGED VICTIM , THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE19
OFFICER SHALL , WITHIN ONE WEEK AFTER CONDUCTING THE MINIMAL20
FACTS INTERVIEW, NOTIFY THE FOLLOWING OF THE ALLEGATION: 21
(a) A CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER LOCATED WITHIN THE JUDICIAL22
1103-2-
DISTRICT WHERE THE ALLEGED CRIME OCCURRED; OR1
(b) IF THE ALLEGED OFFENSE OCCURRED IN A JURISDICTION OTHER2
THAN THE JURISDICTION IN WHICH IT WAS REPORTED , THE CHILD3
ADVOCACY CENTER IN THE APPROPRIATE JURISDICTION, AS DETERMINED4
BY THE RECEIVING LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE OFFICER. IN ALL5
CASES, A LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE OFFICER SHALL NOTIFY A6
CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER WITHIN THE STATE.7
(2) A LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE OFFICER SHALL8
INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION WHEN NOTIFYING A CHILD9
ADVOCACY CENTER REGARDING AN ALLEGATION PURS UANT TO THIS10
SECTION:11
(a) THE CHILD'S NAME;12
(b) T HE CHILD 'S FAMILY MEMBER OR GUARDIAN 'S CONTACT13
INFORMATION;14
(c) THE ALLEGED OFFENDER'S NAME;15
(d) THE APPROXIMATE DATE OF THE ALLEGED OFFENSE; AND16
(e) A SUMMARY OF THE ALLEGED INCIDENT.17
(3) IF EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES EXIST THAT PROHIBIT THE18
LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE OFFICER FROM NOTIFYING THE19
CHILD ADVOCACY CENTER OF THE ALLEGATION WITHIN ONE WEEK, THE20
LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE OFFICER MUST PROVIDE21
INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXTENUATING CIRCUMSTANCES TO THE CHILD22
ADVOCACY CENTER WHEN THE ENTITY OR OFFICER REPORTS THE23
ALLEGATION.24
(4) A LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY, THE COLORADO STATE25
PATROL, OR THE COLORADO BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION , OR A PEACE26
OFFICER THEREOF, SHALL, IN COLLABORATION WITH THE CHILD ADVOCACY27
1103-3-
CENTER THAT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE OFFICER1
REPORTED THE ALLEGED OFFENSE TO, COORDINATE A FORENSIC INTERVIEW2
PURSUANT TO THE REQUIREMENTS SET FORTH IN SECTION 19-3-308.5 FOR3
THE ALLEGED VICTIM, IF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT ENTITY OR PEACE4
OFFICER DEEMS A FORENSIC INTERVIEW NECESSARY AND APPROPRIATE.5
(5) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE6
REQUIRES, "MINIMAL FACTS INTERVIEW " MEANS A SHORT , LIMITED7
CONVERSATION WITH A CHILD CONDUCTED BY A LAW ENFORCEMENT8
OFFICER IN THE FIELD TO GATHER BASIC FACTS NECESSARY TO DETERMINE9
WHETHER ABUSE OR NEGLECT MAY HAVE OCCURRED, ASSESS IMMEDIATE10
SAFETY CONCERNS , AND DECIDE WHETHER A FORENSIC INTERVIEW OR11
FURTHER INVESTIGATION IS NEEDED.12
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 16-10-402, amend13
(1)(a) introductory portion and (1)(a)(II); and add (6) as follows:14
16-10-402. Use of closed-circuit television - child or witness15
with intellectual and developmental disabilities - definition.16
(1) (a) When a witness at the time of a trial is a child less than17
twelve UNDER EIGHTEEN years of age, OLD or is a person who has an18
intellectual and developmental disability as defined in section19
25.5-10-202, C.R.S., the court may, upon motion of a party or upon its20
own motion, order that the witness's testimony be taken in a room other21
than the courtroom and be televised by closed-circuit television in the22
courtroom if:23
(II) The judge determines that testimony by the witness in the24
courtroom and in the presence of the defendant would result in the25
witness suffering serious emotional distress or trauma. such that the26
witness would not be able to reasonably communicate THE TRIAL COURT27
1103-4-
SHALL MAKE FINDINGS ON THE RECORD REGARDING THE WITNESS 'S1
ABILITY TO TESTIFY IN THE COURTROOM AND IN THE PRESENCE OF THE2
DEFENDANT; and3
(6) AS USED IN THIS SECTION, UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE4
REQUIRES, "CLOSED-CIRCUIT TELEVISION" MEANS A DIRECT, CLOSED-LOOP5
AUDIO AND VIDEO TRANSMISSION SYSTEM THAT ALLOWS PRIVATE VIEWING6
AND IS NOT PUBLICLY BROADCAST, AND MAY INCLUDE THE USE OF OTHER7
DIGITAL OR WIRELESS TECHNOLOGIES.8
SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,9
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate10
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for11
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state12
institutions.13
1103-5-