Several past students and friends have been reaching out recently, asking for information and clarity about gun laws that passed last year and laws that are being proposed and may pass this year.

This is my attempt to offer a summary of what has passed and what implications there may be for you as well as warn you against what may be coming.

Laws Passed Last Year

SB24-003 – Tax Dollars to Enforce Unconstitutional Gun Laws

Summary: This bill allocates 1.7 million to CBI to investigate and enforce gun crimes; specifically ghost gun manufacturing, high capacity magazine crimes, and future gun restrictions.

Action For You To Take: Nothing.

SB24-066 – Work to Allow Financial Institutions Access to Identify Firearm-Related Transactions

Summary: This bill forces financial institutions to identify Colorado gun stores and force them to utilize the Firearm Merchant Category Code, thus enabling any bank or credit card company to be able to identify gun-related transactions for whatever purpose they desire. I wrote about the extreme danger of this proposal here.

Action For You To Take: I strongly recommend that moving forward you use cash only when making purchases from any sporting goods retailer in Colorado and especially gun stores.

SB24-131 – Prohibit Open and Concealed Carry in Some “Sensitive Places” & Schools

Summary: This law prohibits open or concealed carry in State legislative buildings, a “building of local government’s governing body,” and any courthouse or other building used for court proceedings. Further, this law also removes the previous right to have a firearm (with permit) on a college campus or university campus. Exceptions for parking lots remain as before.

Action For You To Take: You can no longer carry on campus.

HB24-1174 – Increase the requirements for a Concealed Carry Permit

Summary: This law changes the required training to obtain or renew a permit. Currently about any gun safety class would qualify one to apply. This law would require a minimum of 8 hours of instruction with a written and live fire test of a minimum of 50 rounds. In addition, it would require a minimum 2-hour class for every permit renewal and it would require instructors to be “verified” by a local sheriff. The law allows the sheriff to charge a fee to verify an instructor.

Action For You To Take: If your permit is coming up for renewal in the next 120 days, I recommend you try your best to get that renewal done before July 1st. This will save you from having to take a newly required renewal class (which I will be offering). If you know anyone interested in applying for a permit they should consider getting that done before July 1st.

HB24-1348 – Extend Existing “Safe Storage” Law to Vehicles

Summary: Prohibits leaving a handgun in a vehicle unless stored in a locked hard-sided container, not in plain view.

Action For You to Take: I hope this doesn’t require any change because you already were securing your firearms properly when you left them in your vehicles unattended.

HB24-1349 – Levy a 6.5% Tax on Gun, Gun Parts, and Ammunition

Summary: This law levies an excise tax on gun dealers, gun manufacturers, and ammunition vendors at the rate of 6.5% of the net taxable sales from the retail sale of any gun, gun precursor part, or ammunition in the state. This law is in effect on April 1st, 2025.

Action For You to Take: Not much you can do on this one. I’m afraid it is what it is.

HB24-1353 – Colorado Wants to be its own ATF And License Gun Dealers

Summary: Local gun dealers, who already have to pay for and retain a license from the ATF now also have to apply for and obtain a license from the state. It comes with fees and other dumb requirements.

Action For You To Take: Nothing.

Laws Proposed This Year

SB25-003 – Semi-Auto Firearm ban

Summary: While the phrase Semi-Auto ban sounds pretty exhaustive of about every gun we own the bill is really only targeting AR-15s and other carbines. Most popular semi-automatic shotguns and handguns are excluded from this law. This law, which as of this writing is just waiting on the governor’s signature, doesn’t ban any guns currently in circulation. Rather it bans purchasing, manufacturing, selling and transferring the specified guns. Additionally, one can be exempted from this ban if they meet specific educational requirements, meaning if you have taken and passed specific classes in recent history. There is a lot of complexity, frankly so if the Governor signs this I’ll have to write something more exhaustive about this law.

Status: Now Law. Update here.

HB25-1238 – Gun Show Requirements

Summary: This bill requires that only licensed FFL gun dealers can be vendors at the gun show and that the gun show promoter has to meet a number of requirements, including security measures, and ensuring existing laws are enforced. Minors can only attend if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Status: Now Law.

HB25-1133 – Ammunition Sale Requirements

Summary: This bill requires vendors to secure ammo in the retail store. It also bans the sale of ammunition to anyone under the age of 21. There are some exceptions for 18-20 year olds including an exception for onsite use at a gun range, members of the military, and those with a hunter education certificate. Rimfire ammo is also excluded. It also requires that shipped ammo not have any labels on the outside of the package that suggest it includes ammunition and also inform the shipping carrier that it is ammo.

Status: Now law. Update here.

There are also a few pro-gun bills proposed in this session, including a Constitutional Carry Bill and a bill to repeal the FFL Dealer Permit bill passed last year. I wouldn’t hold your breath on either of those making through the committee.