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SB26-012 • 2026

Compensable Losses for Tribal Members

The bill allows eligible enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe to receive compensation for traditional Native American healing ceremonies and practices and related expenses under the "Color

Crime
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Sen. J. Danielson, Rep. E. Velasco, Sen. J. Carson, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. L. Cutter, Sen. T. Exum, Sen. J. Gonzales, Sen. N. Hinrichsen, Sen. I. Jodeh, Sen. C. Kipp, Sen. C. Kolker, Sen. W. Lindstedt, Sen. J. Marchman, Sen. D. Michaelson Jenet, Sen. K. Mullica, Sen. D. Roberts, Sen. C. Simpson, Sen. M. Snyder, Sen. K. Wallace, Sen. M. Weissman
Last action
2026-03-09
Official status
House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on how much compensation will be given for traditional healing practices.

Compensation for Native American Healing Practices

This bill allows members of federally recognized tribes to receive compensation for traditional healing ceremonies and related expenses under Colorado's Crime Victim Compensation Act.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows eligible enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe to get money for traditional Native American healing practices.
  • Includes costs like counseling from elders, sweat lodge ceremonies, and ceremonial burials in the list of compensable losses.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Enrolled members of federally recognized tribes in Colorado

Terms To Know

Federally Recognized Tribe
A Native American tribe that has a formal relationship with the United States government.
Traditional Healing Practices
Ceremonies and rituals used by Native Americans to heal physical, mental, or spiritual ailments.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify how much compensation will be given for these practices.
  • It is unclear if this bill will face a referendum vote before it becomes law.

Amendments

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

L.003

HOU Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to include compensation for reasonable travel expenses related to traditional Native American healing ceremonies and practices for enrolled members of federally recognized tribes.

  • Adds a new section (1)(n) that allows victims who are enrolled members of federally recognized tribes to receive compensation for reasonable travel expenses related to traditional Native American healing ceremonies and practices.
  • The amendment text does not provide specific details on how the compensation will be calculated or what constitutes 'reasonable' travel expenses, which may need further clarification.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-09 House

    House Second Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments

  2. 2026-03-04 House

    House Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole

  3. 2026-02-11 House

    Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary

  4. 2026-02-10 Senate

    Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments

  5. 2026-02-09 Senate

    Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments

  6. 2026-02-04 Senate

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

  7. 2026-01-14 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary

Official Summary Text

The bill allows eligible enrolled members of a federally recognized tribe to receive compensation for traditional Native American healing ceremonies and practices and related expenses under the "Colorado Crime Victim Compensation Act".
(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
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0602.01 Chelsea Princell x4335 SENATE BILL 26-012
Senate Committees House Committees
Judiciary
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING COMPENSABLE LOSSES UNDER THE "COLORADO CRIME101
VICTIM COMPENSATION ACT" FOR ENROLLED MEMBERS OF A102
FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED TRIBE.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 allows eligible enrolled members of a federally recognized
tribe to receive compensation for traditional Native American healing
ceremonies and practices and related expenses under the "Colorado Crime
Victim Compensation Act".
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
February 10, 2026
SENATE
2nd Reading Unamended
February 9, 2026
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Danielson, Carson, Coleman, Cutter, Exum, Gonzales J., Hinrichsen, Jodeh, Kipp, Kolker,
Lindstedt, Marchman, Michaelson Jenet, Mullica, Roberts, Simpson, Snyder, Wallace,
Weissman
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Velasco,
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, 24-4.1-109, amend2
(1)(i), (1)(k), and (1)(l); and add (1)(m) as follows:3
24-4.1-109. Losses compensable.4
(1) Losses compensable under this part 1 resulting from death of5
or injury to a victim include:6
(i) Reasonable travel expenses for a victim related to funeral,7
burial, medical care, or mental health counseling, OR TRADITIONAL8
NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING CEREMONIES AS DESCRIBED IN SUBSECTION9
(1)(m) OF THIS SECTION;10
(k) Dependent care services; and11
(l) Reasonable relocation expenses for a victim to relocate as12
necessary to ensure the victim's safety; AND13
(m) E XPENSES FOR TRADITIONAL NATIVE AMERICAN HEALING14
CEREMONIES AND PRACTICES FOR ENROLLED MEMBERS OF A FEDERALLY15
RECOGNIZED TRIBE, INCLUDING:16
(I) TRADITIONAL COUNSELING AND HEALING FROM AN ELDER OR17
SPIRITUAL HEALER;18
(II) SWEAT LODGE AND SMUDGING CEREMONIES;19
(III) C EREMONIAL BURIALS , INCLUDING CLOTHING FOR THE20
DECEASED, MEALS , AND OTHER EXPENSES RELATED TO TRADITIONAL21
GIVEAWAY OR GIFTING PRACTICES;22
(IV) CHILD CARE DURING BURIAL CEREMONIES; AND23
(V) REIMBURSEMENT FOR GIFTS TO INDIVIDUALS WHO PERFORM24
CEREMONIAL SERVICES.25
SECTION 2. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act26
012-2-
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the1
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August2
12, 2026, if adjournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a3
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the4
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act5
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect6
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in7
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the8
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.9
012-3-