Colorado Lawmakers Withdraw Landmark Prostitution Legalization Bill Amid Fierce Opposition and Safety Concerns

Senator Nick Hinrichsen withdraws Colorado's prostitution decriminalization bill, citing lack of committee support and safety concerns for advocates.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 9, 2026, 3:38 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from The Colorado Sun

The Sudden Collapse of a Historic Legislative Effort

A ambitious proposal that would have made Colorado the first state in the nation to fully decriminalize and regulate prostitution between consenting adults is set to be withdrawn. State Senator Nick Hinrichsen, a Pueblo Democrat and the primary architect of Senate Bill 97, confirmed that the measure does not possess the necessary votes to advance through the Senate Judiciary Committee. Rather than face a formal defeat during the scheduled Wednesday session, Hinrichsen intends to delay the bill indefinitely, a procedural move that effectively terminates its chances for the 2026 legislative year.

Prioritizing Advocate Safety Over a Tense Public Hearing

The decision to stall the legislation was made in consultation with the sex worker advocacy groups that originally championed the reform. According to Hinrichsen, there was a collective realization that a high-profile committee hearing would likely become a platform for vitriol. He noted that forcing supporters to testify in a room filled with law enforcement officials and religious leaders posed an unacceptable risk of doxxing, surveillance, and intimidation. Given that the bill was already unlikely to pass, sponsors determined that the emotional and physical safety of the vulnerable community it sought to protect was more important than a symbolic legislative fight.

A Departure from the National Nordic Model Approach

Senate Bill 97 was unique in its scope, aiming for a total removal of criminal penalties for both sellers and buyers of sexual services. This approach differed significantly from the "Nordic model" adopted by Maine in 2023, which decriminalized the sale of sex but maintained criminal charges for those purchasing it. The Colorado bill would have also prohibited local municipalities from enacting their own ordinances against solicitation, a move intended to create a uniform statewide standard. Under current Colorado statutes, prostitution remains a petty offense that carries the threat of fines and short-term incarceration.