CO SB124

Defendants claiming self-defense may present evidence of prior violence committed by the alleged victim, including domestic abuse, sexual violence, human trafficking, or child abuse, to support the reasonableness of their belief in needing to use force

Courts must allow victim-defendants to present evidence that they experienced violence that significantly contributed to their offense, making them eligible for sentences of no more than half the maximum presumptive range or alternatives to incarceration

Individuals currently serving 15+ years in the Department of Corrections for offenses committed before July 1, 2026 may petition for post-conviction relief if they were victims of violence that significantly contributed to their crime

Excluded from alternative sentencing and post-conviction relief are Class 1 felonies (except certain first-degree murder), unlawful sexual behavior offenses, human trafficking of minors, stalking, and felony child abuse causing death or serious injury to children under 12

Judicial Department must report annually beginning July 1, 2027 on the number of petitions filed, hearings held, and sentences reduced under the post-conviction relief provisions