Colorado Senator Julie Gonzales (D) and lead sponsor of HB 1292, the so-called “Assault Weapons” Ban, announced Monday that she would ask for the bill to be killed in the Senate State, Military, and Veteran Affairs Committee.
This marks the second year in a row gun rights supporters in Colorado have successfully lobbied their lawmakers against ban on so-called “assault weapons.”
However, the legislation gained more traction this year compared to last, as it sailed through the Colorado House by a vote of 35-27, where even a handful of Democrats voted against the bill.
The bill would have defined an “assault weapon” as:
- A semi-automatic rifle capable of accepting a detachable magazine or of being modified to accept a detachable magazine that also has a pistol grip, muzzle brake, functional grenade or flare launcher, shroud attached to the barrel, threaded barrel, or a folding, telescoping or detachable stock. One or more of those secondary features would make the rifle qualify as an “assault weapon” under the bill.
- A semi-automatic pistol that’s capable of accepting a detachable magazine or is capable of being modified to accept a detachable magazine that also has a threaded barrel, second pistol grip, shroud attached to the barrel, a muzzle brake or an arm brace. One or more of those secondary features would make the pistol an “assault weapon” under the bill.
- A semi-automatic shotgun that either has a pistol grip, fixed large-capacity magazine, or a folding telescoping or thumbhole stock. One or more of those secondary features would make the shotgun an “assault weapon” under the bill.
- A .50-caliber rifle
Possession of these firearms would have been allowed, but citizens would be prohibited from importing them to Colorado.
Additionally, the bill would have also banned the possession of so-called “rapid-fire trigger activators.”
Taylor Rhodes, Excutive Director of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, applauded the efforts of gun owners in Colorado:
“Over 65,000 calls were made to lawmakers and the Governor from RMGO members. Gun rights supporters also sent over 150,000 emails into legislators’ inboxes, and the number I’m personally, most proud about, we gathered over 210,000 signed petitions, urging legislators to vote “no” and oppose this gun ban. We could not have had this great victory without our members. Thank you!”
Read more at Colorado Sun.
