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SB 25-276

Protect Civil Rights Immigration Status

2025 Regular Session Introduced by Judy Amabile and 56 co-sponsors

Colorado limits state/local agencies from sharing immigration status, strengthens personal data protections, and restricts cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.

Governor Signed
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · SB 25-276

SB 25‑276 — Protect Civil Rights: Immigration Status

Status: Governor signed (05/23/2025) | Introduced: 04/04/2025

Purpose / Intent

SB 25‑276 revises Colorado law to limit state and local participation in federal civil immigration enforcement, strengthen protections for personal identifying and immigration‑related information, expand avenues of relief for certain defendants facing immigration consequences, and add consumer data protections. The declared intent is to protect constitutional rights (Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, Tenth, Fourteenth Amendments and relevant Colorado constitutional provisions) and prevent state/local resources from being used for federal immigration enforcement.

Key provisions

  • Definition and scope

    • Extends privacy and non‑disclosure protections for personal identifying information from state agencies to political subdivisions (counties, municipalities, boards, commissions, institutions, departments, agencies), and to the judicial and legislative branches.
    • Attorney General must make a model certification form available to political subdivisions.

  • Personal identifying information

    • Prohibits disclosure or collection of immigration‑status information (including student visa sponsorship and student aid data for higher‑ed), unless required by state or federal law.
    • Information disclosed prior to June 30, 2025 is exempt; previously collected affidavit data used for in‑state tuition or ID eligibility must be managed under department data privacy policies (Dept. of Higher Education; Dept. of Revenue).
    • Repeals state agency record‑retention and quarterly reporting requirements related to third‑party requests for this information.

  • Public entity access and required policies (deadline Sept 1, 2025)

    • Public child care centers, public schools, local education providers, public higher‑ed institutions, certain health facilities, and publicly supported libraries must:
    • Limit collection of immigration‑related personal identifying info except as required or necessary to perform functions.
    • Adopt and publish policies governing when personal information may be provided to federal immigration authorities and procedures for granting access to nonpublic property areas (absent a federal warrant).
    • State Board of Education may not waive these requirements for public/charter schools.

  • Civil liability and remedies

    • Extends individual employee liability for unlawful disclosure to political subdivision, judicial, and legislative employees.
    • Violating public‑entity access/collection rules or personal info protections can trigger injunctions and civil penalties up to $50,000; penalties are credited to the Immigration Legal Defense Fund (Dept. of Labor & Employment).

  • Law enforcement, detention, and detainers

    • Jails and officers may not delay release for the purpose of immigration enforcement; continued detainment after bond because of a civil immigration detainer is treated as a new, warrantless arrest.
    • Officers may not request private citizens to help effect arrests based on civil immigration detainers.
    • Extends nondisclosure protections from probation to pretrial officers/employees.
    • Federal immigration authorities may not access nonpublic parts of detention facilities without a warrant; detention contracts/collaboration restrictions apply regardless of payment.
    • Detention facilities must designate an exit point for transfers to federal immigration authorities.

  • Other provisions

    • Expands ability to vacate improperly entered guilty pleas (to avoid immigration consequences) to include class 3 misdemeanors, traffic misdemeanors, and petty offenses.
    • Repeals affidavit requirements for in‑state tuition and ID eligibility (and protects previously collected data).
    • Prohibits military forces from other states entering Colorado without the governor’s permission unless acting under federal orders.
    • Expands prohibition on civil arrest at courthouses to behavioral health facilities, psychiatric hospitals, detention centers, and CDHS facilities.
    • Adds consumer privacy rule: controllers may not process geolocation data without consent and must limit data collection to what is reasonable, necessary, and proportionate.

Who is affected

  • Political subdivisions and their employees (counties, municipalities, local boards/commissions, departments, agencies)
  • Public schools, charter schools, local education providers, childcare centers, public higher‑education institutions
  • Health care facilities and publicly supported libraries
  • Law enforcement, jails, detention centers, probation and pretrial services
  • Noncitizen students and applicants previously required to submit affidavits for tuition/ID eligibility
  • Consumers (geolocation and other personal data)

Fiscal and procedural impacts

  • Enacted law; Governor signed 05/23/2025.
  • Implementation deadline for public entity policies: September 1, 2025.
  • Exemption for information disclosed prior to June 30, 2025.
  • Appropriations adjustments FY 2025‑26: net decrease of $58,293 (cash funds $54,900; General Fund $3,393); overall ongoing state expenditure reduction reported as about $69,497 annually in the final fiscal note. Net change: -0.7 FTE.
  • Civil penalties collected are credited to the Immigration Legal Defense Fund (Colorado Department of Labor & Employment).
  • Fiscal note classifies impacts as: minimal state revenue effect, state expenditures (decrease), and local government impacts.

Legislative timeline / status

  • Introduced in Senate: 04/04/2025
  • Passed both houses with amendments; enrolled and sent to Governor 05/07/2025
  • Governor signed into law: 05/23/2025

This summary highlights principal statutory changes and anticipated administrative/fiscal effects based on Legislative Council nonpartisan fiscal notes and enrolled bill text.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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