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HB 1218 CO
Became Law

Clarifying Validity of Common Law Marriage

CO · session 2026A · Assembly / House · bill

A state bill is a proposed law in a state legislature — separate from the U.S. Congress. Learn more →

Introduced Feb 17, 2026

Latest action (May 5, 2026) Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs

Summary

This bill reverses a provision that was repealed by a 2025 law (Senate Bill 25-014). It restores language to Colorado's marriage law that clarifies that certain marriage formality requirements do not invalidate an otherwise valid common law marriage. The restoration of this provision clarifies the legal status and validity of common law marriages in Colorado. The bill addresses a gap created by the 2025 repeal and reinstates protections for couples who entered into common law marriages without meeting all formal marriage requirements.

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

Official abstract

Senate Bill 25-014, enacted in 2025, repealed a provision of law that stated certain marriage formality requirements do not invalidate an otherwise valid common law marriage. The act restores that provision to clarify the validity of common law marriage.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)

Sponsors (6)
1 coauthor / cosponsor

Action history (13)
  1. May 5, 2026 Governor Signed · executive
  2. Apr 6, 2026 Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/02/2026 - No Amendments · upper
  3. May 1, 2026 Sent to the Governor · executive
  4. May 1, 2026 Signed by the President of the Senate · upper
  5. May 1, 2026 Signed by the Speaker of the House · lower
  6. Apr 7, 2026 Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
  7. Apr 6, 2026 Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments · upper
  8. Mar 31, 2026 Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole · upper
  9. Mar 12, 2026 Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs · upper
  10. Mar 9, 2026 House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments · lower
  11. Mar 6, 2026 House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Floor · lower
  12. Mar 5, 2026 House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole · lower
  13. Feb 17, 2026 Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs · lower
Subjects
Children & Domestic Matters

Full text

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