2022 Colorado Code
Title 18 - Criminal Code
Article 9 - Offenses Against Public Peace, Order, and Decency
Part 1 - Public Peace and Order
§ 18-9-122. Preventing Passage to and From a Health-Care Facility - Engaging in Prohibited Activities Near Facility

1. The general assembly recognizes that access to health-care facilities for the purpose of obtaining medical counseling and treatment is imperative for the citizens of this state; that the exercise of a person's right to protest or counsel against certain medical procedures must be balanced against another person's right to obtain medical counseling and treatment in an unobstructed manner; and that preventing the willful obstruction of a person's access to medical counseling and treatment at a health-care facility is a matter of statewide concern. The general assembly therefore declares that it is appropriate to enact legislation that prohibits a person from knowingly obstructing another person's entry to or exit from a health-care facility.
2. [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (2) is effective until March 1, 2022.] A person commits a class 3 misdemeanor if such person knowingly obstructs, detains, hinders, impedes, or blocks another person's entry to or exit from a health-care facility.

   (2) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (2) is effective March 1, 2022. ] A person commits a petty offense if such person knowingly obstructs, detains, hinders, impedes, or blocks another person's entry to or exit from a health-care facility.

3. [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (3) is effective until March 1, 2022.] No person shall knowingly approach another person within eight feet of such person, unless such other person consents, for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education, or counseling with such other person in the public way or sidewalk area within a radius of one hundred feet from any entrance door to a health-care facility. Any person who violates this subsection (3) commits a class 3 misdemeanor.

   (3) [ Editor's note: This version of subsection (3) is effective March 1, 2022. ] No person shall knowingly approach another person within eight feet of such person, unless such other person consents, for the purpose of passing a leaflet or handbill to, displaying a sign to, or engaging in oral protest, education, or counseling with such other person in the public way or sidewalk area within a radius of one hundred feet from any entrance door to a health-care facility. Any person who violates this subsection (3) commits a petty offense.

4. For the purposes of this section, "health-care facility" means any entity that is licensed, certified, or otherwise authorized or permitted by law to administer medical treatment in this state.
5. Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit a statutory or home rule city or county or city and county from adopting a law for the control of access to health-care facilities that is no less restrictive than the provisions of this section.
6. In addition to, and not in lieu of, the penalties set forth in this section, a person who violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to civil liability, as provided in section 13-21-106.7, C.R.S.

Source: L. 93: Entire section added, p. 400, § 1, effective April 19. L. 2021: (2) and (3) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3205, § 323, effective March 1, 2022.

Editor's note: Section 803(2) of chapter 462 (SB 21-271), Session Laws of Colorado 2021, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed on or after March 1, 2022.