Repeal Office of Judicial Discipline Ombudsman

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific information about the impact on laws regarding judge discipline, only that the office is being repealed.

Repeal Office of Judicial Discipline Ombudsman

This bill removes an office that provides confidential advice on judicial discipline procedures and workplace culture.

What This Bill Does

• Removes the office of the judicial discipline ombudsman, which was created to give confidential advice about judge discipline procedures and court culture.
• The removal takes effect starting July 1, 2027.

Who It Names or Affects

• Judges who were previously able to seek confidential advice from the ombudsman about discipline procedures and workplace issues will no longer have this option.
• The state government, as it involves changes to existing laws and structures within the judicial system.

Terms To Know

Ombudsman

A person who investigates complaints and helps resolve problems between people and organizations or governments.

Judicial Discipline

The process of addressing misconduct by judges to maintain the integrity and fairness of the judicial system.

Limits and Unknowns

• It is not clear what will happen with complaints about judge discipline after the office is removed.
• There are no details on how the removal of this office might affect public trust in the judicial system.

Official Summary Text

Joint Budget Committee.
The bill repeals the office of the judicial discipline ombudsman,
effective July 1, 2027,
which was established in 2023 to act as an independent and confidential advisor on judicial discipline procedures and workplace culture.
(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

Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0951.01 Chelsea Princell x4335 HOUSE BILL 26-1380
House Committees Senate Committees
Appropriations
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE REPEAL OF THE OFFICE OF THE JUDICIAL DISCIPLINE101
OMBUDSMAN.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/.)
Joint Budget Committee. The bill repeals the office of the
judicial discipline ombudsman, which was established in 2023 to act as
an independent and confidential advisor on judicial discipline procedures
and workplace culture.
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 11, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 9, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Brown and Taggart, Sirota,
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Bridges and Kirkmeyer, Amabile
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.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-3-120, add (18)2
as follows:3
13-3-120. Office of the judicial discipline ombudsman4
established - judicial discipline advisory board - qualifications of5
ombudsman - powers and duties - confidentiality - rules - definitions6
- repeal.7
(18) THIS SECTION IS REPEALED, EFFECTIVE JULY 1, 2027.8
SECTION 2. 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
1380-2-