Colorado AWB Dead—For Now

After being besieged by a number of anti-gun bills during this legislative session, Colorado gun owners have a big victory to claim for the Second Amendment.

The Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Tuesday voted to indefinitely postpone House Bill 1292, the so-called “assault weapons” ban that would outlaw many common semi-automatic firearms. The measure is now officially off the table for this legislative session.

According to a report by Colorado Public Radio, Sen. Julie Gonzalez, said before the committee vote that she would ask for the measure to be voted down in committee.

“After thoughtful conversations with my Senate colleagues, I decided that more conversations need to take place outside of the pressure cooker of the Capitol during the last weeks of the legislative session,” Gonzales wrote in a text message to CPR.

The measure’s broad definition of “assault weapon” would have banned countless semi-automatic rifles, including the popular AR-15, pistols and shotguns that Coloradans use for hunting, target shooting, competition and self-defense. It would have also included firearm parts and components in its definition of “assault weapon” and “rapid-fire trigger activator(s).”

While the death of the AWB is welcome news, Colorado gun owners have certainly been under fire this session. A measure expanding the “sensitive places” where even licensed carry holders cannot possess guns was passed and sent to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk, and a measure requiring a special merchant category code for credit card firearms purchases was signed into law by the governor.

Also, a measure that would levy a 6.5% tax on the sale of all firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition in the state was recently approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee and is now being considered on the Senate floor. Other measures involving a permitting system for firearms retailers, gun owner liability insurance requirements and firearms storage area also still under consideration.

With the ferocity by which anti-gun Democrat lawmakers pushed the gun ban measure this spring, it likely won’t surprise anyone if the matter comes up again in the next legislative session. In fact, gun-ban advocates have already promised that it will be considered again.

“I look forward to renewing and continuing those discussions over the interim,” Sen. Gonzalez told the committee. “It is clear that survivors of devastating gun violence, responsible gun owners and local and national policy advocates remain committed to doing the work necessary to save lives—and an assault weapons ban will do just that.”