Mayor Joan Peck said she will ask for a special session of the city council to talk about gun reform in the city.
Peck said she will make the request at tonight’s city council study session. The mayor said she is not lobbying for any particular ordinance aimed at banning guns. “That is not my decision, it will be up to the council as to what they want to do,” Peck said.
However, a discussion about guns in Longmont is long overdue, given last year’s mass shooting at a Boulder King Soopers and recent mass killings in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas, Peck said.
“Boulder County was hit hard by what happened at the Kings Soopers and what happened in Uvalde is just unacceptable,” Peck said. “It’s time we made our voices heard.”
The special session will likely take place before the next regular session of the city council which is June 14.
Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette and Superior are among communities in Boulder County looking at passing new gun ordinances next week, according to Denver 7 News.
The ordinances include:
- Banning the sale and possession of assault weapons
- Banning magazines containing more than 10 rounds
- Raising the firearm purchasing age to from 18 to 21
- Outlawing open and concealed carry in sensitive places like hospitals, schools and places worship
- Instituting a 10-day waiting period to purchase a firearm
- Requiring firearm dealers to post signs outside of their stores explaining the dangers of firearms.
The Boulder County Commissioners will also consider passing gun violence prevention ordinances, according to a county news release.
Boulder County Republicans have issued a “Call to Action” about the proposed ordinances, saying there are other answers to stopping gun violence other than banning weapons.
“Republicans do have answers regarding school shootings and it does not include turning thousands of law-abiding citizens into criminals,” according to the party’s news letter.
