SB26-085 • 2026

Military Protection Orders

The bill requires a peace officer who responds to an incident of domestic violence to determine whether one of the parties is a current member of the armed forces. If so, the peace officer is required

Crime

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Sen. M. Ball, Sen. L. Frizell, Rep. M. Duran, Rep. A. Hartsook, Sen. J. Bridges, Sen. S. Bright, Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. L. Cutter, Sen. J. Danielson, Sen. T. Exum, Sen. N. Hinrichsen, Sen. I. Jodeh, Sen. C. Kipp, Sen. B. Kirkmeyer, Sen. C. Kolker, Sen. W. Lindstedt, Sen. J. Marchman, Sen. K. Mullica, Sen. R. Pelton, Sen. D. Roberts, Sen. R. Rodriguez, Sen. C. Simpson, Sen. M. Snyder, Sen. K. Wallace, Sen. M. Weissman
Last action: 2026-02-25
Official status: Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not provide information on how courts will use military protection orders in their decision-making process for issuing temporary civil protection orders.

Military Protection Orders for Domestic Violence

This bill requires peace officers responding to domestic violence incidents to check if one party is in the military and, if so, to search a national database for any existing military protection orders against that person.

What This Bill Does

Requires peace officers responding to domestic violence incidents to determine whether one of the parties is currently serving in the armed forces or National Guard.
If a party is found to be in the military, the officer must search the national crime information center database for any existing military protection orders against that person.
The officer must notify the relevant military law enforcement agency if they find an active military protection order.

Who It Names or Affects

Peace officers responding to domestic violence incidents
Current members of the armed forces or National Guard involved in domestic disputes

Terms To Know

Military Protection Order: A protective order issued by a commanding officer against a current member of the military to prevent harm to another person.
Peace Officer: An individual with law enforcement powers, such as police officers or sheriff's deputies.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify what happens if a peace officer fails to follow these requirements.
It is unclear how this will affect the process for issuing temporary civil protection orders in cases without military involvement.

Amendments

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

L.001

SEN Judiciary

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the term 'LAW' to 'MILITARY' in a specific section of the bill.

Changes the word 'LAW' to 'MILITARY' on page 3, line 25 of the printed bill.

The amendment text does not provide context for why this change is being made or what specific impact it will have.
It's unclear how changing one word from 'LAW' to 'MILITARY' affects the overall meaning and implementation of the bill.

Bill History

2026-02-25 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary
2026-02-24 Senate
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-02-23 Senate
Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee
2026-02-18 Senate
Senate Committee on Judiciary Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
2026-02-10 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary

