Colorado House Democrats announced yesterday afternoon that Senate Bill 25-003 passed its third and final reading in the House and is headed back to the Senate for another vote. If the bill passes the Senate, it will go to Governor Jared Polis, who could sign it into law.
SB25-003 wouldn’t impact firearms Coloradans already own, but it would impose new restrictions on future purchases of certain gas-powered semi-automatic guns with detachable magazines, according to Denver 7. Under the bill, buyers would be required to complete a training course and obtain approval from their county sheriff before making a purchase.
According to Denver7, gun advocacy groups like Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO) argue that the bill “fails to establish the funding or staffing necessary for this new permit-to-purchase system” and that the bill is “vague and unfairly targets law-abiding gun owners.” The group told Denver7 that if the bill is signed into law, they would consider suing the state of Colorado.
The exact date for the Senate's final vote to approve the House amendments has not been scheduled yet.
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.
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.”
