Gun control was one of the top issues in Colorado during the 2024 legislative session with nearly a dozen bills being filed.
While Democrats hold supermajorities in both houses in Colorado, some gun control measures were too radical for some Democrats – here’s a list of gun control bills that failed:
Ban on so-called “assault weapons” – passed the House with a 35-27 vote, but was postponed indefinitely in a Senate committee.
Gun liability insurance – passed the House 33-29, but never made it past a second reading in the Senate.
“Prohibited persons” gun ban – introduced in the Senate, but never made any progress.
School grounds gun ban – introduced in the House but died in the Education Committee.
Gun rights supporters in Colorado have a lot to celebrate, especially with defeating the “Assault Weapons” Ban. However, some bills were rammed through and already signed into law by Governor Jared Polis:
Safe storage in vehicles – requires Colorado gun owners to secure firearms in vehicles in a locked container and out of sight. Violators could be fined up to $500. This law goes into effect January 1st, 2025.
Merchant category code gun purchase tracking – allows card payment processors to track gun and ammo transactions in Colorado. Some parts of the law go into effect on September 1st, 2024, and others on May 1st, 2025.
Lastly, there are gun control bills that are currently awaiting action from Governor Polis:
Ban on guns in “sensitive spaces” – this legislation would prohibit people from carrying guns in spaces such as government buildings, schools, and polling locations.
Live-fire training for concealed carry permits – would mandate required training to get a concealed carry permit, such as completing a live-shooting task and achieve a standardized test score of at least 80% before being awarded a permit.
Guns and ammo tax – this would impose a 9% tax to all gun and ammunition purchases and because it deals with new taxes, voters would need to approve it in November if Governor Polis signs the bill into law.
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO), state affiliate of the National Association for Gun Rights, is already threatening lawsuits against the bills already signed into law.
