1. Addressing the Sexual Assault Kit Backlog:

• SB25-304:

  This bill aims to improve oversight, transparency, and timeliness in processing sexual assault evidence kits (SAKs) in Colorado. It creates a grant-funded position for an independent coordinator and establishes a panel to review sexual assault forensic medical evidence. 

• SB25-170:

  This bill focuses on addressing the backlog of sexual assault kits and creating data collection and reporting requirements. 

• Senate Bill 105:

  Already signed by the governor, this bill provides $3 million from unspent money to outsource sexual assault kits to third-party labs. 

2. Strengthening Victim Protections and Expanding Criminal Rape Shield Law:

• HB25-1138:

  This bill updates the civil rape shield statute to protect victim-survivors in civil suits from irrelevant attacks on their character. It eliminates the exception for evidence of the victim's prior or subsequent sexual conduct with the defendant and prohibits the admission of evidence of the victim's manner of dress or hairstyle. 

• HB25-1072:

  This bill further expands the criminal rape shield law to prohibit the admission of certain evidence of a victim's or witness's prior or subsequent sexual conduct. 

• HB25-1185:

  This bill allows for certain requirements to be waived for parents relinquishing custody of a child conceived as a result of sexual assault. 

3. Mandatory Minimum Sentences for Child Sexual Assault:

• HB25-1073: This bill requires a court to sentence offenders convicted of certain types of child sexual assault to a minimum term of incarceration, prohibiting probation in these cases. 

4. Other Notable Legislation:

• SJR018:

  This joint resolution recognizes April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month and designates April 30 as Colorado Denim Day. 

• SCR24-001:

  This concurrent resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to allow victims of childhood sexual abuse to bring civil claims, regardless of when the abuse occurred.