Parents or guardians must establish trust funds for children under 18 who appear in monetized online content. Requirements: creator earns $15,000+ annually, child appears in 30%+ of content within 30-day period, content meets platform monetization thresholds or generates $0.10+ per view. Amount deposited: 50% of earnings, divided proportionally among children. Children 14+ creating their own content are exempt.
House Bill 26-1058 passed House Judiciary Committee 11-0 on January 28, advancing to full House. Rep. Meghan Lukens (D-Steamboat Springs), Rep. Scott Slaugh (R-Berthoud), and Sen. Matt Ball (D-Denver) sponsor it. YouTube and TikTok testified in support. Melissa Fausz from YouTube called it a “balanced approach.”
The bill mirrors California’s 1938 Coogan Law protecting child actors. Child star Jackie Coogan discovered his parents spent his earnings, prompting legislation requiring trust funds.
Research documents parents forcing children to perform on camera for hours daily, sharing children’s private moments for views, prioritizing content creation over education and development, and spending children’s earnings without compensation.
The bill prohibits “knowingly sexualizing children for financial gain” and creates civil lawsuit path against content creators. Adults who appeared in content as “uniquely identifiable minors” can request creators delete the content. Creators must comply within 72 hours. Applies only to content created on or after August 12, 2026.
Illinois, California, Minnesota, and Utah enacted similar laws. HB26-1058 adapts proven frameworks to Colorado.
Parents can still create family content. The bill requires significant earnings, substantial child participation, and trust fund protecting 50% of earnings. Families sharing occasional videos remain unaffected.
The 11-0 House Judiciary vote demonstrates bipartisan recognition of need to protect children from online exploitation.
With bipartisan support and industry backing, passage is likely.
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