Colorado Now Has Three New Gun Laws
Following an historic session on gun violence prevention, Governor Polis signs a series of bills into law that will save lives.
Denver — June is Gun Violence Awareness Month. Unfortunately, Coloradans are already all too aware of the epidemic, as too many Colorado families and communities have been touched by its grim reach. Today, we honor the lives of those devastatingly taken too early by gun violence and stand with survivors, families, and activists as Governor Polis takes action by signing a set of extremely important gun violence prevention policies into law.
Legislation signed into law today:
- End Preemption by allowing local regulation of firearms (SB 256)
- Close the ‘Charleston’ loophole by ensuring that a gun is not sold to someone until the background check is complete and approval is granted and by prohibiting the transfer of firearms to a person who has been convicted of a violent misdemeanor in the past five years. (HB 1298)
- Establish Office of Gun Violence Prevention which will coordinate awareness campaigns, research, data collection and grants to evidence-based violence intervention programs. (HB1299)
“The signing of these bills completes an historic session for gun violence prevention in Colorado.” said Colorado Ceasefire Legislative Action President Eileen McCarron. We are grateful to Governor Polis for taking this bold step today. In addition to his already signing the “Promoting Child Safety Through Responsible Firearm Safety Act” and the “Isabella Joy Thallas Act” into law, this full legislative package of gun violence prevention takes a proactive approach to addressing the epidemic of gun violence and making Colorado a safer state for its citizens and communities.”
Colorado Ceasefire thanks Governor Polis for championing these measures and the heroic group of lawmakers — Senators Stephen Fenberg, Rhonda Fields, Julie Gonzales, Chris Hansen, Dominick Moreno, and Brittany Pettersen and Representatives Judy Amabile, Jennifer Bacon, Lindsey Daugherty, Edie Hooton, Tom Sullivan and Steven Woodrow — for getting these life-saving proposals across the finish line. These laws will make Colorado a safer, better place for all.
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Colorado Ceasefire has been working for freedom from gun violence since 2000. Ceasefire initiated and was instrumental in the enactment of the 2013 Colorado firearms laws, which included universal background checks, a high-capacity magazine ban, and domestic violence firearms relinquishment. Ceasefire began advocating for an Extreme Risk law in 2016, which became effective January 1st of 2020.
