JOINT RELEASE: Laws to Protect Children Online, Improve Support for Vulnerable Children Go Into Effect
DENVER, CO – On August 12, 2026, two laws will go into effect to improve the safety of Colorado children. SB26-011 will improve public safety by enforcing digital warrant response timelines for online platforms and HB26-1142 will improve support for children through child advocacy centers (CACs) as they navigate trauma, maltreatment, and abuse.
“As a former Deputy District Attorney, I saw firsthand how critical digital evidence can be in serious criminal investigations, and how navigating situations of abuse and neglect can affect kids who don’t have adequate support,” said Sen. Dylan Roberts, D-Frisco, sponsor of SB26-011 and HB26-1142. “By improving data sharing between online companies and law enforcement, as well as bolstering services provided by child advocacy centers, these new laws will ensure evidence is collected in a timely manner and will improve support for the kids who need it the most.”“This law ensures that digital search warrants are taken seriously so families can hold bad actors accountable for dangerous online activity,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins, sponsor of SB26-011 and HB26-1142. “Weak requirements around delivering digital evidence make it nearly impossible for victims and their families to seek justice. By requiring social media companies to respond to search warrants in a timely manner, we can improve pathways to justice and protect our communities from further harm.”
SB26-011, also sponsored by Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell, R-Monument, and Senator Lisa Frizell, R-Castle Rock, will establish and enforce specific requirements for how large online social media platforms must receive, acknowledge, and respond to search warrants issued by Colorado courts.
The law covers social media websites, online services, or mobile applications that have at least one million discrete monthly users, allow users to create profiles, and allow users to create or share content.
Under the law, these platforms must have a clear process for communication with law enforcement, provide a staffed hotline available to law enforcement 24/7, provide status updates on warrant compliance, and prominently post contact information for search warrant compliance on their homepage. They must also acknowledge receipt of a search warrant within eight hours and comply within 72 hours in most cases. These requirements will be enforced by the Attorney General or local district attorneys.
HB26-1142, also known as the Colorado Child Advocacy Center Act, defines clear and consistent guardrails across CACs, reinforcing child-focused, trauma-informed coordination between CACs and law enforcement as they move through investigation, treatment, and prosecution processes.
“Colorado children deserve a strong foundation to build a successful future, and our law will strengthen their support system within child advocacy centers so advocates can better provide the trauma-informed care that they need,” continued Speaker Pro Tempore Boesenecker. “Child advocacy centers are a crucial lifeline for kids who are victims of alleged abuse or maltreatment. By defining CACs in statute, we can ensure the best people are in the room to support children moving through intense health, emotional, and legal processes. With this bipartisan law going into effect, we can improve protections for children and their hardworking advocates.”
“Child advocacy centers already support thousands of children across the state, and this legislation serves to strengthen the tools they have,” said Sen. Matt Ball, D-Denver, sponsor of HB26-1142. “More collaboration, more support, and more resources afforded by this legislation will ultimately allow them to better support Colorado’s most vulnerable.”
Also sponsored by Rep. Rick Taggart, R-Grand Junction, HB26-1142 defines the members of multidisciplinary advocacy teams within CACs to include a member of a law enforcement agency, a district attorney or assistant district attorney, a member of the county department’s child protective services unit, a local mental health provider, a local health care provider, a victim advocate, and CAC staff.
The law reduces barriers for county departments of human services and CAC multidisciplinary team members to share critical information while maintaining a child-focused approach to a case. It also offers civil and criminal immunity for CAC advocates for sharing relevant information between multidisciplinary teams and county departments and civil immunity for CAC board members, staff and volunteers for actions taken in good faith. Clarifying the exact permissible uses of sensitive information will better protect the child and the advocacy team.
CACs provide services to children and their families in the case of abuse. These services can include medical evaluations, mental health treatment, assistance navigating the judicial system and child abuse prevention. There are 19 CACs across the state that have served nearly 6,000 Colorado children.