Statewide
Proposition 135Prohibit Surgery on Minors in Response to Perception of Sex or Gender
Sourced facts
Official ballot title
Shall there be a change to the Colorado Revised Statutes modifying existing law by prohibiting surgery on a minor for the purpose of altering the minor’s biological sex characteristics, and, in connection therewith, prohibiting any health-care professional or other person from knowingly performing, prescribing, administering, or providing any surgery to a minor for the purpose of altering the minor’s biological sex characteristics and prohibiting the use of state or federal funds, Medicaid reimbursement, or insurance coverage to pay for this type of surgery?
Verbatim from: Amendments and Propositions on the 2026 Ballot (Colorado Secretary of State)
Summary
Prohibits, with certain exceptions, surgery on minors to alter biological sex characteristics in response to the minor’s perception of sex or gender, and bars public funds or insurance from paying for it.
Plain-language summary written for this guide from the sources below.
What a YES vote does
A “yes” vote on Proposition 135 prohibits surgeries on minors that would alter their biological sex characteristics as a treatment in response to a minor’s perception of sex or gender, and prohibits the use of government funds or health insurance to pay for the surgeries.
What a NO vote does
A “no” vote on Proposition 135 maintains Colorado law, which protects access to surgery altering minors’ biological sex characteristics and allows public and private health insurance programs to pay for these surgeries.
Official text from the Blue Book (“What Your Vote Means”).
How it got on the ballot
- Citizen initiative petition #110. The Secretary of State found the petition sufficient on Mar 17, 2026. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
- Signatures: 164,922 submitted; verified by random sample. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
- Requirement: 124,238 valid signatures. Initiatives that amend the Colorado Constitution must also include signatures from at least 2% of registered voters in each state Senate district. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
- Certified to the ballot by the Secretary of State Sept 4, 2026. [SOS ballot certification news release, Sept 4, 2026]
Official fiscal information
- Minimal increase in workload and costs for the Department of Regulatory Agencies and other state and local agencies; any impact on state and local spending is expected to be minimal.
- May slightly decrease state spending on health programs and employee health insurance; any savings are expected to be minimal.
From the official source’s fiscal section. Figures marked “(Estimated)” are estimates or projections in the source.