Colorado: Stop SB26-018

Background

Last year, when Colorado Democrats sought to take custody away from parents who affirm biological reality, massive pressure from grassroots activists forced them to remove the provision from HB25-1312. Democratic Governor Jared Polis opposed this extreme attempt to undermine parental rights.

Now, that fight is back.

What is CO’s SB26-018?

Colorado Democrats’ have recently introduced a new bill, SB26-018 — deceptively titled “Legal Protections for Dignity of Minors.” This bill revives and expands last year’s threat by forcing judges to consider whether a parent “affirms” a child’s gender identity when determining custody. Under this bill, parents could lose their child simply for using their birth name or recognizing biological sex — even without any allegation of abuse and neglect.

This new bill is even more radical than Democrat’s efforts last year and would make the new protected classes under the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act — chosen name and gender expression — a part of custody law. Any parent who chooses to affirm biological reality would be viewed as dangerous or abusive. The bill even erases name-change information from court records — making it difficult for non-custodial parents to locate their own children.

SB26-018 would unleash a cascade of harms:

• Denial of Parental Rights. This bill undermines the foundational right of parents to raise their children by pressuring courts to strip custody from parents who don’t adopt state-approve gender ideology. It intrudes on medical, educational, religious, and identity-related decisions that belong to families — not the government.
• Violation of Religious Freedom/Free Speech. By forcing courts to evaluate where a parent “affirms” gender identity, this bill weaponizes deeply held beliefs and punishes parents for expressing traditional or faith-based views. It’s a direct assault on free speech and religious freedom. No parent should face legal penalties for speaking truthfully about biological sex or raising a child according to their convictions.
• Harm to Vulnerable Children. Instead of calming high-conflict situations, SB26-018 injects ideology into custody fights, placing children at the center of politicalized legal battles. It risks separating kids from loving parents who seek to protect them from irreversible medical interventions — and hands greater authority to the courts, not parents.

These dangers aren’t hypothetical. Multiple parents in Colorado have already lost custody to spouses determined to medicalize their child, enabled by activist judges. SB26-018 would lock that injustice into state law.

Coloradans stood up last year and forced lawmakers to retreat. We must demand they listen once again.

Take Action

The Colorado state legislature must reject SB26-018 to put a stop to the weaponization of gender ideology against parents and children in the state.

SB26-018 is now before the Senate Judiciary Committee. Colorado legislators must hear from you to stop this bill before more families are torn apart. Contact your legislators today to voice opposition and protect kids and parental rights.

>> Take Action: Email the Senate Judiciary Committee and urge them to vote no on SB26-018.