Bill

Bill > SB281


CO SB281

CO SB281
Increase Penalties Careless Driving


summary

Introduced
04/07/2025
In Committee
05/03/2025
Crossed Over
05/12/2025
Passed
06/02/2025
Dead
Signed/Enacted/Adopted
06/02/2025

Introduced Session

2025 Regular Session

Bill Summary

CONCERNING CARELESS DRIVING RESULTING IN SERIOUS BODILY INJURY.

AI Summary

This bill increases penalties for careless driving that results in serious bodily injury or death. Specifically, the bill modifies existing Colorado law to create more stringent consequences for drivers whose careless actions cause harm to others. Under the new provisions, if a person's actions are the proximate cause of bodily injury to another individual, they will now commit a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. Moreover, if the person's careless driving results in serious bodily injury (as defined in section 18-1-901) or death to an individual, they will also commit a class 1 misdemeanor traffic offense. An important additional provision states that if a person's careless driving causes serious bodily injury or death to more than one individual, each injured or killed person will be considered a separate violation of the law. The bill also updates related statutory definitions to include serious bodily injury alongside death in certain legal contexts. The changes will apply to offenses committed on or after the bill's effective date, and the legislature has declared the act necessary for immediate public safety preservation.

Committee Categories

Budget and Finance, Justice

Sponsors (43)

Ryan Armagost (R)* John Carson (R)* Cecelia Espenoza (D)* Marc Snyder (D)* Judy Amabile (D),  Mark Baisley (R),  Matt Ball (D),  Carlos Barron (R),  Shannon Bird (D),  Andrew Boesenecker (D),  Jeff Bridges (D),  Scott Bright (R),  Jarvis Caldwell (R),  Marc Catlin (R),  Chad Clifford (D),  James Coleman (D),  Lisa Cutter (D),  Monica Duran (D),  Tony Exum (D),  Lisa Frizell (R),  Meg Froelich (D),  Julie Gonzales (D),  Iman Jodeh (D),  Rebecca Keltie (R),  Barbara Kirkmeyer (R),  Chris Kolker (D),  William Lindstedt (D),  Larry Liston (R),  Paul Lundeen (R),  Janice Marchman (D),  Matt Martinez (D),  Julie McCluskie (D),  Dafna Michaelson Jenet (D),  Kyle Mullica (D),  Byron Pelton (R),  Rod Pelton (R),  Jacqueline Phillips (D),  Cleave Simpson (R),  Alex Valdez (D),  Katie Wallace (D),  Ron Weinberg (R),  Michael Weissman (D),  Dan Woog (R), 

Last Action

Governor Signed (on 06/02/2025)

bill text


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bill summary

Document Type Source Location
State Bill Page https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb25-281
Fiscal Note FN4 https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb281_f1.pdf
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_281_enr.pdf
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_281_rer.pdf
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_281_rev.pdf
Fiscal Note FN3 https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb281_r2.pdf
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_281_ren.pdf
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_281_eng.pdf
Senate Appropriations Amendment L.014 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/072A64205B98F3DD87258C7A0056BAEA/SB281_L.014.pdf
Fiscal Note/Analysis - Budget Staff Analysis SA1 https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb0281_sen.pdf
Fiscal Note FN2 https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb281_r1.pdf
Senate Judiciary Amendment L.005 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/1EAEDFBC54392DA887258C6E00586C1F/SB281_L.005.pdf
Senate Judiciary Amendment L.010 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/E8E79613C1BFC08D87258C73005D24D1/SB281_L.010.pdf
Senate Judiciary Amendment L.009 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/3034B8F853E3D96087258C73005D1430/SB281_L.009.pdf
Senate Judiciary Amendment L.004 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/8E52733459CD60BE87258C6E00588900/SB281_L.004.pdf
Senate Judiciary Amendment L.008 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/DB1824AF3B641F6F87258C73005B2440/SB281_L.008.pdf
Senate Judiciary Amendment L.013 https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/leg.colorado.gov/2025A/amendments/59C06E3F4C38CAB487258C73005CF97F/SB281_L.013.pdf
Fiscal Note FN1 https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/fn/2025a_sb281_00.pdf
BillText https://leg.colorado.gov/sites/default/files/documents/2025A/bills/2025a_281_01.pdf
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