Senate Bill 25-003, which prohibits the manufacture, distribution, transfer, sale, or purchase of certain semiautomatic firearms and classifies rapid-fire devices as dangerous weapons, passed with amendments in the House during the Second Reading Special Order on March 21. Today, it is being debated in the House during its third and final reading.
If the bill passes the final vote today, it will then return to the State Senate for concurrence of House amendments before it goes to Governor Polis’ desk. Colorado Public Radio reported last month that Polis said he was unsure if he would sign the bill if it is passed by the legislature. “He is generally skeptical of policies that target specific models of firearms,” the article reported. “But the governor said he’s not completely opposed to the measure because it would not impact any guns Coloradans already own.”
SB25-003 has received multiple amendments during its progression through both the Senate and the House. KKTV11 reported that when it was first introduced, the bill was 10-pages long. As of Friday night, it is 23 pages and includes more than 30 approved amendments.
The bill originally would have banned certain semi-automatic firearms in the state, KKTV11 reported, but the amendments have altered the bill so that it would not necessarily ban guns. The bill “requires a person to apply for a permit through their local sheriff’s office and take gun courses before they would be allowed to purchase specific firearms.” There are “unanswered questions” on how this would take effect and how it would be financed.
Supporters of SB25-003 argue it will reduce gun violence by banning semiautomatic firearms. Opponents say it infringes on gun rights and won’t stop criminals. Advocates of the bill cite mass shootings as proof of necessity.
The bill was created to help enforce laws “prohibiting the sale, transfer or possession of high-capacity magazines that hold more than 15 rounds,” which were created after the Aurora theater shooting, in 2013. A prime sponsor of the bill, Senator Tom Sullivan, joined the Legislature after his son was killed in said shooting.
