Colorado enjoys a rich tradition of outdoorsmanship and firearm ownership and is historically a gun-friendly area. But recent political shifts and the unfortunate prevalence of criminal mass shootings stoked the fires of debate in recent months.
And while several restrictive measures are now law, the ban on so-called “assault weapons” will not join them.
If successful, the bill’s expansive definition of an “assault weapon” would prohibit the popular AR-15 and similar weapons along with many other rifles, pistols and shotguns.
These firearms are quite common and used for everything from self-defense to target shooting.
Also targeted were .50 BMG rifles, though they are virtually never used in criminal activity. Proponents of the draconian measure even added weapon parts and components to the banned list.
The House did its part to restrict the Second Amendment in mid-April by passing the ban. This came after the same proposal in 2023 was swiftly brushed aside.
Not so in 2024. The House’s approval sent the measure on to the Senate, but it faced a much rockier road to passage in the upper chamber.
The bill floundered while waiting for a committee hearing that never came. With the legislative session closing Wednesday, the handwriting was on the wall for gun control forces.
After staunch opposition emerged from senators reluctant to turn their backs on the state’s heritage of firearm ownership, the tide was clearly against passage. Sen. Julie Gonzalez (D) was a lead sponsor of House Bill 1292, and she revealed on Monday that she would request that the measure be shelved by the Senate State, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee.
“After thoughtful conversations with my Senate colleagues, I decided that more conversations need to take place outside of the pressure cooker of the Capitol during the last weeks of the legislative session.”
Gonzalez added, “In that spirit, I look forward to renewing and continuing these discussions over the interim.”
One of the committee members is Sen. Tom Sullivan (D). Tragically, his son was killed in the Aurora theater shooting, and he is typically an advocate for gun regulations.
But Sullivan expressed his skepticism over the effectiveness of targeting semi-automatic weapons that are the firearm of choice for many Colorado residents. “Banning? That doesn’t end well for us,” he explained. “And I’m speaking as the father of a son who was murdered by an assault weapon.”
Even Gov. Jared Polis (D), who supported several pieces of anti-gun legislation, voiced concerns over the proposal.
Interviewed by the Colorado Sun, Polis explained he has “long been skeptical of discussions around ‘this kind of equipment versus that kind of equipment. I think it’s more an issue of making sure our gun safety laws are followed. I think where you can and can’t safely carry guns is a legitimate discussion, as well as making sure that our strong gun laws are enforced.”
With that being said, there have been several gun control measures advanced under the governor’s watch. One was raising the minimum age for purchasing a weapon from 18 to 21.
Several other proposals are advancing, including a new tax on the sale of guns and ammunition. The Senate Appropriations Committee this week approved HB 24-1349, which would enact a 6.5% tax on all firearms, ammunition and accessories sold in the state.
It began at 9%, but that figure was amended in committee.
The controversial tax, if enacted, will levy the new charge at the manufacturer and retail level. This means the additional cost will be built in by the time the consumer purchases the weapon from a licensed dealer.
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