Three Bills Engaged at the Colorado Assembly: How Can Women/Children be Protected?

On February 18, 2026, I spoke at Colorado’s legislative committees who were hearing testimony on three bills: Senate Bill SB26-018 and House Bills HB26-1087 and HB26-1085. Two bills presented opposing views on parental rights when children express gender confusion and request name changes or trans-gender medical intervention. The Democrats' bill, SB26-018, would criminalize anyone revealing a child's use of another name in school to parents, and potentially end parental custody of the child if parents refuse to affirm the child's request for gender name-change or medical sex-change procedures. In reverse, the Republicans' HB26-1087 would make it illegal to hide a minor's name change request from parents and criminalize anyone aiding sex-change procedures on minors, including hormones, puberty blockers, or surgeries. With Democrats outnumbering Republicans on all committees, they advanced SB26-018 and killed HB26-1087 along strict party-line votes. The third bill, HB26-1085, introduces a medical form allowing a pregnant woman who is about to have a medical procedure to express her wishes against receiving an abortion if incapacitated. That Bill is "laid up" pending response to committee requests.

SB26-018 (“Legal Protection for Dignity of Minors”): When the bill text became public, it ignited a firestorm of protest. Parents realized they wouldn't learn of their minor child's desire to change their name and body, and parents refusing to agree to name-changes or sex-transition could lose custody of the child. The child custody section was temporarily “removed”, but the sponsor promised to fight to get that section back into the Bill. My testimony pointed out that safeguarding parental authority over minors is foundational family law, affirmed by the Supreme Court in Troxel v. Granville. Courts intervene only for abuse or neglect, which this is not, as proven by the following.  The American Society of Plastic Surgeons, who formerly performed gender-transition surgeries, issued a landmark statement disavowing breast, genital, and facial surgeries for transgender patients under age 19 (tinyurl.com/surgeonsnixtranssurgeries1). Furthermore, the FDA has warned about puberty blockers due to side effects like brain swelling, inhibited bone development, and vision loss (tinyurl.com/fdasays3sideeffects). The claim that denying transitions leads to child-suicide is psychological projection because it is after sex-transition that these individuals become involved in a 19.1 times higher suicide rate (then equivalent non-trans people) according to a Swedish study (tinyurl.com/19xsuicides). The Bill sponsors downplayed surgeries as rare, yet 3,700 children ages 12-18 underwent gender-change surgery from 2016-2020, with 3,200 (86%) being breast removals on girls (tinyurl.com/3200breastremovals). This begs the question, “Why are we subjecting young minor girls with healthy bodies to mutilating procedures instead of protecting their health?” Nevertheless, Colorado Democrats passed SB26-018 by 5-2 on a party-line-vote.

HB26-1087 (“SafeGuard Minors from Sex-Altering Interventions”): This bill is the opposite of SB26-018 as it would outlaw hiding transgender name changes and medical transitions for minors. The sponsor noted rising lawsuits from detransitioners—minors who transitioned, regretted it, and sued providers. My testimony cited Varian Fox, who weeks ago won $2 million after holding her psychologist and surgeon liable for malpractice (tinyurl.com/2millionaward). The Bill mirrors Colorado Initiative 110 (“Protect Children from Irreversible Sex Change Surgery Act”), which just finished gathering signatures for the fall ballot.  Those gathering signatures for this initiative at grocery stores and other venues found that 80% of citizens who were asked to review the petition also signed it. Thus, even though this Bill was killed in committee (along a party-line-vote), voters may enact it in November, making it Colorado law the first day of next year.

HB26-1085 (“Offer a Pregnant Person a Do Not Abort Form”); Building on the intro, this bill expands a woman's right to choose. Choice means choice. Pro-choice advocates should back it—legislative refusal to vote “YES” would expose hypocrisy on "choice."

Call to Action: In Colorado, to contact your legislator at https://leg.colorado.gov/find-my-legislator, and click on “Find My Legislator”, and drop down half a page and enter your address. Then email or call your legislator about their voting plans. Urge SB26-018 (NO), and HB26-1085 (YES). If they oppose, respectfully seek clarification and reasons, then email me at lloydbenes50@gmail.com to support my work with legislators in the coming weeks through mid-April’s close of the legislative session.

Lloyd Benes is a retired engineer living in Loveland, Colorado.