Concealed carry permit measure heads to Colorado governor’s desk
DENVER (KDVR) — One gun control measure is headed to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk to possibly be signed into law, and three more are heading to the Colorado Senate for further debate.
The measure heading to Polis’ desk would require gun owners to obtain more training before they can legally carry a concealed firearm. The law would require concealed carry courses to be held in person and include information about:
Safe storage
State and federal gun laws
Using firearms for self-defense
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It will also require course takers to complete a live-shooting task and achieve a standardized test score of at least 80% for gun owners to be awarded a concealed carry permit.
Gun rights groups have said these measures could deter gun owners who would otherwise carry their firearms. Others argued the measure is common sense.
“Members, this bill is a good bill. Education and high standards are not bad when it comes to the great responsibility of concealed carry of a firearm,” said state Sen. Kyle Mullica, a Democrat representing portions of Adams County, during debate on April 19.
Colorado Senate debates gun control measures
Liability insurance
A measure heading to the Senate would require gun owners to hold liability insurance covering injury, death or property damage that could occur from an accidental discharge. The measure would make it a civil infraction not to have liability insurance, punishable by a first-time fine of $500, and a second offense within five years of the previous offense would increase the fine to $1,000.
There are also measures to ensure anyone who cannot obtain the insurance can still own a firearm.
Firearm and ammunition taxes
The second bill heading to the Senate would let voters decide whether the state should charge a 9% tax on all firearm and ammunition purchases. That is a decrease from the proposed tax of 11% originally included in the bill.
“After a lot of conversations, a lot of thinking, what we came up with was an excise tax on guns, ammunition, gun parts, gun sales,” the measure’s primary sponsor, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, said earlier this month to FOX31’s Gabrielle Franklin. “I think voters are happy to pay a little extra when it comes to their guns and ammunition, whatever they are buying, knowing that funding is going directly to three things: crime victims, school safety and mental health.”
Requirements for gun dealers
The final measure going before the Colorado Senate would require retail gun dealers to obtain a state permit, and would require owners and employees to go through a training program on how to secure weapons and spot illegal purchases.
“From hairdressers and auto dealers to liquor store owners and many other professions, state licenses are required to conduct business, and we believe that people who sell firearms should be held to the same standard,” state Rep. Emily Sirota, a Democrat representing Denver, said in a House Democrats press release.
“Our bill would establish a state permitting system for firearm dealers, require dealers and employees to undergo training to better identify suspicious activity, and ensure compliance with business standards to prevent illegal firearm sales. Dealers who violate state laws could lose their permit to sell firearms, preventing illegal guns and components from being circulated in our communities. This bill sets firearm dealers up for success to help us reduce gun violence and crime in our communities,” Sirota said.
Colorado bill to track gun and ammo purchases heads to Polis’ desk
The measure would go into effect on July 1, requiring gun dealers to hold a state permit. Operating without the permit would be an unclassified felony punishable by a fine of up to $250,000, according to the bill text.
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