Colorado Senate Committee Approves Bill to Ban Sale and Purchase of Certain Semiautomatic Rifles

In a late-night vote on Tuesday, a Colorado Senate committee approved a bill aimed at banning the sale and purchase of semiautomatic firearms that accept detachable magazines. This legislation targets a wide range of firearms commonly referred to as assault weapons. The bill, known as Senate Bill 3, passed the Senate’s State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee with a 3-2 vote after eight hours of testimony in a packed room at the state Capitol.

The bill now moves to the full Senate, where its passage is expected. Eighteen votes are needed to clear the 35-seat chamber, and 18 Democrats—excluding a newly appointed senator who voted for the bill Tuesday night—have already signed on as co-sponsors. From there, the bill will proceed to the House, where it has similar levels of support.

Background and Rationale

The bill’s sponsors, Democratic Senators Tom Sullivan and Julie Gonzales, argue that it is the next step in enforcing Colorado’s 11-year-old ban on high-capacity magazines. Senator Sullivan, whose son, Alex, was killed in the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting, stated that the magazine ban has been ignored, necessitating lawmakers to pursue a ban on the sale or transfer of firearms that accept these components. The measure also seeks to ban rapid-fire trigger activators and bump stocks, which increase the fire rate of weapons.

Key Provisions of Senate Bill 3

Senate Bill 3 would:

• Ban the manufacture, sale, purchase, and transfer of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns, as well as gas-operated semiautomatic handguns capable of accepting detachable magazines.
• Exempt common shotguns, revolvers, or pistols, unless they are gas-operated.
• Not make it illegal to possess semiautomatic weapons that accept detachable magazines.
• Require gun manufacturers to modify semiautomatic rifles to have fixed magazines that must be loaded, round by round, from the top of the weapon, rather than through magazines that can be easily swapped out when bullets run out.
• Ban rapid-fire trigger activators and bump stocks.

Support and Opposition

Supporters of the bill include East High School students who recalled shootings and lockdowns on their campus in recent years, as well as local and national advocates for gun control groups who defended the bill’s legality and workability. Jane Dougherty, whose sister was killed in the 2012 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut, testified about receiving her sister’s cleaned clothing in a box, emphasizing the devastating impact of high-capacity magazines.

Opponents of the bill include Republicans, gun-rights advocacy groups, and gun store owners. Firearms dealers warn that the ban would push them out of business. JD Murphree of Triple J Armory stated that it would “devastate” gun stores. Gun-rights groups have pledged to sue, a threat they have pursued, to mixed results, on recent gun-control bills. Senator Rod Pelton, a Cheyenne Wells Republican, argued that the measure was unconstitutional and violated the Second Amendment. Several opponents also accused the legislature of essentially seeking to ban all semiautomatic rifles.

Governor’s Position and Financial Considerations

Governor Jared Polis’ position on the measure is unclear; a spokeswoman did not immediately return a message seeking comment. A potential obstacle comes from the bill’s estimated cost: The Colorado Bureau of Investigation projects that the bill would cost $4.6 million to implement—a significant expense in a session when the legislature faces a $700 million budget shortfall. However, a nonpartisan fiscal analyst working for the legislature essentially rejected that estimate and said there would be no cost to the state. Senator Sullivan criticized the CBI’s estimates, accusing the agency of “fluffing” the numbers, potentially on behalf of a leery Polis, to make it easier to set the bill aside.

Next Steps

The bill is expected to pass the full Senate and move to the House, where it has similar support. If approved by both chambers, it will proceed to Governor Polis for consideration. Given the current political climate and the bill’s backing, its passage into law appears likely.

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