Colorado § 17-26-142 - Sexual assault prevention program - required policies and procedures - audit required - definitions.

§ 17-26-142. Sexual assault prevention program - required policies and procedures - audit required - definitions.

(1) As used in this section, unless the context otherwise requires:

(a) "Local detention facility" means a county jail as described in section 17-26-101 or municipal jail as described in section 31-15-401 (1)(j).

(b) "Prison Rape Elimination Act" or "PREA" means the federal "Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003", 34 U.S.C. sec. 30301 et seq.

(c) "Sexual abuse" has the same meaning as "sexual violence" as defined in section 13-14-101.

(2) Each local detention facility shall develop policies and procedures to:

(a) Require staff members to report suspected, alleged, or witnessed sexual abuse;

(b) Establish protocols for staff members to respond to suspected, alleged, or witnessed sexual abuse, which protocols must include protecting the victim from immediate harm; connecting the victim with medical care; preserving evidence of the suspected, alleged, or witnessed offense; and reporting the alleged sexual abuse;

(c) Inform prisoners of their rights established pursuant to the federal "Prison Rape Elimination Act";

(d) Inform prisoners upon booking, in writing and in an accessible language, of resources for victims of sexual abuse, including the telephone number for a sexual assault crisis line and the mailing address of the nearest or other reasonably accessible confidential sexual assault advocacy program; and

(e) Allow confidential sexual assault advocates timely access to prisoners who have reached out to a confidential sexual assault advocacy program for advocacy services.

(3) (a) Each local detention facility shall designate a staff member as the jail's PREA coordinator. The PREA coordinator shall, pursuant to section 2-3-1901.5, implement federal PREA standards as required by the legislative oversight committee for Colorado jail standards and shall facilitate access to confidential sexual assault advocacy services for inmates seeking confidential sexual assault advocacy services.

(b) The jail shall inform staff members and prisoners of the name and contact information for the PREA coordinator and make the name and contact information of the PREA coordinator available to the public.

Source: L. 2026: Entire section added, (HB 26-1123), ch. 159, p. 947, § 3, effective May 27.