We told you recently how anti-gun Democrats in the Colorado Legislature had passed a semi-auto ban in the State House of Representatives and are considering a measure to expand the number of “sensitive places” where citizens cannot carry a firearm for self-defense.
Over the weekend, the state House passed three more anti-gun measures that would severely infringe on the rights of law-abiding Coloradoans while doing nothing to affect violent criminals.
One measure, HB 24-1270, would force gun owners to purchase a liability insurance policy. The measure states: “A resident of Colorado who owns a firearm shall continuously maintain in full force and effect a homeowners, renters, or other liability insurance policy from a non-admitted insurer, as defined in section 10-5-101.2, or an insurer authorized to do business in Colorado that covers losses or damages of at least $100,000 to all persons arising from any one incident to a person, other than the insured, who is injured as a result of an accidental or unintentional discharge of the firearm, included, but not limited to, death, injury, or property damage.”
If passed and signed into law by Gov. Jared Polis, the law would take effect on January 1, 2025.
Another measure, HB 24-1349, would levy an additional excise tax of 11% on firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition in the state. Commonly called a “sin tax” but targeting a constitutional right instead of a “sin,” this bill would hike the price of practicing a right protected by the Second Amendment substantially, with the largest effect being on poorer gun owners who are least likely to be able to afford the price jump. Most of the money would go to the state’s crime victim services fund, even though lawful gun owners had nothing to do with the crimes that made victims of those who are helped by the fund.
Comparing the tax to a federal excise tax that provides funding for conservation projects in the states, the measure says: “This act will similarly place a reasonable state surtax on firearm and ammunition industry members that profit from the sale of firearms and ammunition in order to generate sustained revenue for programs that are designed to remediate the devastating impacts of these products on families and communities across the state.”
If approved, this measure would go on the state ballot in this November’s election for a vote of the people.
The third bill, HB 24-1353, would create a state permitting system for gun dealers who are already strictly regulated by the federal government under their Federal Firearms Licenses. As NRA-ILA put it in a recent update to members, “The new permit adds one more layer of scrutiny and potentially state sanctioned harassment of these already highly regulated businesses.”
If passed and approved by the governor, the law would take effect on July 1, 2025. All three measures will now be assigned to a Senate committee for consideration.
Incidentally, two other bills passed by the House earlier are also eligible for final reading. HB 24-1174 would increase training requirements for concealed carry permits and require instructors to be certified by the Colorado Bureau of investigation, while HB 24-1348 would require gun owners leaving a firearm in an unattended vehicle to keep the gun in a locked, hard-sided container that is kept out of view or locked in the trunk of the vehicle.
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