Committee approves expanded renter protections for survivors of gender‑based violence with amendments

The Senate Judiciary Committee voted to advance House Bill 1168 with amendments after extended testimony from survivor advocates, housing attorneys and policy researchers. The bill expands eviction and tenant protections for people who experienced domestic abuse, stalking or other gender‑based violence and creates a new repayment-plan option for non‑payment cases tied to abuse.

Sponsor Sen. Weisman told the committee the measure aligns eviction and tenant protections so survivors have clearer access to remedies when abuse disrupts their housing, including suppression of eviction records in certain circumstances, more flexible acceptable documentation (including self‑attestation affidavits and third‑party letters from advocates), and a repayment‑plan process intended to keep survivors housed while giving landlords a path to recoup unpaid rent.

Key committee action and amendments: - L8 (adopted): Clarifies service and notice timelines; changes several 48‑hour references to three business days and creates a fallback for service when personal service cannot be perfected by requiring three reasonable attempts and then combined methods (posting at the premises and mailing a copy). - L9 (adopted): Adds tighter documentation standards and clarifies self‑attestation safeguards for survivor affidavits to reduce misuse while preserving accessible evidence options for people who do not report to police. - L10 (adopted): Sets a modest repayment‑plan floor ($25 per month), clarifies repayment timelines and tightens landlord protections related to accounting and damages claims.

Witnesses in support included attorneys from the Colorado Poverty Law Project, the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless, Colorado Fiscal Institute and several survivor‑service organizations. Apartment-industry groups testified in an “amend” position and acknowledged that the sponsor’s negotiated amendments addressed many of their concerns.

The committee recorded a roll-call vote of 5–2 in favor of sending the bill, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.

Why this matters: Advocates described gender‑based violence as a proximate cause of housing instability and homelessness; supporters said the bill reduces barriers to housing stability for survivors while attempting to preserve landlords’ legal remedies.

What’s next: House Bill 1168 passes out of committee, as amended, and will go to the Committee of the Whole for further consideration.