HB26-1380 • 2026

Repeal Office of Judicial Discipline Ombudsman

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 jud

Budget

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Rep. K. Brown, Rep. R. Taggart, Sen. J. Bridges, Sen. B. Kirkmeyer, Rep. E. Sirota, Sen. J. Amabile
Last action: 2026-04-17
Official status: House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Not Concur - Request Conference Committee
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Repeal Office of Judicial Discipline Ombudsman

Joint Budget Committee.

What This Bill Does

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.)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Amendments

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

L.002

SEN Appropriations

Passed [*]

Plain English: HB1380_L.002 SENATE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Appropriations.

HB1380_L.002 SENATE COMMITTEE OF REFERENCE AMENDMENT Committee on Appropriations.
HB26-1380 be amended as follows: 1 Amend reengrossed bill, page 2, strike lines 2 through 8 and substitute: 2 "SECTION 1.
In Colorado Revised Statutes, repeal 13-3-120.
3 SECTION 2.

L.001

Second Reading

Passed [**]

Plain English: HB1380_L.001 Amendment No.

HB1380_L.001 Amendment No.
___________ HB26-1380 HOUSE FLOOR AMENDMENT Second Reading BY REPRESENTATIVE Bacon 1 Amend printed bill, page 2, strike lines 2 through 26 and substitute: 2 "SECTION 1.
In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-3-120, add (18) 3 as follows: 4 13-3-120.
Office of the judicial discipline ombudsman 5 established - judicial discipline advisory board - qualifications of 6 ombudsman - powers and duties - confidentiality - rules - definitions 7 - repeal.

Bill History

2026-04-17 House
House Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Not Concur - Request Conference Committee
2026-04-16 Senate
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-04-15 Senate
Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee
2026-04-14 Senate
Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
2026-04-13 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations
2026-04-11 House
House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-04-10 House
House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-04-09 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Floor
2026-04-08 House
House Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
2026-04-06 House
House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
2026-04-02 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations

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

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. 26-0951.01 Chelsea Princell x4335 HOUSE BILL 26-1380
House Committees Senate Committees
Appropriations 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.
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 16, 2026
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 15, 2026
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, repeal 13-3-120.2
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-100-102, amend3
(3) as follows:4
13-100-102. Definitions.5
As used in this article 100, unless the context otherwise requires:6
(3) "Included agencies" means the independent agencies within7
the judicial department that the office provides administrative and fiscal8
support services to pursuant to this article 100 and includes the office of9
the child protection ombudsman, the independent ethics commission, the10
office of public guardianship, the commission on judicial discipline, the11
office of alternative defense counsel, the office of the child's12
representative, the office of the respondent parents' counsel, the office of13
the statewide behavioral health court liaison, the office of the judicial14
discipline ombudsman, and any other independent agency added to the15
judicial department on or after July 1, 2024. The office of state public16
defender is not an included agency.17
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-72-202, repeal18
(6)(b)(XVI) as follows:19
24-72-202. Definitions.20
As used in this part 2, unless the context otherwise requires:21
(6) (b) "Public records" does not include:22
(XVI) Records related to complaints received by the office of the23
judicial discipline ombudsman pursuant to section 13-3-120, including24
any record that names or otherwise identifies a specific complainant or25
other person involved in the complaint;26
SECTION 4. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,27
1380-2-
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate1
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for2
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state3
institutions.4
1380-3-