Freedom ain’t free,
but it’s worth it.
Colorado Freedom Fund (CFF) is a revolving community bond fund that pays ransom for people who cannot afford to buy their own pretrial freedom.
Here’s what CFF has been up to.
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![Opinion: Trump threatens pretrial fairness in a push that only protects wealthy bondsmen President Trump took aim at Illinois’ Pretrial Fairness Act, which ended cash bail in the state in 2023. Rebecca Wallace | CFF Policy Director]()
Sep. 5, 2025
“While facts may not matter to the Trump administration, Coloradans should know Illinois has ended cash bail with strong results: Jail populations are down, crime is down, court appearance rates are steady, and poor families no longer must pool scarce resources and forego rent and food to buy freedom for their kin.”
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![CFF sends letter to Colorado sheriffs and county attorneys to ensure online bond pay implementation.]()
Sep. 2, 2025
In advance of our priority bill, HB25-1015 Clarifications to Online Bond Pay, going into effect on October 1st, 2025, CFF sent this letter to all Colorado sheriffs and county attorneys to remind them of the requirements of the bill and options for implementation.
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![Mayor Johnston’s work to veto Municipal Court Fairness bill will harm Denver’s most vulnerable.]()
May 30, 2025
“When city courts are allowed to use poverty 'offenses' to disappear homeless people for nearly a year in jail, our entire community suffers and no one is safer. But that’s exactly the result Johnston fought for.”
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![CFF Statement on Gov. Polis' Veto of HB25-1147, Municipal Court Fairness.]()
May 28, 2025
With this veto, Gov. Polis condones city courts disappearing unhoused people for nearly a year in jail for offenses of poverty. In the wake of the 2020 uprisings, Governor Polis gave lip service to caring about racial justice and equity in the criminal legal system, but shortly after abandoned the pretense.
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![HB1147, How a Bill Becomes a Law...& More.]()
May 12, 2025
CFF Policy Counsel, Dana Steiner appeared as a guest on Colorado Radio for Justice’s weekly podcast, Up to the Minute to discuss HB25-1147 and municipal court fairness and transparency.
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![Rebecca Wallace: Until They’re All Free.]()
May 2, 2025
CFF Policy Director, Rebecca Wallace appeared as a guest on the first episode of Colorado Radio for Justice’s podcast, Unlocking Change to discuss our policy work and abolitionist problem solving.
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![HB25-1147 Municipal Court Fairness & Transparency passes the Senate]()
Apr. 4, 2025
HB25-1147 passes the Senate!
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![HB25-1015 Clarifications to Online Bond Pay signed into law!]()
Mar. 31, 2025
HB25-1015 signed into law!
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![Newspaper: Colorado Law says anyone can watch most criminal courts online. But not all judges comply. There are some judges who have decided the law doesn't apply to them." Pictured: Elixabeth Epps, Founder & Executive director Colorado Freedom Fund.]()
Mar. 9, 2025
CFF championed HB23-1182 to bring more transparency to CO criminal courts, but not all judges are following the law. Public observation is critical to CFF’s work and accountability of our court system.
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![pictured: Scales of justice with money and celebration lines.]()
Jan. 27, 2025
HB25-1015 Clarifications to Online Bond Pay passed the House! On to the Senate!
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![hand holding scales of justice with fireworks.]()
Mar. 8, 2025
HB25-1147 Municipal Court Fairness & Transparency passed the House! On to the Senate!
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![HB25-1147 Municipal Court Fairness and Transparency]()
Jan. 30, 2025
CFF’s second priority bill was introduced to require basic legal protections reach Colorado’s most vulnerable.
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![HB25-1015 Clarifications to Online Bond Pay Passed House Judiciary Committee Unanimously! Pictured: Dana Steiner testifying at the capitol.]()
Jan. 22, 2025
Our first priority bill of 2025 passed UNANIMOUSLY out of committee! Listen to testimony below by Dana Steiner, CFF Policy Counsel.
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![HB25-1015 Clarifications on Online bond pay Introduced in the House!]()
Jan. 8, 2025
CFF's first priority bill was introduced! Online bond pay = more pretrial liberty.
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![Podcast cover with Public Defenseless Logo]()
Jan. 7, 2025
Podcast: How People Are Denied the Right to Counsel in Grand Junction Municipal Court w/Tristan Gorman and Rebecca Wallace.
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![Peer support saves lives!]()
Dec. 19, 2024
CFF joins community partners demanding CO Public Radio retract false and stigmatizing reporting on Caring for Denver peer support providers.
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![CFF & ACLUCO filed a brief in the Colorado Supreme Court]()
Nov. 7, 2024
CFF + ACLU Amicus Brief filed in Westminster v. Camp, Colorado Supreme Court.
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![They’re in custody and facing jail. Why isn’t Grand Junction’s municipal court providing them attorneys?]()
Oct. 17, 2024
They’re in custody and facing jail. Why isn’t Grand Junction’s municipal court providing them attorneys?
WATCH NOW! How We Get Free.
Watch the HBO Original Documentary that follows CFF Founder and Executive Director Elisabeth Epps as she works to abolish the cash bail system in Colorado.
“Our mission is to work ourselves out of existence. We are unapologetically working through an abolitionist lens.”
— Elisabeth Epps | Founder, Colorado Freedom Fund
