Thank you to everyone who continues to testify and contact their state legislators about these anti-gun bills. People are seriously fed up and the opposition on each and every bill is making that clear! I’m sure they thought if they ran so many extreme bills at once it would thin out the public testimony but the opposite is happening. Instead public testimony is going for hours and hours on each bill.

This is the most anti-Second Amendment legislative session I have ever witnessed in Colorado. The session ends May 8th, so they are starting to run against the clock and may be in over their head. It’s imperative we continue to fight back.

Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax PUBLIC HEARING 

If passed, HB24-1349 “Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax” would put a ballot question on the Colorado November general election ballot asking voters to decide if firearms, ammunition, and firearm parts should be taxed at 11%. The tax revenue would go to so-called “crime victim support services, gun violence prevention, safe and lawful gun use, and enhancement of school safety.”

Passage of the ballot question in November is required to implement this new tax due to TABOR (Taxpayer Bill Of Rights).

Make no mistake, this is a “sin tax” similar to how cigarettes, marijuana and sports gambling are taxed in Colorado. But self defense is not a sin. Our Constitutional rights are not a sin. Please speak out against this!

NOTE: This is another bill that currently has NO senate sponsor. 

PUBLIC HEARING IN HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE

When: Monday, April 1st at 1:30pm
Where: Colorado State Capitol and remotely online
Sign up to testify HERE

If you are unable to provide public testimony on this bill, it’s important to contact these committee members NOW and ask they vote NO on HB24-1349. CLICK HERE to email the entire committee at once.

 

 

“Assault Weapons” Ban BILL UPDATE

After passing through the House Judiciary committee on 3/19/24, HB24-1292 “Prohibit Certain Weapons Used in Mass Shootings” continues to be laid over daily on the calendar awaiting a vote in the full house chamber.

On Friday, House Majority Leader Monica Duran told the Colorado Sun that if this bill does not get a senate sponsor, it may never go to a vote of the full house chamber. Instead they will continue to lay it over daily until the session ends. Forcing a two-day long debate on the house floor over the bill, and then making vulnerable Democrats vote on it, is just not worth the political capital if they know it’s dead in the senate. You can access the paywalled article HERE but in addition to Monica Duran’s statement, the story basically says even though Senate President Steve Fenberg supports the bill, he doesn’t think it would be effective and doesn’t believe it has the senate support it needs to pass this year.

Please continue to contact YOUR State House Rep and YOUR State Senator and let them know you do not support this bill. Find your elected officials and their contact info on our website HERE.

“Prohibit Guns In Sensitive Spaces” Ban BILL UPDATE

SB21-131 “Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces” passed out of Senate Judiciary on 3/27/24 but drastically amended down. The amended version of this bill is now limited to a prohibition on the carry of a firearms into government buildings, polling locations, and educational institutions such as colleges and preschools (with a carveout for security approved by the educational institution itself, such as FASTER participants). It also exempts parking areas.

That said, this bill is still very problematic and many college students who concealed carry, including simply attending class at a community college, would now be forced to disarm or break the law.

Please contact YOUR State House Rep and YOUR State Senator and let them know you do not support this bill. Find your elected officials and their contact info on our website HERE.

Additional Updates

HB24-1310 “School (un)Safety Measures” Disarms Private School Security. This bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the House Education Committee on 4/18/24. SIGN UP NOW to testify (if the bill is rescheduled they will email you).

This bill kills the beneficial FASTER Program that trains interested school employees in armed self-defense. It also disarms private school security. As of today, 41 of Colorado’s 178 districts employ some form of organized armed staff (not including SROs). These districts are primarily in rural areas, and there are about 400 armed staff in Colorado. This bill would disarm them all.

HB24-1353 Creation of a Colorado Firearm Retailer License for FFLs passed out of the House Business Affairs Committee on 3/27/24 and is waiting to be scheduled in the House Finance Committee which it must also pass before moving on. This bill creates a state level redundant bureaucracy on firearm retailers. In addition to an FFL, firearm retailers would need to obtain a state permit for $400 and go through all the hoops the ATF already made them go through. The bill allots roughly $3 million dollars to create the system and hire enforcement who would randomly audit gun stores – or they’d audit if a gun store is anonymously reported.

SB24-066 Require Firearm Retailers To Use Firearm Specific Merchant Codes. This bill has already passed the senate and just passed through the House Business committee. It is scheduled for a vote of the full house chamber on 4/2/24 but could be laid over daily. I expect it to become law. The big guys like Cabela’s, Scheel’s, Bass Pro, etc are exempted from this law. During committee it became extremely clear no one has any idea how this bill would work to limit violence as they couldn’t even answer what would be done with the codes.

HB24-1348 Secure Firearm Storage In Vehicle has passed the house and is awaiting senate schedule. This bill will likely make it into law. It requires firearms being locked up and out of sight in vehicles. They admit it’s pretty much unenforceable.

All the other gun bills are still pending. We’re watching them daily so as soon as there is movement, you’ll know.

You can always follow them on our Legislative Watch page where you will also find info to sign up to testify in committees.

Other Colorado Anti-Gun Bills

HB24-1270
Firearm Liability Insurance Requirement

Not yet scheduled for public hearing

Requires all firearms owners to maintain $100,000 liability insurance by January 1, 2025

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HB24-1174
Concealed Carry Permits & Training

Passed House Chamber; Awaiting Senate Schedule

Makes it harder to get a concealed carry permit and requires that instructors be certified by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.