Democrats Shepherd Three Critical Bills to Increase Community Safety, Address Gun Violence Epidemic
Bills to protect victims of domestic abuse, expand background check requirements, and establish a first-of-its-kind statewide Office of Gun Violence Prevention clear committee
DENVER, CO - Last night, the Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs committee approved three landmark firearm safety bills, seeking to address the issue of gun violence with a root-cause, multi-pronged approach.
“Gun violence is an epidemic in the country,” said Senator Pettersen (D-Lakewood). “Every year it seems we are shocked by a horrific mass shooting that shakes us to our core. But it’s the countless other shootings happening every day that represent the deadliest component of this crisis. Domestic abusers and other violent offenders are largely unobstructed from buying a firearm – putting vulnerable families and communities at increased risk of lethal violence. This has to change. By preventing dangerous people from purchasing or owning a gun, these bills will help stop tragedy before it starts.”
HB21-1255, sponsored by Senators Brittany Pettersen & Sonya Jaquez-Lewis, would strengthen and streamline procedures for the relinquishment of firearms by someone who has a domestic violence-related protection order issued against them. Current law already requires domestic violence offenders who are subject to a protection order stemming from an act of domestic or intimate partner violence to forfeit their firearms and refrain from possessing or purchasing firearms for the duration of the order. This bill simply clarifies the way in which defendants must comply with this requirement, and establishes requirements for courts.
“More than 30% of Coloradans experience physical abuse at the hands of a domestic partner – a threat made five times more deadly when their abuser owns a gun,” said Senator Jaquez Lewis (D-Boulder County). “We must do everything in our power to protect victims by ensuring that perpetrators remain unarmed. This includes passing measures like HB21-1255, which will strengthen current laws that require domestic violence offenders to relinquish their firearms.”
HB21-1298, sponsored by Senators Julie Gonzales & Brittany Pettersen, prohibits a person who has been convicted of specific violent misdemeanor offenses from purchasing a firearm for 5 years. These specific criminal offenses show a propensity for violence or illegal usage of a weapon and include charges like child abuse, hate crimes, cruelty to animals, sexual assault, and third degree assault. The bill also closes the “Charleston loophole”, which allows an individual who may not have otherwise passed a background check to obtain a firearm if the results of said background check take longer than three days to process.
“Background checks are one of the most effective tools we have to keep deadly weapons out of dangerous hands,” said Senator Julie Gonzales (D-Denver). “By ensuring that those who have committed violent offenses are unable to purchase a firearm, we will undoubtedly save lives. But this bill doesn’t stop there - we are also closing a critical loophole that has long allowed firearms to be purchased without any background check if there is a national backlog. No matter the wait, background checks should be non-negotiable for gun purchases and this legislation will ensure that.”
HB21-1299, sponsored by Senators Chris Hansen & Rhonda Fields, establishes the Office of Gun Violence Prevention under the Department of Public Health and Environment. The Office would be responsible for conducting public awareness campaigns about gun violence prevention. It would educate the public about existing state resources and laws, including how to file an Extreme Risk Protection Order, how to access mental health resources, and how to store firearms securely. The Office would also fund proven community-based violence intervention programs that are focused on interrupting cycles of gun violence through competitive grants.
“Gun violence continues to plague our communities, and for too long Coloradans have been crying out for their leaders to do something about it. We need more than thoughts and prayers, we need action,” said Senator Hansen (D-Denver). “With this bill, we are investing in community-sourced solutions that will combat the root causes of gun violence rather than its symptoms. I am incredibly proud of Colorado’s leadership on this issue and look forward to a day when gun violence no longer stalks our streets, haunts our homes, or terrorizes our public spaces.”
“True gun violence prevention requires that we start thinking bigger and more holistically,” said Senator Rhonda Fields (D-Aurora). “Making top-down regulations without investing in grassroots education will only limit our policies’ effectiveness. We need to build broad public awareness that empowers communities to take action – protecting their loved ones in moments of crisis and implementing evidence-based initiatives that will interrupt cycles of violence and trauma.”
HB21-1299 & HB21-1255 will now head to the Appropriations Committee, while HB21-1298 will be heard by the full Senate. To read the bills and find updates regarding their status, visit leg.colorado.gov.