Proposition 133: Penalties for Human Trafficking of a Minor
Statewide — all of Colorado
General election · Tuesday, November 3, 2026
- Placed on the ballot by citizen initiative. The Blue Book lists 14 statewide measures on the November 3, 2026 ballot.[1][2]
The question on the ballot
Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes modifying existing law concerning human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude, and, in connection therewith, creating new law expanding human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude to include knowingly trading anything of monetary value to buy or sell sexual activity with a minor and increasing the penalty to be life in prison without parole or release?[1]
Raises child sex trafficking from a class 2 felony (8 to 48 years in prison plus five years' mandatory parole) to a class 1 felony with life in prison without parole, removes judicial discretion in sentencing, and expands the offense to include buying sexual activity with a minor in exchange for anything of value. Fiscal impact per the Blue Book: added Department of Corrections costs beginning in about 14 years (an estimated $180,000 in 2041-42, growing by that amount for several years), plus minimal added court workload.[1]
A YES vote means
Increases the penalties for child sex trafficking to life in prison without parole, and expands child sex trafficking to include buying sexual activity with a minor.
A NO vote means
Keeps the existing felony criminal penalties for child sex trafficking with a sentencing range of 8 to 48 years in prison plus a mandatory parole period.
The law today
Per the Blue Book: child sex trafficking (human trafficking of a minor for sexual servitude) is currently a class 2 felony punishable by 8 to 48 years in prison plus a mandatory 5 years of parole. Current law gives legal defenses and protections to people charged who are themselves trafficking victims, and a judge has discretion within the sentencing range.[1]
Official fiscal estimate
Per the Blue Book: state spending on the Department of Corrections rises beginning in about 14 years, an estimated $180,000 in 2041-42, then $360,000 in 2042-43, $540,000 in 2043-44, and so on (not adjusted for inflation), as life sentences replace fixed terms; the increase eventually stabilizes. Trial-court and indigent-defense workload minimally increases, as does workload for county-funded district attorneys. Costs are assumed to come from the General Fund.[1]
Arguments made for
- Blue Book argument for: "Child sex trafficking causes serious and long-lasting harm to victims." It adds that the penalty "ensures that offenders cannot hurt more children" and "helps deter people from engaging in child sex trafficking…"[1]
- Erin Lee, executive director of Protect Kids Colorado, quoted by the Colorado Sun: “The legislature had an opportunity to strengthen these protections and failed. Now Colorado voters have the opportunity to decide for themselves whether these crimes deserve stronger consequences,”[4]
- Erin Lee, executive director of Protect Kids Colorado, responding to claims the measure could be used against people who help minors travel for abortions, quoted by the Colorado Sun: “Our many volunteers have vastly ranging stances on the issue and there is nothing in Proposition 133 that creates a new crime related to abortion,”[4]
Arguments made against
- Blue Book argument against: "Harsher sentences are unlikely to deter human trafficking, but may instead result in punishing victims." It adds that "a judge would no longer be able to consider the facts of the case when sentencing someone convicted of child sex trafficking."[1]
- Kiera Hatton Sena, political director of Cobalt Advocates, quoted by the Colorado Sun: “A law does not have to result in successful conviction to cause harm,” as she warned the expanded definition could deter people from helping a minor travel for an abortion.[4]
On record in support
- Protect Kids Colorado: sponsor and registered supporting issue committee; its executive director, Erin Lee, has advocated for the measure.[3][4]
- Protect Our Children: registered supporting issue committee (Secretary of State list).[3]
- Colorado's Catholic bishops: reported by the Colorado Sun as supporting the measure and organizing signature-gathering drives.[4]
On record in opposition
- Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault: opposes the measure, per the Colorado Sun.[4]
- Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance: opposes the measure, per the Colorado Sun.[4]
- Cobalt Advocates: abortion rights group whose political director, Kiera Hatton Sena, criticized the measure's expanded definition (Colorado Sun).[4]
- Vote Common Sense: registered opposing issue committee (Secretary of State list).[3]
- People for a Fair Colorado and Make Good Change: registered opposing issue committees (Secretary of State list).[3]
Campaign money
Supporting: Protect Kids Colorado, the committee that led the effort to place Proposition 133 on the ballot (and Propositions 134 and 135), had raised about $116,000 through mid-September (Colorado Sun). Opposing: no committee is registered only against Proposition 133; the Colorado Sun reported that a coalition of groups opposing a variety of ballot proposals, including Proposition 133, had raised about $495,000 through mid-September to fight a range of measures.[4]
Research notes & limits
Source: the official 2026 Blue Book (Legislative Council Staff, nonpartisan), which gives the ballot title, the 'what your vote means' text, an analysis with arguments for and against, and the fiscal impact. Its 'for' and 'against' arguments are the staff's own summaries of the main arguments on each side, not statements from named campaigns; the booklet points to the Secretary of State's page for supporting and opposing organizations, which was not reviewed here. Ballotpedia is cited only for the certified-measure count. Ballotpedia notes a separate road-funding initiative was certified but withdrawn after its proponents reached an agreement with the state, so it is not on the ballot. Added arguments are from the Colorado Sun explainer (Oct. 1), which reports both sides. See the Amendment 81 note on finance sourcing.
Sources · 4
Researched 2026-10-19. Green citations are official government records.
- 1.2026 State Ballot Information Booklet (Blue Book) · Colorado Legislative Council Staff · 2026-09-10 Official record
- 2.Colorado 2026 ballot measures · Ballotpedia · 2026-10-18 Reference
- 3.Amendments and Propositions on the 2026 Ballot: information and contacts (certified measures, registered issue committees) · Colorado Secretary of State · 2026-10-19 Official record
- 4.Proposition 133 explained: Colorado voters to decide if child sex trafficking should be punishable by life in prison · The Colorado Sun · 2026-10-01 News report