On April 22, the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee voted HB26-1318 forward. The bill now heads to a full Senate floor vote. School zone definitions, smarter speed enforcement, and the School Streets framework move with it.
Sign Up to Testify → What this bill does ↓Colorado HB26-1318 addresses a long-standing gap in state law: Colorado has never clearly defined what a "school zone" actually is. This bill fixes that — and adds teeth to protect kids getting to and from school on foot or by bike.
The bill defines school zones as all roadways within at least 500 feet of a school property boundary. Within those zones, traffic penalties are already doubled under existing law — but enforcement has been hampered by vague definitions and burdensome requirements.
This bill is supported by Bicycle Colorado, AAA Colorado, and other advocacy organizations.
Establishes in state law that a school zone covers all roadways within at least 500 feet of a school property boundary — giving cities and counties a consistent, enforceable standard.
Streamlines requirements for automated vehicle identification systems (speed cameras) on Safe Routes to School. Currently, municipalities must document a 5-year crash history before deployment — this bill waives that requirement on designated safe routes to school.
Adds and updates definitions that allow school zone protections to be consistently applied and enforced across the state, removing ambiguity for law enforcement and courts.
The bill creates a legal framework for School Streets — local roads directly adjacent to schools where kids, pedestrians, and cyclists get the right of way.
The framework is modeled directly on Washington State's SB 5595 and adapted for Colorado. It creates a foundation for a statewide shared streets program in the future.
A trial School Street was already piloted at Brown Elementary — read about that experience here.
The maximum speed limit on a School Street is 10 mph — making it genuinely safe for kids.
Motor vehicle drivers must always yield to both pedestrians and cyclists. Cyclists yield to pedestrians.
Streets can be closed to motor vehicles entirely — giving schools the flexibility to create car-free arrival and dismissal zones.
Laws that prohibit pedestrians from crossing or lingering in roadways don't apply on School Streets — students can move freely and safely.
School Streets must have clear signage indicating the designation, speed limit, and right-of-way rules.
Type HB26-1318 into the bill number field.
Scroll down to find the Senate Transportation & Energy Committee hearing on Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 1:30 PM (SCR 352) and select it.
Fill in your information and choose your testimony format: in-person, remote (Zoom), or written comment.
Wednesday, April 22, 2026 at 1:30 PM in SCR 352 at the Colorado State Capitol. Plan to arrive 15–20 minutes early to check in. The bill order on the agenda may shift. Written testimony is always a strong option if you can't be there live.
Things people have asked about HB26-1318, the hearing, and how to show up. Don't see your question? Written testimony is always welcome.
No. The School Street designation is a completely optional program and only applies when a city chooses to implement it. It's typically intended for quiet residential streets directly next to schools — not for arterials or every school zone statewide.
No. Cities can still reduce the size of a school zone — they just have to hold a public hearing before doing so. The bill adds transparency, not a prohibition.
No. There are no fiscal impacts to cities from this bill. It simply gives cities more options — the definitions, School Street framework, and relaxed camera siting rules are all opt-in tools, not mandates.
An optional legal designation a city can apply to a residential street directly adjacent to a school. When applied, the street has a 10 mph speed limit, pedestrians and cyclists always have right-of-way, the street can optionally be closed to motor vehicles during arrival/dismissal, and required signage makes the rules unambiguous to drivers.
Modeled on Washington State's SB 5595 and on the ~200 School Streets Paris has implemented since 2020.
It moves to the full Senate floor for a vote. After the Senate passes it, any differences between the House and Senate versions are reconciled — sometimes through a conference committee — and the final version goes to the governor's desk.
Local municipalities. HB26-1318 doesn't require any city to install cameras — it just removes the current barrier (the requirement to document a five-year crash history before a camera can go in on a Safe Route to School). Cities that choose to deploy cameras typically run them as self-funding programs, where the fines cover operating costs.
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