Yesterday the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on House Bill 24-1292, the semi-auto ban, that lasted over 12 hours where hundreds of patriotic Coloradans overloaded the committee with opposition testimony. The hearing concluded with an abrupt decision by the committee chair to pass the bill on a party line vote, despite dozens more Coloradans waiting for their chance to address the committee after sitting through this marathon hearing. HB 24-1292 now moves to the House floor, where it is eligible for a vote. Use the Take Action Button below to contact your legislators and urge them to OPPOSE HB 24-1292!
HB24-1292's broad definition of “assault weapon” bans all semi-automatic rifles including America’s most common rifle, the AR-15, along with countless other rifles, pistols, and shotguns that Coloradans use for hunting, target shooting, and self-defense. The bill also bans .50 BMG rifles, despite the fact that these rifles are essentially never used in crime. Even worse, the ban extends to common firearm parts and many innocuous components in the definition of “assault weapon” and “rapid-fire trigger activator” (FRT/forced reset trigger). A person in violation of this unconstitutional ban will be charged with a petty offense.
Anti-gun lawmakers in Colorado claim this is an attempt to stop mass shootings, yet numerous studies have been conducted regarding the use and subsequent bans of semi-automatic rifles and always the results are the same; there are no discernable effects on violent crime or homicide rates. For more information on these studies click here.
Hearing Today on Sensitive Places Expansion:
Wednesday March 20 at 1:30PM, the Senate Judiciary Committee will hear Senate Bill 24-131, legislation to expand so-called "sensitive places" where firearms cannot be lawfully carried. This new prohibition includes polling places, public parks, community centers, churches, college campuses, and more. Please use the button below to contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE SB24-131!
Nothing in the bill requires these “sensitive places” to have any measures to protect citizens and prevent armed criminals from ignoring this arbitrary boundary and entering. 94% of mass shootings occur in these gun-free zones; signage is not enough to stop criminals. Law-abiding gun owners should not face criminal penalties for simply crossing arbitrary lines. Criminals, by their very nature, do not abide by laws or regulations; thus, they are undeterred by the prospect of encountering unarmed individuals. Instead, these zones disarm law-abiding citizens, leaving them vulnerable and defenseless in the face of danger.
If passed, this blatantly unconstitutional bill will certainly be challenged in court. Similar laws are already tied up in expensive litigation in states like New York, New Jersey, California, Hawaii, and Maryland.
The NRA-ILA will work diligently to defend your Second Amendment rights by opposing bills like HB24-1292 and SB24-131. Continue to check your inbox and the NRA-ILA website for updates concerning your Second Amendment Rights and hunting heritage in Colorado.
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