Last week Gov. Jared Polis signed two Colorado Ceasefire-supported bills into law:
SB24-003, Colorado Bureau of Investigation Authority to Investigate Firearms Crimes, (Sens. Tom Sullivan, Meg Froelich and Monica Duran). This legislation gives the Colorado Bureau of Investigation the tools and funding to crack down on illegal gun activity and protect Colorado communities.
HB24-1348, Secure Firearm Storage in a Vehicle, (Reps. Elizabeth Velasco and Lorena Garcia, Sens. Sonya Jacquez Lewis and Rhonda Fields). This legislation the responsible storage of firearms in vehicles to prevent theft and crime.
“Every Coloradan deserves the opportunity to live in a safe and healthy community. By investing in the resources to crack down on crime, we will help keep people and property safer across Colorado,” Polis said.
The two bills, passed in the recently concluded 2024 Colorado Legislature, were among eight that will or have already become Colorado law. It was a record-breaking year for gun violence prevention legislation.
Polis had previously signed SB24-066 Merchant Category Codes (Sens. Tom Sullivan and Meg Froelich, Rep. Javier Mabrey), requiring that credit card companies provide a 4-digit, ‘firearms retailer’ category code on all purchases from such an entity.
Still to be signed by Polis are:
SB24-131 Sensitive Spaces (Sens. Sonya Jaquez Lewis and Chris Kolker, Reps. Kyle Brown and Mandy Lindsay), which prohibits firearms in a number of sensitive spaces, including the state Capitol, local elected officials’ offices and meeting chambers, courts, election sites and schools (from preschools to universities).
HB24-1122 Protection Orders Domestic Violence (Reps. Monica Duran and Rose Pugliese, Sens. Dylan Roberts and Faith Winter), which addresses the way temporary domestic violence protection orders are handled by the courts and includes firearms relinquishment.
HB24-1174 Standardization of Concealed Carry Training Classes (Reps. Monica Duran and Marc Snyder, Sen. Kyle Mullica), which requires 8-hour classes that cover handgun safety, gun laws and conflict resolution as well as a live fire demonstration in order to obtain a CCW permit.
HB24-1349 Firearm Excise Tax (Reps. Monica Duran and Meg Froelich, Sens. Chris Hansen and Janet Buckner), which creates revenue to support mental health services for veterans and at-risk youth, as well as school security. (Because of TABOR, this measure must be approved by a vote of the people in the November election.)
HB24-1353 Firearms Dealer Requirements and Permits (Reps. Emily Sirota and Andrew Boesenecker, Sens. Jeff Bridges and Dafna Michaelson Jenet), which will make Colorado one of 17 states with state licensing or permitting of Federally Licensed Firearms Dealers.
As always, Colorado Ceasefire is grateful to those legislators who did the heavy lifting of sponsoring these and other gun reform legislation, and to the many individuals who testified in support of them.
We ask that you contact Governor Jared Polis and encourage him to sign these bills to increase the safety of all of us in Colorado. You can send him an email at governorpolis@state.co.us or call his office at 303-866-4877.
Ceasefire Partners with DPL to Raise GPV Awareness
The Denver Public Library joined with us to produce to host a series of gun violence prevention events, which included workshops at DPL branches, a Book Buzz event where we distributed free gun locks, and a recommended reading list for teens. Four events were held on May 9 and 18, and the reading list is available online.
We plan to get started soon on more programming with DPL for the coming school year!
Wear Orange Jun 7-9
Join Colorado Ceasefire and other organizations in honoring survivors and building community with those committed to ending gun violence.
The Boulder and East Boulder Moms Demand Action groups will host an event Sunday, June 9. You are invited to come have a drink, write cards to survivors of gun violence, participate in other activities, and connect with others interested in preventing gun violence in our communities. We’ll also celebrate recent legislative successes in this area. Kids are welcome. RSVP for the event location.
Wear Orange began after the January 2013 murder of Hadiya Pendleton in Chicago. Hadiya’s friends commemorated her life by wearing orange, the color hunters wear in the woods to protect themselves and others. Wear Orange is now observed every June, when thousands of people wear the color orange to honor Hadiya and the more than 43,000 Americans killed and 76,000 more shot and wounded with guns every year.
Study: Colorado Among Worst Gun-Involved Road Rage States
Colorado has the fourth-worst road rage problem among U.S. states, according to a new Consumer Affairs report. It also has one of the highest rates of ‘gun-involved’ road rage, at nearly double the national average.
The report says Denver’s large metro area contributes to the high ranking, but adds that efforts to combat aggressive driving with an equally aggressive citation approach seem to have paid off in fewer fatal accidents.
Some states ranking ahead of Colorado in gun-related road rage incidents were New Mexico, with 2.08 per 100,000 residents; Wisconsin, 1.10 per 100,000 residents; and Tennessee, with 1.19 per 100,000 residents.
Register to Vote (and tell your friends)!
It’s not too soon to make sure you are properly registered and ready to vote this November. If you are receiving this newsletter, you probably already know what a critical time this is for gun violence prevention legislation at the federal, state and local levels. Your vote for candidates who support common-sense gun laws—and spreading the word among people you know—is more important now than ever. Register to vote here.
