Efforts to ban the sale and transfer of so-called assault weapons in Colorado are hitting a roadblock, at least for now. Democratic Senator Julie Gonzales, the main sponsor of the bill, announced that she will seek to have it voted down in committee on Tuesday, a move known as ‘postponing indefinitely’ in legislative terms.
In a text message to CPR News, Gonzales explained that she believes more discussions need to happen outside of the hectic atmosphere of the Capitol during the final weeks of the legislative session.
The proposed bill, HB24-1292, defined assault weapons broadly and aimed to outlaw their sale in Colorado. It faced opposition from both Democrats and Republicans, particularly in the Senate.
While the bill passed the House, its fate in the Senate was less certain. It was assigned to the State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee, where Democrats hold a narrow majority. However, one Democratic member, Senator Tom Sullivan, expressed skepticism about the ban’s effectiveness, potentially making him a swing vote on the issue.
Democratic Representative Meg Froelich, who is sponsoring other gun-related bills, acknowledged the complexity of the assault weapons ban, noting that the arguments against it are based on policy while the arguments for it are emotional.
Instead of pursuing the ban, Froelich stated she’s focusing on enforcing existing gun laws.
The push to ban assault weapons has been a long-standing issue in the legislature, with previous attempts failing to gain traction. Even if the bill had made it out of committee, its passage in the full Senate was uncertain.
Senator Gonzales expressed hope for renewed discussions on the policy ahead of the next session and commended her colleagues in the House for their efforts.
Meanwhile, opponents of the ban, such as the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners organization, celebrated its defeat, viewing it as a victory for Second Amendment rights. They claimed to have mobilized significant opposition to the bill through calls and emails.
