SB26-136 • 2026

Reporting of Lost or Stolen Livestock

The bill directs the division of brand inspection (division) in the department of agriculture and the state board of stock inspection commissioners in the department of agriculture to receive reports

Agriculture

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor: Sen. J. Coleman, Sen. R. Pelton, Rep. R. English, Rep. L. Suckla, Sen. J. Amabile, Sen. M. Baisley, Sen. A. Benavidez, Sen. J. Bridges, Sen. S. Bright, Sen. M. Catlin, Sen. L. Cutter, Sen. J. Danielson, Sen. T. Exum, Sen. L. Frizell, Sen. J. Gonzales, Sen. C. Kipp, Sen. B. Kirkmeyer, Sen. C. Kolker, Sen. L. Liston, Sen. J. Marchman, Sen. K. Mullica, Sen. B. Pelton, Sen. J. Rich, Sen. D. Roberts, Sen. C. Simpson, Sen. K. Wallace, Sen. M. Weissman, Sen. L. Zamora Wilson
Last action: 2026-04-09
Official status: Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details about the specific mechanisms for public notification or what happens if a report is submitted after December 31, 2026.

Reporting Lost or Stolen Livestock

The bill directs the division of brand inspection in the department of agriculture to receive reports about lost or stolen livestock and work with law enforcement.

What This Bill Does

Requires the division of brand inspection and the state board of stock inspection commissioners to receive reports of missing livestock.
Directs these agencies to create rules for working with law enforcement on reporting lost or stolen livestock.
Establishes procedures by December 31, 2026, to ensure that reports are given to law enforcement within 24 hours and the public is informed about lost or stolen animals.

Who It Names or Affects

Livestock owners who report missing animals
Law enforcement agencies involved in livestock theft cases
The division of brand inspection and the state board of stock inspection commissioners

Terms To Know

Division of Brand Inspection: A part of the Colorado Department of Agriculture responsible for receiving reports about lost or stolen livestock.
State Board of Stock Inspection Commissioners: An agency within the Colorado Department of Agriculture that works with the division to create rules and procedures related to livestock reporting.

Limits and Unknowns

The bill does not specify how public notification will be carried out.
It is unclear what happens if a report is submitted after December 31, 2026.

Amendments

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

L.002

SEN Agriculture & Natural Resources

Passed [*]

Plain English: The amendment changes the bill to require the division of brand inspection and the state board of stock inspection commissioners to implement specific procedures for handling reports of lost or stolen livestock by December 31, 2026.

Changes 'rules' to 'procedures'.
Adds new requirements for the division to coordinate with law enforcement within 24 hours when a report of stolen livestock is received and suspected theft has occurred.
Requires public notification about lost or stolen livestock that has been reported.

The exact details of how these procedures will vary by geographic region are not specified in the amendment text.

Bill History

2026-04-09 House
Introduced In House - Assigned to Agriculture, Water & Natural Resources
2026-04-08 Senate
Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
2026-04-07 Senate
Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee
2026-04-02 Senate
Senate Committee on Agriculture & Natural Resources Refer Amended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole
2026-03-10 Senate
Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Agriculture & Natural Resources

Official Summary Text

The bill directs the division of brand inspection (division) in the department of agriculture and the state board of stock inspection commissioners in the department of agriculture to receive reports of lost or stolen livestock.
The board, in consultation with the division, shall adopt rules, which rules must be reviewed and approved by the division, to facilitate coordination between law enforcement and livestock owners related to the reporting of lost or stolen livestock.

On or before December 31, 2026, the division shall implement procedures that:
Facilitate efficient coordination with law enforcement, including procedures to ensure that reports of stolen livestock are provided to relevant law enforcement within twenty-four hours after the division receives a report of stolen livestock; and
Ensure that the public is notified of lost or stolen livestock.
The procedures implemented by the division may vary by geographic region depending on the needs of the region.
(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. 26-0742.01 Christopher McMichael x4775 SENATE BILL 26-136
Senate Committees House Committees
Agriculture & Natural Resources
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE REPORTING OF MISSING LIVESTOCK TO THE101
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.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.)
The bill directs the division of brand inspection (division) in the
department of agriculture and the state board of stock inspection
commissioners (board) in the department of agriculture to receive reports
of lost or stolen livestock. The board, in consultation with the division,
shall adopt rules, which rules must be reviewed and approved by the
division, to facilitate coordination between law enforcement and livestock
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 8, 2026
SENATE
Amended 2nd Reading
April 7, 2026
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Pelton R. and Coleman, Amabile, Baisley, Benavidez, Bridges, Bright, Catlin, Cutter,
Danielson, Exum, Frizell, Gonzales J., Kipp, Kirkmeyer, Kolker, Liston, Marchman, Mullica,
Pelton B., Rich, Roberts, Simpson, Wallace, Weissman, Zamora Wilson
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
English and Suckla,
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.
owners related to the reporting of lost or stolen livestock.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 35-41-101, add (13)2
as follows:3
35-41-101. State board of stock inspection commissioners -4
creation - brand commissioner - enterprise - bonds - lost or stolen5
livestock reports - procedures.6
(13) (a) THE BOARD AND THE DIVISION SHALL RECEIVE REPORTS OF7
LOST OR STOLEN LIVESTOCK.8
(b) O N OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2026, THE DIVISION SHALL9
IMPLEMENT PROCEDURES THAT:10
(I) F ACILITATE THE EFFICIENT COORDINATION WITH LAW11
ENFORCEMENT RELATED TO REPORTS OF LOST OR STOLEN LIVESTOCK ,12
INCLUDING PROCEDURES THAT ENSURE THE REPORTING OF STOLEN13
LIVESTOCK TO RELEVANT LAW ENFORCEMENT WITHIN TWENTY -FOUR14
HOURS OF THE DIVISION RECEIVING A REPORT OF STOLEN LIVESTOCK, AND15
AFTER THE DIVISION , UPON REVIEW OF THE REPORT , SUSPECTS THAT A16
LIVESTOCK THEFT HAS OCCURRED; AND17
(II) E NSURE THE PUBLIC IS NOTIFIED OF LOST OR STOLEN18
LIVESTOCK THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO THE DIVISION.19
(c) THE PROCEDURES IMPLEMENTED BY THE DIVISION PURSUANT20
TO SUBSECTION (13)(b) OF THIS SECTION MAY VARY BY GEOGRAPHIC21
REGION OF THE STATE DEPENDING ON THE REGION'S NEEDS.22
SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,23
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate24
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for25
136-2-
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state1
institutions.2
136-3-