A bill that aimed to prohibit the sale of assault weapons in Colorado, introduced by Democrats, will not be passed this session. One of the main sponsors of the bill has announced their intention to request the legislation to be postponed indefinitely.
House Bill 24-1292, which the House passed last month, aims to prohibit the sale or purchase of assault weapons. The bill defines assault weapons as .50 caliber rifles, semi-automatic rifles and pistols with detachable magazines, or those that can be modified to include one. Additionally, it includes semi-automatic rifles or pistols with fixed, large-capacity magazines.
The bill is scheduled to be heard by the Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee on Tuesday. However, Senator Julie Gonzales, the sponsor of the bill in the Senate, announced on Monday that she would request the committee to table the legislation.
“I will be making a formal request to the Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs committee to indefinitely postpone HB24-1292, also known as the assault weapons ban, on May 7, 2024,” she announced in a statement. “I must express my utmost pride in my fellow members of the House of Representatives for successfully passing the assault weapons ban, marking a significant milestone in Colorado’s history.”
Gonzales explained that after engaging in thoughtful discussions with fellow senators, he came to the realization that there is a need for further conversations to occur outside of the high-pressure environment of the Capitol, especially in the final weeks of the legislative session.
The legislative session is scheduled to end on Wednesday.
In the previous session, the House Judiciary Committee rejected the assault weapons ban. However, this session saw a significant increase in support, as it successfully passed the full chamber with a vote of 35-to-27.
Gonzales expressed enthusiasm for resuming and maintaining the ongoing discussions during the interim. He emphasized the unwavering dedication of gun violence survivors, responsible gun owners, and policy advocates at both local and national levels to the crucial task of saving lives. According to Gonzales, implementing an assault weapons ban would be an effective measure towards achieving this goal.
In a tweet, Representative Elisabeth Epps, a co-sponsor of the bill in the House, stated that states that have banned assault weapons did not do so successfully on their first attempts.
Legislators should continue their efforts, especially during the most challenging times. We cannot rely solely on the federal government or ammunition bans, nor should we wait for gatekeeping Democrats. These remarks were made by the speaker, who expressed gratitude towards all survivors and advocates. Let us continue to move forward in our mission.