Colorado SB72: Increased Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault

What the bill says

From the chaptered text, May 30, 2026:

~ ~ ~ u ----------- ~ SENATE BILL 26-072 BY SENATOR(S) Carson and Snyder, Frizell, Kirkmeyer, Marchman, Mullica, Pelton B., Roberts, Simpson, Coleman; also REPRESENTATIVE(S) Espenoza and Marshall, Boesenecker, Duran, Gonzalez R., Lieder, Paschal, Richardson, Soper, McCluskie. CONCERNING INCREASING CRIMINAL PENALTIES RELATED TO ASSAULTIVE CONDUCT WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE, AND, IN CONNECTION THEREWITH, ADDING THE CONDUCT OF CAUSING THE DEATH OF ANOTHER PERSON WITH A MOTOR VEHICLE TO THE CRIME OF CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE. SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, amend 18-3-105 as follows: 18-3-105. Criminally negligent homicide. (1) (a) Any A person who causes the death of another person by conduct amounting to WITH criminal negligence commits criminally negligent homicide. which Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes through words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law and such material is not part of the act. (b) IF A PERSON OPERA TES OR DRIVES A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH CRIMINAL NEGLIGENCE AND THE CONDUCT IS THE PROXIMATE CAUSE OF THE DEATH OF ANOTHER PERSON, THE PERSON COMMITS CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE. (2) CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT HOMICIDE is a class 5 felony. SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 42-4-239, repeal (4 )( d) as follows: 42-4-239. Use of a mobile electronic device - definitions - penalty. (4) (d) If the individual's actions are the proximate …

Read the full official text

Sponsors

• Espenoza, Cecelia (D, 4) · primary sponsor
• Marshall, Bob (D, 43) · primary sponsor
• Boesenecker, Andrew (D, 53)
• Duran, Monica (D, 23)
• Gonzalez, Ryan (R, 50)
• Lieder, Sheila (D, 28)
• Paschal, Amy (D, 18)
• Richardson, Chris (R, 56)
• Soper, Matt (R, 54)
• McCluskie, Julie (D, 13)
• Carson, John (R, 30) · primary sponsor
• Snyder, Marc (D, 12) · primary sponsor

Latest actions

1. May 28, 2026: Governor Signed
2. May 21, 2026: Sent to the Governor
3. May 21, 2026: Signed by the Speaker of the House
4. May 21, 2026: Signed by the President of the Senate
5. May 13, 2026: House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
6. May 12, 2026: House Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments
7. May 11, 2026: House Committee on Judiciary Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole
8. April 14, 2026: Introduced In House - Assigned to Judiciary
9. April 10, 2026: Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
10. April 9, 2026: Senate Second Reading Passed with Amendments - Committee

Votes

• Third Reading: BILL (May 13, 2026): 61 yea, 4 nay, passed
• Refer Senate Bill 26-072 to the Committee of the Whole. (May 11, 2026): 10 yea, 1 nay, passed
• Third Reading: BILL (April 10, 2026): 31 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Third Reading: AMEND (April 10, 2026): 31 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Refer Senate Bill 26-072, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar. (April 6, 2026): 7 yea, 0 nay, passed
• Adopt amendment L.001 (Attachment A) (April 6, 2026): 0 yea, 0 nay, failed

Common questions

What is SB72?

SB72 is a bill in the Colorado Legislature (2026 Regular Session): Increased Penalty for Vehicular Homicide & Assault.

What does SB72 do?

Concerning increasing criminal penalties related to assaultive conduct with a motor vehicle, and, in connection therewith, adding the conduct of causing the death of another person with a motor vehicle to the crime of criminally negligent homicide.

What is the status of SB72?

Chaptered as of May 28, 2026. Latest action: Governor Signed (May 28, 2026).

Who sponsored SB72?

Espenoza, Cecelia (D, 4), with 11 co-sponsors.

Where is the official record for SB72?

On the Colorado Legislature website: https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-072