Official Summary Text

The bill requires a peace officer who responds to an incident of domestic violence to determine whether one of the parties is a current member of the armed forces. If so, the peace officer is required to search the national crime information center database to determine whether a military protection order has been issued against one of the parties. If a military protection order has been issued against a party, the bill requires the peace officer to notify the
military
law enforcement agency that entered the protection order into the database.
The bill includes the existence of a military protection order as relevant evidence that the court shall consider when determining whether to issue a temporary civil protection order.
(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
REENGROSSED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the House of Introduction
LLS NO. 26-0266.01 Shelby Ross x4510 SENATE BILL 26-085
Senate Committees House Committees
Judiciary
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING MILITARY PROTECTION ORDERS , AND, IN CONNECTION101
THEREWITH, A PEACE OFFICER'S DUTY TO DETERMINE WHETHER102
A MILITARY PROTECTION ORDER EXISTS WHEN RESPONDING TO103
AN INCIDENT OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND A REQUIREMENT FOR104
THE COURT TO CONSIDER THE EXISTENCE OF A MILITARY105
PROTECTION ORDER AS RELEVANT EVIDENCE WHEN106
DETERMINING WHETHER TO ISSUE A TEMPORARY CIVIL107
PROTECTION ORDER.108
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
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
February 24, 2026
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
February 23, 2026
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Frizell and Ball, Bridges, Bright, Coleman, Cutter, Danielson, Exum, Hinrichsen, Jodeh,
Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Lindstedt, Marchma n, Mullica, Pelton R., Roberts, Rodriguez,
Simpson, Snyder, Wallace, Weissman
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Duran and Hartsook,
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.
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
The bill requires a peace officer who responds to an incident of
domestic violence to determine whether one of the parties is a current
member of the armed forces. If so, the peace officer is required to search
the national crime information center database to determine whether a
military protection order has been issued against one of the parties. If a
military protection order has been issued against a party, the bill requires
the peace officer to notify the law enforcement agency that entered the
protection order into the database.
The bill includes the existence of a military protection order as
relevant evidence that the court shall consider when determining whether
to issue a temporary civil protection order.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 18-6-806 as2
follows:3
18-6-806. Notification of potential violation of military4
protection order - definitions.5
(1) AS USED IN THIS SECTION , UNLESS THE CONTEXT OTHERWISE6
REQUIRES:7
(a) "A RMED FORCES " MEANS THE ARMY, NAVY, AIR FORCE,8
MARINE CORPS, SPACE FORCE, AND COAST GUARD OF THE UNITED9
STATES.10
(b) "COMMANDING OFFICER" MEANS A COMMISSIONED OFFICER OR11
WARRANT OFFICER IN A POSITION OF COMMAND IN THE ARMED FORCES OR12
NATIONAL GUARD.13
(c) "MILITARY PROTECTION ORDER" MEANS A PROTECTION ORDER14
ISSUED AGAINST A CURRENT MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OR15
NATIONAL GUARD BY THE MEMBER 'S COMMANDING OFFICER THAT16
PROHIBITS THE MEMBER FROM:17
(I) C ONTACTING, HARASSING , INJURING , INTIMIDATING ,18
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MOLESTING, THREATENING , TOUCHING , OR STALKING A PROTECTED1
PERSON;2
(II) COMMITTING SEXUAL VIOLENCE BY SEXUALLY ASSAULTING OR3
ABUSING A PROTECTED PERSON;4
(III) ENTERING OR REMAINING ON PREMISES OR COMING WITHIN A5
SPECIFIED DISTANCE OF A PROTECTED PERSON OR PREMISES;6
(IV) TAKING, TRANSFERRING, CONCEALING, HARMING, DISPOSING7
OF, OR THREATENING HARM TO AN ANIMAL OWNED, POSSESSED, LEASED,8
KEPT, OR HELD BY A PROTECTED PERSON; OR9
(V) POSING ANY OTHER RISK OR THREAT OF PHYSICAL HARM TO10
THE PROTECTED PERSON OR THREAT OF PSYCHOLOGICAL OR EMOTIONAL11
HARM TO THE PROTECTED PERSON.12
(d) "N ATIONAL GUARD" MEANS THE FEDERALLY RECOGNIZED13
ARMY NATIONAL GUARD AND AIR NATIONAL GUARD.14
(e) "P ROTECTED PERSON " MEANS THE PERSON IDENTIFIED IN A15
MILITARY PROTECTION ORDER AS THE PERSON FOR WHOSE BENEFIT THE16
PROTECTION ORDER WAS ISSUED.17
(2) A PEACE OFFICER RESPONDING TO AN INCIDENT OF DOMESTIC18
VIOLENCE SHALL DETERMINE WHETHER ONE OF THE PARTIES IS A CURRENT19
MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES AND , IF SO , THE PEACE OFFICER SHALL20
SEARCH THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER DATABASE TO21
DETERMINE WHETHER A MILITARY PROTECTION ORDER HAS BEEN ISSUED22
AGAINST ONE OF THE PARTIES . IF A MILITARY PROTECTION ORDER HAS23
BEEN ISSUED AGAINST A PARTY , THE PEACE OFFICER SHALL NOTIFY THE24
MILITARY LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY THAT ENTERED THE PROTECTION25
ORDER INTO THE NATIONAL CRIME INFORMATION CENTER DATABASE.26
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-14-104.5, amend27
085-3-
(7)(a) as follows:1
13-14-104.5. Procedure for temporary civil protection order.2
(7) (a) A temporary civil protection order may be issued if the3
issuing judge or magistrate finds that a risk or threat of physical harm or4
the threat of psychological or emotional harm exists to the person or5
persons seeking protection under the civil protection order. In6
determining whether a risk or threat of physical harm or the threat of7
psychological or emotional harm exists to one or more persons, the court8
shall consider all relevant evidence concerning the safety and protection9
of the persons seeking the protection order, regardless of when an10
incident occurred, or the existence of a protection order issued pursuant11
to section 18-1-1001 or 18-1-1001.5. T HE EXISTENCE OF A MILITARY12
PROTECTION ORDER , AS DEFINED IN SECTION 18-6-806, IS RELEVANT13
EVIDENCE THAT THE COURT SHALL CONSIDER WHEN DETERMINING14
WHETHER THERE IS A RISK OR THREAT OF HARM.15
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act16
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the17
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August18
12, 2026, if adj ournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a19
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the20
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act21
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect22
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in23
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the24
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.25
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