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SB26-176 • 2026

State Remedies for Constitutional Rights Violation

A person who, under color of any law, subjects, or causes to be subjected, another person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States constitution is liabl

Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Sen. J. Gonzales, Sen. M. Weissman, Rep. J. Mabrey, Rep. Y. Zokaie
Last action
2026-05-04
Official status
Senate Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely
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.

State Remedies for Constitutional Rights Violation

A person who, under color of any law, subjects, or causes to be subjected, another person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States constitution is liable to the injured party for legal or equitable relief.

What This Bill Does

  • A person who, under color of any law, subjects, or causes to be subjected, another person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States constitution is liable to the injured party for legal or equitable relief.
  • A defendant may assert a defense of absolute or qualified immunity to the same extent as in certain federal actions alleging a deprivation of rights.
  • An action alleging a deprivation of constitutional rights must be commenced within 2 years after the cause of action accrues.
  • (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-04 Senate

    Senate Committee on Judiciary Postpone Indefinitely

  2. 2026-04-21 Senate

    Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary

Official Summary Text

A person who, under color of any law, subjects, or causes to be subjected, another person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the United States constitution is liable to the injured party for legal or equitable relief. A defendant may assert a defense of absolute or qualified immunity to the same extent as in certain federal actions alleging a deprivation of rights. An action alleging a deprivation of constitutional rights must be commenced within 2 years after the cause of action accrues.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
INTRODUCED

LLS NO. 26-0941.01 Conrad Imel x2313 SENATE BILL 26-176
Senate Committees House Committees
Judiciary
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING STATE COURT REMEDIES FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL101
CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHTS.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.)
A person who, under color of any law, subjects, or causes to be
subjected, another person to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or
immunities secured by the United States constitution is liable to the
injured party for legal or equitable relief. A defendant may assert a
defense of absolute or qualified immunity to the same extent as in certain
federal actions alleging a deprivation of rights. An action alleging a
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Weissman and Gonzales J.,
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Mabrey and Zokaie,
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.
deprivation of constitutional rights must be commenced within 2 years
after the cause of action accrues.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Short title. The short title of this act is the "No2
Kings Act".3
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, add 13-20-1302 as4
follows:5
13-20-1302. Liability for violation of constitutional rights -6
relief - attorney fees - immunity - time limit to commence action -7
definition.8
(1) A PERSON WHO , UNDER COLOR OF ANY LAW , STATUTE ,9
ORDINANCE, REGULATION, CUSTOM, OR USAGE, SUBJECTS, OR CAUSES TO10
BE SUBJECTED , A PERSON IN COLORADO TO THE DEPRIVATION OF ANY11
RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES, OR IMMUNITIES SECURED BY THE UNITED STATES12
CONSTITUTION IS LIABLE TO THE INJURED PARTY IN AN ACTION AT LAW ,13
SUIT IN EQUITY , OR OTHER PROPER PROCEEDING FOR REDRESS ; EXCEPT14
THAT, IN AN ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST A JUDICIAL OFFICER FOR AN ACT15
OR OMISSION TAKEN IN THE OFFICER 'S JUDICIAL CAPACITY , INJUNCTIVE16
RELIEF SHALL NOT BE GRANTED UNLESS A DECLARATORY DECREE WAS17
VIOLATED OR DECLARATORY RELIEF WAS UNAVAILABLE.18
(2) (a) IN AN ACTION OR PROCEEDING BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS19
SECTION, THE COURT , IN ITS DISCRETION , MAY ALLOW A PREVAILING20
PLAINTIFF REASONABLE ATTORNEY FEES AS PART OF THE COSTS; EXCEPT21
THAT, IN AN ACTION BROUGHT AGAINST A JUDICIAL OFFICER FOR AN ACT22
OR OMISSION TAKEN IN THE OFFICER 'S JUDICIAL CAPACITY, THE OFFICER23
SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY COSTS, INCLUDING ATTORNEY FEES,24
UNLESS THE OFFICER'S ACT OR OMISSION WAS CLEARLY IN EXCESS OF THE25
SB26-176-2-
OFFICER'S JURISDICTION.1
(b) I N AWARDING ATTORNEY FEES PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION2
(2)(a) OF THIS SECTION , THE COURT , IN ITS DISCRETION , MAY INCLUDE3
EXPERT FEES AS PART OF THE ATTORNEY FEES.4
(c) WHEN A JUDGMENT IS ENTERED IN FAVOR OF A DEFENDANT ,5
THE COURT MAY AWARD REASONABLE COSTS AND ATTORNEY FEES TO THE6
DEFENDANT FOR DEFENDING ANY CLAIMS THE COURT FINDS FRIVOLOUS.7
(3) PURSUANT TO SECTION 13-80-102, A CIVIL ACTION BROUGHT8
PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN TWO YEARS9
AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES.10
(4) A DEFENDANT IN AN ACTION BROUGHT PURSUANT TO THIS11
SECTION MAY ASSERT A DEFENSE OF ABSOLUTE OR QUALIFIED IMMUNITY12
TO THE SAME EXTENT AS A PERSON SUED UNDER 42 U.S.C. SEC . 198313
UNDER LIKE CIRCUMSTANCES.14
(5) A S USED IN THIS SECTION , "COLOR OF ANY LAW , STATUTE ,15
ORDINANCE, REGULATION, CUSTOM, OR USAGE" INCLUDES COLOR OF ANY16
LAW, STATUTE , ORDINANCE , REGULATION , CUSTOM , OR USAGE OF THE17
UNITED STATES AND OF COLORADO AND A POLITICAL SUBDIVISION18
THEREOF.19
SECTION 3. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 13-80-102, amend20
(1)(k); and add (1)(l) as follows:21
13-80-102. General limitation of actions - two years.22
(1) The following civil actions, regardless of the theory upon23
which suit is brought, or against whom suit is brought, must be24
commenced within two years after the cause of action accrues, and not25
thereafter:26
(k) All actions brought under PURSUANT TO section 13-21-109 (2);27
SB26-176-3-
AND1
(l) A N ACTION ALLEGING A DEPRIVATION OF CONSTITUTIONAL2
RIGHTS BROUGHT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13-20-1302.3
SECTION 4. Severability. If any provision of this act or the4
application of this act to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the5
invalidity does not affect other provisions or applications of the act that6
can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to7
this end the provisions of this act are declared to be severable.8
SECTION 5. Safety clause. The general assembly finds,9
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate10
preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for11
the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state12
institutions.13
SB26-176-4-