CO Dems’ HB25-1312 gains national spotlight: “The inmates are running the asylum”

By / / State, Rocky Mountain Voice, Top Stories

By Rocky Mountain Voice Staff

A controversial bill pushed by Colorado Democrats—HB25-1312, which redefines gender-related parental disagreements as potential abuse—is quickly gaining national media attention and backlash from lawmakers, parental rights advocates, and constitutional experts across the country.

The bill, passed by House Democrats earlier this week, would give Colorado courts broad power to sever custody rights from parents who do not affirm their child’s self-declared gender identity, including pronouns and social transition. 

Critics argue that the measure targets conservative families and faith-based parenting, and could ultimately allow ideological disagreements to be framed as abuse.

National concern exploded this week after several high-profile figures and news outlets flagged the legislation on social media.

“The inmates are running the asylum,” wrote Rep. Jarvis Caldwell in a tweet that has garnered thousands of views and shares.

Breccan Thies, political reporter for The Daily Caller, called it: “One of the most dystopian, anti-parent bills in the country.”

Conservative journalist Tyler O’Neil, legal commentator Tiffany Justice, and the Colorado House GOP caucus all echoed similar warnings, highlighting how the bill could empower state intervention in family matters over mere pronoun disagreements.

The outrage follows months of growing concern about Colorado’s direction under Democratic leadership. As Rocky Mountain Voice has reported, HB25-1312 is part of a broader legislative trend that includes laws targeting religious expression in schools, chilling free speech around book challenges, and a growing breakdown of the middle ground in Colorado politics.

Not Just Theoretical—Already Happening in Colorado

While Democrats claim the bill is merely “codifying current practice,” critics say that’s precisely the problem.

“Colorado ALREADY separates boys from their dads if an ex wants to chemically castrate their son,” tweeted Dr. Travis Morrell, a Colorado-based physician and policy advocate. “HB25-1312 makes it permanent and even easier.”

HB25-1312, which passed the House on third reading April 6, and has been sent to the Senate for review—prompting groups like the Colorado Parent Advocacy Network and Erin for Parental Rights to launch last-minute petitions and call-to-action efforts for Coloradans to reach out to Senators to express their concerns.

RMV contributor Shaina Cole warned in her recent commentary that HB25-1312 turns pronouns into a weapon—not just against parents, but also against educators who refuse to conform to progressive orthodoxy. She argues the bill could be used to punish school staff for “misgendering” students, even unintentionally.

Meanwhile, Chase Davis highlighted how the bill equates biblical faith with discrimination, calling it a legislative attack on religious freedom in the classroom. “Under this law, expressing traditional Christian beliefs about gender could be treated as abuse,” he wrote.

A broader breakdown of the legislative climate was covered in RMV’s recent feature, “One Sunday, Four Laws”, which details how HB25-1312 and three other contentious bills were rushed through committee in an unusual Sunday hearing—with Rule 16 motions that limited debate to silence opposition .

Critics say the move reflects a disturbing trend: important policy is being decided behind closed doors, with minimal transparency and no opportunity for citizen input. Together, these events illustrate a growing pattern in the state legislature—one where dissent is silenced, compromise is abandoned, and ideology dictates law.

The Bigger Picture

National observers are beginning to see Colorado as a case study in far-left policymaking run amok. From book censorship laws that expose parents to doxxing, to legislation that bypasses parental authority in classrooms, Colorado’s Democratic supermajority has repeatedly ignored public opposition and escalated culture war legislation—while labeling dissenters as extremists.

Rep. Caldwell puts it plainly: “HB25-1312 makes it clear—parents are no longer in charge. The state is.” — Rep. Jarvis Caldwell

With the bill awaiting its final vote in the Colorado legislature, advocates for parental rights are making one last push. Whether Governor Polis will sign the measure remains to be seen—but for now, Colorado is in the national hot seat.