Committee Passes Legislation to Protect Children Online, Improve Public Safety

SB26-011 would ensure timely, reliable compliance with search warrants

DENVER, CO – The House Judiciary Committee today passed bipartisan legislation to improve digital warrant response timelines for online platforms and keep communities safe. SB26-011 unanimously passed by a vote of 11-0.

“Our legislation is about making sure families who have been harmed aren’t left waiting for justice,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker, D-Fort Collins. “At its core, this bill puts the voices of impacted families first. When a judge authorizes a lawful search warrant, law enforcement deserves timely access to evidence, whether it exists in a filing cabinet or on a social media platform. Digital evidence should not be treated differently than physical evidence, and tech companies should be expected to comply with the law just like anyone else so investigators can get the answers families deserve.”

SB26-001, also sponsored by Minority Leader Jarvis Caldwell, R-Monument, would establish and enforce specific requirements for how large online social media platforms must receive, acknowledge, and respond to search warrants issued by Colorado courts.

The bill would cover social media websites, online services, or mobile applications that have at least one million monthly users, allow users to create profiles, and allow users to create or share content.

Under the bill, these platforms must have a clear process for communication with law enforcement, provide a staffed hotline available to law enforcement 24/7, provide status updates on warrant compliance, and prominently post contact information for search warrant compliance on their homepage. They must also acknowledge receipt of a search warrant within eight hours and comply within 72 hours in most cases.  These requirements would be enforced by the Attorney General or local district attorneys.