Statewide
Amendment 83Constitutional Right to Hunt and Fish
Sourced facts
Official ballot title
Shall there be an amendment to the Colorado Constitution creating a constitutional right to hunt, fish, and harvest fish and wildlife by traditional methods, including all species of fish and wildlife managed by the state except non-game species, endangered species, or any species that is illegal to hunt under federal law, and, in connection therewith, establishing hunting and fishing as the preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations; and preserving the right of the state to regulate hunting, fishing, and wildlife management if necessary for sound scientific wildlife conservation and management, public safety, or to preserve the future of hunting and fishing opportunities for all species?
Verbatim from: Amendments and Propositions on the 2026 Ballot (Colorado Secretary of State)
Summary
Adds a state constitutional right to hunt and fish and makes hunting and fishing the preferred means of managing fish and wildlife populations, while preserving state regulatory authority.
Plain-language summary written for this guide from the sources below.
What a YES vote does
A “yes” vote on Amendment 83 establishes a state constitutional right to hunt and fish.
What a NO vote does
A “no” vote on Amendment 83 means that hunting and fishing will continue as allowed under existing state and federal law.
Official text from the Blue Book (“What Your Vote Means”).
How it got on the ballot
- Citizen initiative petition #302. The Secretary of State found the petition sufficient on Aug 20, 2026. [Colorado Secretary of State: 2025–2026 initiative filings and petition status]
- Signatures: 184,097 submitted; 145,299 valid. [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
- Not expected to significantly change state spending in the near term; could increase Colorado Parks and Wildlife legal and litigation costs. “The exact amount of these potential costs cannot be estimated.”
From the official source’s fiscal section. Figures marked “(Estimated)” are estimates or projections in the source.