Colorado governor Jared Polis signed four gun-control bills into law Friday — raising the minimum age to purchase a gun from 18 to 21, among other measures.
The move comes just days after Washington governor Jay Inslee toughened state measures banning assault weapons. “Coloradans deserve to be safe in our communities, our schools, our grocery stores, night clubs and everywhere in between,” Polis said regarding the bills, referencing last year’s mass shooting at an LGBT nightclub in Colorado Springs. The state has a history of infamous massacres, including those at Columbine High School in 1999 and the Aurora theater in 2012.
However, Democrats in Colorado could not push through an assault-weapons ban earlier last week. Three House Democrats on the Judiciary committee joined Republicans in killing the bill on a 7-6 vote, according to the local NBC outlet.
Some Democrats thought the other measures, ultimately signed by Polis, were better equipped to address gun violence in the state.
Senate Bill 169 makes it a criminal offense for someone younger than 21 to purchase a firearm, with exceptions for members of the military or law enforcement. It is now also a criminal offense to sell someone younger than 21 a firearm.
“It’s just the truth that young people are far more likely to commit gun violence than their older counterparts,” said Senator Jessie Danielson, a bill sponsor, to the Colorado Sun.
House Bill 1219 establishes a three-day waiting period before a firearms seller may deliver a firearm to a purchaser and punishes violators with a fine. It is intended to put distance between emotional distress and access to a firearm.
Gun-rights groups immediately challenged the two measures, arguing that the bills constituted infringements of the Second Amendment.
“This morning we filed two lawsuits . . . against the age restriction and the waiting periods. We believe these are slam-dunk lawsuits and that we will easily win these in the courts,” explained Taylor Rhodes, executive director of the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, in a video statement.
The third measure Polis signed was Senate Bill 170, strengthening the state’s red-flag law. Now, the list of persons who can petition for an extreme risk protection order includes licensed medical care providers, licensed mental health-care providers, licensed educators, and district attorneys.
Senate Bill 23 was also enacted, making suits against gun sellers and manufacturers easier. The previous law in Colorado limited product liability actions against manufacturers of firearms and ammunition to situations in which there was a defect in the design or manufacture of a firearm or ammunition. That rule is now repealed. The enactment also eliminates the requirement that plaintiffs automatically pay the legal fees of gun-industry defendants when cases are dismissed. It makes the industry susceptible to lawsuits under the Colorado Consumer Protection Act.
Rhodes explained why his organization hadn’t filed suits against these laws yet.
“The reason is simple. We don’t have standing,” he said. However, he urged injured parties to contact his organization, promising a prompt response.