SB 25-062
signedFailure to Appear Charges in Municipal Court
Plain-English Summary
AI-generatedSenate Bill 25-062, which has been signed into law, stops municipalities from charging people with criminal offenses simply because they didn't show up for a court date. This means that if someone misses a scheduled court appearance, the city can’t use their absence as grounds to bring new criminal charges against them. The law also makes it clear that terms like "contempt of court" related to missing a court date don’t count as separate criminal charges. This affects anyone who might face municipal court in Colorado and ensures they won't be penalized with additional criminal charges just for not appearing in court.
Official Summary
The act prohibits a person's failure to appear from forming the basis of a municipal criminal charge against the person.
The act clarifies that, for purposes of the act, failure to appear includes contempt of court for the failure to appear or any other term used by a municipality to refer to a person's failure to appear at a scheduled court date.
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Details
- Chamber
- Senate
- First action
- 2025-04-17
- Latest action
- 2025-01-21
- Last action desc.
- Introduced In Senate - Assigned to Judiciary
- OpenStates
- View source ↗
Related Legislation
This bill affects (31)
amendsHB 23-1182(2023A)· signedRemote Public Access To Criminal Court Proceedings
amendsSB 22-103(2022A)· signedRemedy For Improper Guilty Pleas
amendsHB 23-1222(2023A)· signedCases Of Domestic Violence In Municipal Court
relatesHB 24-1437(2024A)· signedProhibit Flat Fees for Defending Indigent Clients
relatesHB 23-1222(2023A)· signedCases Of Domestic Violence In Municipal Court
relatesSB 25-047(2025A)· signedEnforcement of Federal Immigration Law
relatesHB 17-1210(2017A)· failedSchool Discipline For Preschool Through 2nd Grade
relatesHB 17-1204(2017A)· signedJuvenile Delinquency Record Expungement
relatesSB 18-060(2018A)· signedProtective Orders In Criminal Cases
relatesHB 18-1269(2018A)· signedParent Notice For Student Safety And Protection
relatesHB 22-1257(2022A)· signed2022 Criminal And Juvenile Justice Commission Recommendations
relatesHB 23-1043(2023A)· signedEmergency And Continued Placement With Relative Or Kin
relatesSB 23-170(2023A)· signedExtreme Risk Protection Order Petitions
relatesHB 23-1268(2023A)· signedPrivate Treatment for Out-of-state Defendant
relatesHB 24-1128(2024A)· signedEnforcement of Federal Immigration Law
relatesHB 24-1291(2024A)· signedLicensed Legal Paraprofessionals
relatesSB 24-120(2024A)· signedUpdates to the Crime Victim Compensation Act
relatesHB 24-1101(2024A)· signedEmpower Victims through Access Restorative Justice
relatesHB 17-1360(2017A)· signedAllow Criminal Record Sealing Subsequent Offense
relatesHB 22-1160(2022A)· signedEstablishing Family Justice Centers
relatesHB 24-1350(2024A)· signedParental Responsibilities Proceedings Child Safety
relatesHB 22-1229(2022A)· signedSenate Bill 21-271 Clean-up
relatesSB 17-024(2017A)· signedClarify Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities Hearsay Exception
relatesHB 17-1334(2017A)· failedRegistration Process Servers
relatesSB 18-072(2018A)· signedRecord Sealing Menacing And Third Degree Assault
relatesHB 22-1295(2022A)· signedDepartment Early Childhood And Universal Preschool Program
relatesHB 23-1235(2023A)· signedTechnical Modification To Department Of Early Childhood
relatesSB 22-099(2022A)· signedSealing Criminal Records
relatesHB 24-1122(2024A)· signedProtection Orders for Victims of Crimes
relatesHB 17-1035(2017A)· signedSex Assault And Stalking Victims May Break Leases
relatesHB 18-1436(2018A)· signedExtreme Risk Protection Orders
Affected by (15)
amendsSB 25-276(2025A)· signedProtect Civil Rights Immigration Status
amendsHB 26-1297(2026A)· signedUniform Language for Misdemeanor Traffic Offense
amendsHB 25-1147(2025A)· signedFairness & Transparency in Municipal Court
amendsHB 26-1134(2026A)· signedFairness & Transparency in Municipal Court
relatesSB 26-112(2026A)· signedCourt Actions Related to Failure to Appear in Court
relatesHB 25-1148(2025A)· signedCriminal Protection Order & Protection Order Violation
relatesHB 25-1147(2025A)· signedFairness & Transparency in Municipal Court
relatesHB 25-1168(2025A)· signedHousing Protections for Victim-Survivors
relatesHB 25-1291(2025A)· signedTransportation Network Company Consumer Protection
relatesSB 25-190(2025A)· signedOffender Release from Custody
relatesHB 26-1265(2026A)· signedLaw Enforcement National Electronic Tracing System & Share Program
relatesHB 26-1134(2026A)· signedFairness & Transparency in Municipal Court
relatesHB 26-1009(2026A)· signedColorado Mandatory Lethality Assessment Act
relatesHB 26-1309(2026A)· signedAbuse in Cases of Separation
relatesHB 26-1424(2026A)· signedTransportation Network Company Consumer Protection
Votes
BILL
2025-04-02 · House · pass — Yes: 40 · No: 21 · Other: —
BILL
2025-02-11 · Senate · pass — Yes: 21 · No: 11 · Other: —
BILL
2025-02-11 · Senate · pass — Yes: 22 · No: 11 · Other: —