The Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office partnered with House Majority Leader Monica Duran to support new legislation to “crack down” on street racing in the state.

The bill will be introduced in the 2026 legislative session of the Colorado General Assembly and will look create stronger penalties regarding illegal street racing, stunt driving and street takeovers, according to a news release from the sheriff’s office.

The bill will also look to provide law enforcement with the “tools necessary to address a growing public safety crisis,” the sheriff’s office said.

Colorado State Patrol officials said in January that 1,956 illegal street racing complaints were filed with Colorado’s Street Racing Working Group in 2024. That is 423 more complaints than were filed with the agency in 2023, according to a CSP spokesperson.

During six racing enforcement operations in 2024, CSP said Colorado’s Street Racing Working Group — a statewide task force started in 2015 — engaged in 506 traffic stops, resulting in 360 citations and the seizure of stolen vehicles, illegal weapons and drugs.

The citations included 108 for street racing, 20 for reckless driving, 10 for careless driving and three DUI charges. Of the total, 130 citations were issued for speeds of more than 25 mph over the posted speed limit related to street racing, according to CSP.

“Our citizens spoke, and we listened. Our streets are not racetracks,” Jefferson County Sheriff Reggie Marinelli said in the release. “Illegal street racing puts lives at risk, strains law enforcement resources and invites other forms of criminal behavior. We need clear laws, tougher penalties and modern enforcement tools to keep our communities safe.”

The proposed bill, as it currently stands, would include enhanced penalties for drivers, organizers and spectators. It would also include vehicle impoundment and license suspensions and authorization for law enforcement to use livestreams and social media posts as evidence, according to the release.

“The dangers associated with illegal street racing, as well as the nuisance of loud engines zipping by neighborhoods late at night, brings this issue to the top for many citizens,” CSP officials said in a statement in January.

Marinelli said that the bill, if passed, will help restore “safety, peace and accountability on our roads.”

Denver Gazette reporter Noah Festenstein contributed to this report