HB 17-1188

HB 17-1188, a Colorado law, updates existing harassment laws by adding protections for people based on their physical or mental disability and sexual orientation. Before this bill, these groups were already protected under bias-motivated crime laws but not specifically in the harassment statute. Now that the governor has signed it into law, harassing someone because of their disability or sexual orientation can result in more severe legal consequences. This change ensures that all protected categories are treated equally under harassment laws.

Official Summary

Colorado's law concerning bias-motivated crimes prohibits the intimidation or harassment of another person because of that person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation. However, Colorado's harassment statute makes harassment a class 1 misdemeanor if the offender commits harassment with the intent to intimidate or harass another person because of that person's actual or perceived race, color, religion, ancestry, or national origin. The bill adds physical or mental disability and sexual orientation to the categories described in the harassment statute to make the statute consistent with Colorado's law concerning bias-motivated crimes. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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