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HB26-1385 • 2026

Public Defender & Prosecutor Behavioral Health Program

The public defender and prosecutor behavioral health support program (program) is funded through any appropriation made for the program and any gifts, grants, and donations received for the program. C

Budget
Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor
Rep. K. Brown, Rep. E. Sirota, Sen. J. Amabile, Sen. J. Bridges, Rep. R. Taggart, Sen. B. Kirkmeyer, Sen. C. Kolker, Sen. K. Wallace
Last action
2026-05-27
Official status
Governor Signed
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The effective date for this law was not provided in the source material, only that it has been enacted and signed by the Governor on May 27, 2026.

Public Defender and Prosecutor Behavioral Health Program Funding Change

This law changes how money for a behavioral health support program is shared between public defenders and prosecutors.

What This Bill Does

  • Funds the program through state appropriations, gifts, grants, and donations.
  • Changes the rule that previously split funding equally between two groups.
  • Directs all of the program money to the Office of the State Public Defender for fiscal year 2026-27.

Who It Names or Affects

  • The Office of the State Public Defender
  • District Attorneys' Offices in Colorado

Limits and Unknowns

  • This funding change applies only to state fiscal year 2026-27.
  • The text does not say how the money will be used after this specific time period.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-27 Governor

    Governor Signed

  2. 2026-05-22 Governor

    Sent to the Governor

  3. 2026-05-22 Senate

    Signed by the President of the Senate

  4. 2026-05-22 House

    Signed by the Speaker of the House

  5. 2026-04-16 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  6. 2026-04-15 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

  7. 2026-04-14 Senate

    Senate Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole

  8. 2026-04-13 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Appropriations

  9. 2026-04-11 House

    House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  10. 2026-04-10 House

    House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  11. 2026-04-09 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments

  12. 2026-04-08 House

    House Second Reading Special Order - Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  13. 2026-04-06 House

    House Committee on Appropriations Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole

  14. 2026-04-02 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Appropriations

Official Summary Text

The public defender and prosecutor behavioral health support program (program) is funded through any appropriation made for the program and any gifts, grants, and donations received for the program. Current law splits the program allocation to direct 50% of the money to the Colorado district attorneys' council to award grants to district attorneys' offices and 50% to the office of the state public defender.
For state fiscal year 2026-27, the program allocation split is altered to direct 100% of program money to the office of the state public defender.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)