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HB 1227 CO
Became Law

Minors' Rights in Dependency & Neglect Proceedings

CO · session 2026A · Assembly / House · bill

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Introduced Feb 18, 2026

Latest action (Jun 1, 2026) Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services

Summary

This bill would affirm and strengthen the rights of minors in Colorado dependency and neglect proceedings. The bill would confirm that children and youth named in such petitions are parties to the proceedings with full participation rights, legal standing on matters affecting their interests, and the right to representation by a guardian ad litem or counsel for youth throughout the case, including appeals. The bill would provide that if a county department seeks to dismiss a petition before the adjudicatory hearing and the child objects and articulates a basis of abuse or neglect, the court must hold a hearing to determine if the county has a reasonable basis for dismissal. The case would proceed unless the county demonstrates a reasonable basis for dismissal.

AI-generated plain-language summary of the bill (from the OpenStates abstract — no full text available yet) — neutral, and may be imperfect.

Official abstract

Current law states that a child or youth named in a petition related to dependency and neglect proceedings is a party to the proceedings and has a right to attend and fully participate in all hearings related to the case. The act affirms that as a party to the proceedings, the child or youth has legal standing regarding all matters related to the child's or youth's interests and the right to have the child's or youth's interests fully represented by the guardian ad litem or counsel for youth throughout the proceedings, including appeals.     If a county department of human or social services (county department) seeks dismissal of a petition prior to the adjudicatory hearing and the child or youth, through the child's or youth's guardian ad litem or counsel for youth, objects to the dismissal and articulates a basis upon which the child is abused or neglected, the court shall set a hearing to determine whether or not the county department has a reasonable basis to dismiss the case. If the court determines that the county department shows a reasonable basis for dismissal, the court shall dismiss the case. If the county department does not show a reasonable basis to dismiss the case, the court must allow the case to proceed.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Sponsors (4)
22 coauthors / cosponsors

Action history (14)
  1. Jun 1, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
  2. May 20, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
  3. May 20, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
  4. May 20, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
  5. May 6, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
  6. May 5, 2026 Senate Second Reading Special Order - Passed - No Amendments · upper
  7. Apr 30, 2026 Senate Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
  8. Apr 27, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Health & Human Services · upper
  9. Apr 21, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
  10. Apr 20, 2026 House Third Reading Laid Over Daily - No Amendments · lower
  11. Apr 17, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor · lower
  12. Apr 17, 2026 House Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
  13. Mar 4, 2026 House Committee on Health & Human Services Refer Amended to Appropriations · lower
  14. Feb 18, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to Health & Human Services · lower
Subjects
Children & Domestic Matters

Full text

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