Clarifying Validity of Common Law Marriage
Concerning clarifying the validity of common law marriage by restoring a previously repealed provision.
Official status: Became Law
Prime sponsors
- Cecelia Espenoza (House) — Prime Sponsor
- Stephanie Luck (House) — Prime Sponsor
- Marc Catlin (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
- Matt Ball (Senate) — Prime Sponsor
Progress (from the official record)
Official summary
Official text — shown in English exactly as published by the official source. The official text controls.
Senate Bill 25-014, enacted in 2025, repealed a provision of law that stated certain marriage formality requirements do not invalidate an otherwise valid common law marriage. The act restores that provision to clarify the validity of common law marriage. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as enacted.)
Status timeline
| Date | Location | Action |
|---|---|---|
| 02/17/2026 | House | Introduced In House - Assigned to State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs |
| 03/05/2026 | House | House Committee on State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Refer Unamended to House Committee of the Whole |
| 03/06/2026 | House | House Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Floor |
| 03/09/2026 | House | House Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 03/12/2026 | Senate | Introduced In Senate - Assigned to State, Veterans, & Military Affairs |
| 03/31/2026 | Senate | Senate Committee on State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Refer Unamended - Consent Calendar to Senate Committee of the Whole |
| 04/06/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 04/07/2026 | Senate | Senate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments |
| 05/01/2026 | House | Signed by the Speaker of the House |
| 05/01/2026 | Senate | Signed by the President of the Senate |
| 05/01/2026 | Governor | Sent to the Governor |
| 04/06/2026 | Senate | Senate Second Reading Laid Over to 04/02/2026 - No Amendments |
| 05/05/2026 | Governor | Governor Signed |
Recorded votes
- 03/31/2026 — Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs: “Refer House Bill 26-1218 to the Committee of the Whole and with a recommendation that it be placed on the consent calendar.” — the motion passed on a vote of 5–0.
- 03/05/2026 — House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs: “Refer House Bill 26-1218 to the Committee of the Whole.” — the motion passed on a vote of 11–0.
Proposed amendments (1 proposed amendment)
| Amendment | Committee / floor hearing | Offered | Disposition | Official document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| L.001 Sponsor: Representative Espenoza and Luck | Floor amendment — Second Reading (House) | 03/06/2026 | Passed | View official document |
Source: Colorado General Assembly (leg.colorado.gov) · Data as of
Full text
- Signed Act version (official PDF), 05/05/2026
- Final Act version (official PDF), 04/28/2026
- Rerevised version (official PDF), 04/07/2026
- Revised version (official PDF), 04/06/2026
- Reengrossed version (official PDF), 03/09/2026
- Engrossed version (official PDF), 03/06/2026
- Introduced version (official PDF), 02/17/2026
Full text — side-by-side reader
Showing the latest official version: Signed Act version (official PDF), 05/05/2026
Official text — shown in English exactly as published by the official source. The official text controls.
HOUSE BILL 26-1218
BY REPRESENTATIVE(S) Espenoza and Luck, Bradley, Carter; also SENATOR(S) Catlin and Ball, Coleman.
CONCERNING CLARIFYING THE VALIDITY OF COMMON LAW MARRIAGE BY RESTORING A PREVIOUSLY REPEALED PROVISION.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
SECTION 1. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 14-2-104, recreate and reenact, with amendments, (3) as follows: 14-2-104. Formalities. (3) THIS SECTION DOES NOT REPEAL OR INV ALIDATE ANY OTHERWISE VALID COMMON LAW MARRIAGE:
(a) ENTERED INTO PRIOR TO SEPTEMBER 1, 2006; OR (b) ENTERED INTO ON OR AFTER SEPTEMBER 1, 2006, AND COMPLIES WITH SECTION 14-2-109.5.
SECTION 2.
Safety clause. The general assembly finds,
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material added to existing law; dashes through words or numbers indicate deletionsji·om existing law and such material is not part of the act.
determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety or for appropriations for the support and maintenance of the departments of the state and state ins ti tu ti ons.
Julie McCluskie SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
James Rashad Coleman, Sr. PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Vanessa Reilly CHIEF CLERK OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Esther van Mourik SECRETARY OF THE SENATE
APPROVED on Tuesday May 5th 2026 at 3:00pm (Date and Time)
Jared S. Polis GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF COLORADO
Official record
View HB26-1218 on leg.colorado.gov
Source: Colorado General Assembly (leg.colorado.gov) · Data as of
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