Trampling on the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed one of the nation’s most restrictive gun laws.
Senate Bill 3 requires permits, training, and sheriff approval to purchase common semi-automatic firearms, creating a de facto gun registry.
Effective August 1, 2026, the new law mandates that Coloradans obtain a “firearms safety course eligibility card” from their county sheriff.
They are also required to complete up to 12 hours of training before purchasing semi-automatic firearms with detachable magazines.
The legislation also bans rapid-fire conversion devices like bump stocks and binary triggers, despite the Supreme Court previously overturning a similar federal ban.
Colorado gun rights advocates are not backing down. Huey Laugesen of the Colorado State Shooting Association (CSSA) promised swift legal action.
He declared: “Polis might think he’s scoring points with the anti-gun crowd, but as far as we’re concerned, he has just handed us a rallying cry. This fight is far from over, and we’re playing for keeps.”
The Democrat-controlled legislature pushed through this attack on gun rights despite fierce opposition from Republicans and some moderate Democrats.
The bill gives local sheriffs discretionary power to deny permits, creating an uneven patchwork of enforcement across the state.
Violators face Class 2 misdemeanor charges for first offenses, with subsequent violations classified as felonies.
Sheriffs in conservative counties have already signaled they may not fully enforce the law.
The Board of County Commissioners of Rio Blanco County has formally opposed the measure, citing potential negative impacts on the local economy and outdoor recreation industry that is vital to rural Colorado communities.
“We’re not going to let this law stand, whether it’s through litigation or whether we kick these bastards out and we replace them with people who will repeal it,” said Rocky Mountain Gun Owners executive director Ian Escalante.
While the law does not confiscate currently owned firearms and excludes recoil-operated handguns from the ban, it represents a dangerous precedent in the steady erosion of gun rights.
The law forces law-abiding citizens to pay up to $200 for mandatory training courses, effectively pricing lower-income Americans out of their constitutional rights.
The legislation is part of a broader radical agenda by Colorado Democrats.
They have also implemented mandatory waiting periods, arbitrary age limits for purchasing firearms, and restrictive gun-storage rules that make it difficult for homeowners to access firearms for self-defense in emergency situations.
The CSSA plans to file a lawsuit against the law immediately, arguing it violates the Second Amendment and creates an unconstitutional registry of gun owners.
Legal experts note the Supreme Court’s recent Bruen decision established that gun restrictions must be consistent with the nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation to be constitutional.
The law’s impact extends beyond Colorado’s borders, as federal law requires out-of-state gun manufacturers to comply with the customer’s state laws.
