Drivers who treat Colorado roads like a personal speedway could soon face a tougher audience, a judge instead of a quick-pay ticket, under a new bill at the state Capitol. A proposal from State Sen. Dylan Roberts would raise the stakes for motorists who repeatedly blow past posted limits, pushing more cases into court and increasing penalties for certain aggressive maneuvers. Backers say the goal is to cut preventable deaths on Colorado roads, not to stuff county jails overnight.
Recent posts from local law enforcement have highlighted why legislators are paying attention. Officers in Westminster reported stopping a driver at about 76 mph in a 35 mph zone, while Boulder police shared a social post showing a driver cruising at roughly 100 mph in a 60 mph zone, part of a broader spike in extreme speeding along the Front Range, as reported by KDVR.
What the bill would change
Under Senate Bill SB26-035, sponsors want to crank up penalties for illegally overtaking on the left in no-passing zones and tighten the screws on drivers who collect multiple speeding violations within one-, two-, or five-year windows. The measure would require drivers who rack up repeated speeding citations within those time frames to receive a summons and complaint instead of the more routine penalty-assessment notice, effectively routing those cases into the criminal-court process, according to the bill summary on the Colorado General Assembly website.
Why sponsors say it's needed
The bill's legislative declaration cites state data and warns that "speeding remains a leading factor contributing to hundreds of deaths annually," language that positions the measure as a safety tool rather than a purely punitive crackdown, per the bill text (PDF) from the Colorado General Assembly. State transportation officials are singing a similar tune: the Colorado Department of Transportation has flagged speeding as the largest contributor to fatal crashes and launched civil-speed enforcement on CO 119 in January as part of a broader safety push, according to CDOT.
How penalties work now
Right now, driving 25 miles per hour or more above the posted limit in Colorado is a Class 2 misdemeanor, punishable by at least 10 days in jail or a $150 fine and up to 90 days or a $300 fine. Certain aggravated situations, including some construction-zone violations, can bump that up to a Class 1 misdemeanor with tougher penalties, according to Colorado statutes summarized by Justia. By steering repeat speeders into court instead of letting them quietly pay administrative fines, Roberts' bill could increase the odds that those misdemeanor penalties actually come into play.
What's next
The bill is scheduled for its first hearing before the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee on Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 1:30 p.m. in SCR 352. Committee debate, public testimony, and any amendments will determine whether SB26-035 moves on to a floor vote or hits a legislative red light. Bill trackers and committee documents are available through legislative tools such as TrackBill.
Legal implications
Shifting repeat violators from simple penalty assessments to formal summonses would force more drivers into court, where they could face higher fines, more points on their licenses, and, in aggravated cases, jail time if prosecutors and judges pursue misdemeanor charges. Sen. Roberts told KDVR that "jail time isn't the initial goal" and that the bill is intended to "call attention" to dangerous behavior and save lives.
Lawmakers, safety advocates, and law-enforcement officials will be watching the committee process closely in the weeks ahead. For now, SB26-035 has shoved Colorado's surge in extreme speeding into the middle of the legislative spotlight.
