DENVER, Colorado – In a significant move, the Democratic-controlled House in Colorado has approved a bill aimed at prohibiting the sale and transfer of semiautomatic firearms. This marks a notable progress for the legislation, especially after a similar bill faced a quick demise at the hands of Democrats last year.
The bill, which passed with a vote of 35-27, will now advance to the state Senate, also led by Democrats. If approved, Colorado would join a group of 10 other states, including California, New York, and Illinois, with existing bans on semiautomatic firearms. Despite the state grappling with some of the country’s most devastating mass shootings, passing such legislation remains a challenging endeavor.
Colorado, historically known for its political diversity, recently shifted towards a more Democratic-leaning stance. The bill’s pathway through the state Senate appears more complex than in the House, given the Senate’s tighter political divide. Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, has signaled his caution regarding the proposed ban.
Last year, a resembling bill failed to progress past committee stage, with certain Democratic lawmakers expressing apprehensions about the broad sweeping implications of a ban. Amidst concerns about overreach and impact on gun owners’ rights, last year Democrats enacted somewhat less stringent gun control laws, focusing on raising the minimum age for gun purchases and introducing waiting periods.
The state has had its share of tragic incidents, including the 1999 Columbine High School shooting, the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012, and the Boulder supermarket shooting in 2021. Against this backdrop, Democratic Rep. Javier Mabrey urged lawmakers to align with states already banning semiautomatic weapons.
Republicans have criticized the proposed legislation as an infringement on Second Amendment rights, asserting that addressing mental health issues and values related to life should take precedence over gun restrictions. Democrats, on the other hand, argue that semiautomatic weapons have the potential to cause significant harm in a short period.
Instances like the Aurora movie theater shooting were cited as examples of how quickly tragedies can unfold with the use of semiautomatic firearms. Lawmakers on both sides continue to engage in heated debates regarding the need for such restrictions in a state that has experienced significant gun violence incidents.