Safe Conditions for All: Understanding Colorado’s HB26-1276 Law
This new Colorado law requires the state health department to inspect detention facilities for health and safety violations every three months. Facilities that refuse face penalties. The bill also permits local public health agencies to inspect detention facilities.
The state health department must publish annual reports on inspection results so the public can see exactly what’s happening inside.
Additionally, the P.O.S.T board will establish new training standards for immigration detainers. Police officers will soon be required to complete new training on how to handle immigration detainers under current law.
They will inspect adherence to:
- Food safety standards
- Drinking water quality standards
- Confinement conditions
- Standards of care provided
- In order to perform such inspections, the facility must provide all access necessary including to detained individuals, records, facility officials, and personnel
Detention facilities must submit yearly reports to the State on the following:
- Outcomes of pregnant individuals in the facility
- Outcomes of individuals with chronic health conditions
- Outcomes of individuals with disabilities
- Access to food for individuals with dietary restrictions
- Average temperature within the facility
- Highest and lowest temperatures recorded within the facility
- Individuals’ access to an attorney
- Individuals’ access to spaces of worship or silent reflection
Additional protections:
- Minors cannot be detained in the same room as a non-familial adult
- Medical professionals and mental health professionals must be on site at the facility and accessible at all times