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Second Regular Session | 75th General Assembly
Colorado General Assembly

PUBLIC
BILL SUMMARY For HB26-1087

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES
Date Feb 18, 2026       Location HCR 0112

HB26-1087 - Postponed Indefinitely
05:01:41 PM  
The primary bill sponsors, Representative Bottoms, introduced House Bill 26-1087 to the House Health and Human Services Committee. The bill prohibits providing certain gender affirming care services to minors and further specifies that no state or federal funds may be used on these services, which include: surgery or prescription of hormones or puberty blockers for the purpose of altering a minor’s sex; and mental health therapy, professional counseling, or referrals that promote a minor’s belief that they were born in the wrong body.
05:09:22 PM  
Representative Bottoms responded to questions from the committee.
05:20:36 PM  
Mrs. Patty McKernan, representing Protect Kids Colorado, testified in support of the bill. Nathan Fisher, representing Colorado Catholic Conference, testified in support of the bill. Erin Lee, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Antoinette De La Cruz, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. The panel responded to questions from the committee.
05:37:13 PM  
Ms. Kristen Muzzy, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Catherine Wheeler, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Lori Gimelshteyn, representing Colorado Parent Advocacy Network, testified in support of the bill.
05:44:42 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
05:50:25 PM  
Mrs. Kristy Neeley, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Sabrina Balister, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Bridget Federico, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Paul Saurini, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
05:59:41 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
06:02:32 PM  
Dr. Lyrad Riley, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Kinsey Ringenberg, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
06:07:34 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
06:10:40 PM  
Mrs. Rozhgar Piper, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Erin Meschke, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Elizabeth Tovado, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Inca Fontenot, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Missy Espinoza, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Leslie Parker, representing Delta County GOP, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Jody Nickerson, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.
06:26:16 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
06:33:35 PM  
Mr. LLOYD BENES, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Nancy Eason, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Travis Morrell, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mary Louise Fiddler, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mrs. Nicole Cervera Loy, representing Colorado Organization for Latina Opportunity and Reproductive Rights (COLOR), testified in opposition to the bill.

A handout was provided to the committee (Attachment J).
06:46:23 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
06:56:15 PM  
Denise Kmilek, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Tanya Regan, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Virginia Weaver, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Lori Triplett, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Mr. Bryan Kelsen, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Bethany Ciesielski, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Donna LaBelle, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Pear Joseph, representing LGB Courage Coalition, testified in support of the bill.
07:15:44 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
07:18:33 PM  
Ms. Jeany Rush, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Vicki Ariatti, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Ms. Justine Kreher, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Sven Scharpen, representing Autistic Freedom Network, testified in support of the bill.
07:31:21 PM  
Mrs. Kara Allison, representing themself, testified in opposition to the bill. Carl Roberts, representing Colorado Resilience, testified in support of the bill. Courtney Rushlow, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Dr. Jax Gonzalez, representing One Colorado, testified in opposition to the bill.
07:40:21 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
07:50:23 PM  

Deborah Florah, representing Parents United America, testified in support of the bill. Amy Persons-Birch, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Greg Veeder, representing Grandparents for Kids, testified in support of the bill. Scott Shamblin, representing themself, testified in support of the bill. Sarah Norton-Kohn, representing themself, testified in support of the bill.

Additional written testimony was submitted to the committee (Attachment K).
08:01:35 PM  
The panel responded to questions from the committee.
08:10:28 PM  
Representative Bottoms provided closing comments on the bill.
08:19:28 PM  
Members of the committee provided closing comments.

08:37:22 PM
 Motion Refer House Bill 26-1087 to the Committee on Finance.
Moved Bottoms
Seconded Johnson
Bottoms Yes
Bradfield Yes
Bradley Yes
English Excused
Feret No
Hamrick No
Johnson Yes
McCormick No
Richardson Yes
Rydin No
Stewart K. No
Lieder No
Gilchrist No
YES: 5   NO: 7   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  FAIL

08:38:12 PM
 Motion Postpone House Bill 26-1087 indefinitely using a reversal of the previous roll call. There was no objection to the use of the reverse roll call, therefore, the bill was postponed indefinitely.
Moved Lieder
Seconded Feret
Bottoms No
Bradfield No
Bradley No
English Excused
Feret Yes
Hamrick Yes
Johnson No
McCormick Yes
Richardson No
Rydin Yes
Stewart K. Yes
Lieder Yes
Gilchrist Yes
Final YES: 7   NO: 5   EXC: 1   ABS:  0   FINAL ACTION:  PASS