HB 17-1188 Summary

• Amends Colorado's harassment law (18-9-111) to elevate bias-motivated harassment to a class 1 misdemeanor when committed because of a person's physical or mental disability or sexual orientation.

• Adds physical or mental disability (as defined in section 18-9-121(5)(a)) and sexual orientation (as defined in section 18-9-121(5)(b)) to the list of protected characteristics that trigger enhanced penalties for harassment.

• Maintains existing protected characteristics: race, color, religion, ancestry, and national origin.

• Harassment motivated by these characteristics remains a class 3 misdemeanor unless the offender intends to intimidate or harass based on the protected characteristic, in which case it becomes a class 1 misdemeanor.

• Takes effect August 9, 2017, unless subject to referendum petition, in which case it requires voter approval at the November 2018 general election.