Colorado legislators are set for a marathon committee hearing Tuesday about whether to ban the sale and transfer of a range of semi-automatic firearms here, a bill that’s likely to pass its first vote and has drawn hundreds of supporters and opponents who’ve signed up to testify.
The bill, HB24-1292, would prohibit the sale, purchase, transfer, import and manufacture of so-called “assault weapons” in Colorado. The measure’s definition of those firearms includes semi-automatic rifles and pistols with fixed large-capacity magazines or that have the ability to accept detachable magazines, along with several other types of high-powered firearms.
The bill is sponsored by Denver Democratic Reps. Tim Hernández and Elisabeth Epps. Last year, a similar bill died in the House Judiciary Committee on the anniversary of the Columbine High School shooting.
The same committee will vote on the measure Tuesday — though, given that more than 500 people have signed up to testify, the vote may not come until early Wednesday morning.
But two of last year’s no votes are off of the committee, replaced by progressive legislators who are co-sponsoring the bill. That gives the bill a strong chance of advancing out of committee.
Epps and Hernández are expected to make slight changes to the bill related to the transfer and transportation of the weapons. If passed Tuesday, the measure would next go to the House Appropriations Committee before moving to the House floor.
Related Articles
As Colorado and other states target disavowed “excited delirium” diagnosis, police groups push back
Assault weapons ban, single-stair development, air-quality bills in the Colorado legislature this week
Judge finds sexual assault claim against Colorado lawmaker “incredible,” casting doubt on allegations
An attempt to ban all “forever chemicals” in Colorado failed. What will it take to finally get rid of PFAS?
Grappling with Colorado’s property taxes, attracting data centers, gun bills and more from the legislature last week
Hernández, a 27-year-old teacher and freshman lawmaker, began his opening comments to the House Judiciary Committee by describing his life running parallel to the steady drumbeat of mass shootings in the United States, from Columbine in 1999 to Aurora and Sandy Hook in 2012 and the STEM School Highlands Ranch shooting in 2019.
“I’ve been living with this my entire life, from 2009 to 2022,” Hernández said. “Nine out of 10 of the mass shooting incidents with the most casualties involve the use of at least one assault weapon. This has been happening my entire life. And, to be frank with you, I’m not waiting anymore.”
Dozens of pro-gun activists protested outside of the Capitol on Tuesday morning. The committee room in the Capitol was at capacity, with an overflow room set up elsewhere in the building. An audio livestream of the committee is available here.
Republicans are uniformly opposed to the bill, and pro-gun reform groups have pledged to file a lawsuit to contest the measure should it become law.
Opening questions from the committee included Republicans questioning the weapons’ prevalence in gun violence and Democrats countering by listing the mass shootings perpetrated by them because of their unique lethality.
The bill is one of several gun reform measures backed by legislative Democrats this year. Another measure, to limit where guns can be carried in Colorado, is set to be heard in committee Wednesday.
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.