As the Colorado legislative session closes, its 2025 edition will long be remembered and lamented as a historic assault on the Second Amendment. The worst-case scenario of erasing the fundamental and constitutional protections of the Second Amendment with the stroke of a pen came true for Coloradans. It’s an example all Americans, especially those who believe they live in a “safe” state for gun rights, should heed.
With Governor Jared Polis’s signature on three consequential firearm bills, the stark reality is that these laws take effect next year, and while the legal fight will continue, it is critical for citizens to fully understand the application and effect of this egregious legislation.
SB 25-003 mandates that beginning August 1, 2026, Coloradans’ constitutional right to acquire a semiautomatic is now accessible only after surmonting gratuitous government prior restraints and fee schedules. There is now a permit-to-purchase scheme in place for semi-automatic firearms—this includes rifles, shotguns, and handguns equipped with a detachable magazine. Ultimately, the law now places an incredible amount of restrictions on law-abiding citizens including prohibiting the sale, purchase, distribution, or transfer of these firearms without first completing a 12-hour training course (unless a person has already completed a hunter’s safety course, in which case it would 4 hours); requiring passage of a written exam by a minimum of 90%; inclusion in a database, i.e. gun registry, of exam takers; payment of requisite fees; and obtaining permission via an eligibility permit from a local sheriff based on “may-issue” criteria. County sheriffs can deny an applicant for merely a “reasonable belief” and can revoke a permit under the same standard with renewal required every five years, further adding to the overwhelming constitutional concerns facing Coloradans. See NRA-ILA’s most recent statement HERE.
Starting July 1, 2026, HB 25-1133 goes into effect, providing for additional measures regarding ammunition restrictions. Sales of ammunition will be banned for those under 21 years old except for military service members, police officers, and those who completed a hunter’s safety course, as well as requiring ammunition to be stored behind counters or locked shelves, entirely restricting customer access. Gun shops, dealers, and shooting ranges are rightfully concerned about the negative effects on their businesses in an already very heavily regulated environment.
House Bill 25-1238 places additional regulatory burdens on gun show vendors and organizers, now requiring promoters to prepare a “detailed security plan” that must be submitted to local law enforcement for approval before an event can take place. These new onerous requirements can certainly deter vendors from participating in these community events which have long served as a lawful, accessible, and already regulated avenues for legal firearm transactions.
These far-reaching and unconstitutional attempts additionally face implementation challenges that will undoubtedly also burden the taxpayers of Colorado, a state with a significant $1.2 billion budget shortfall. These unfunded mandates will have an incredible fiscal impact on citizens while paying zero dividends in citizen safety.
This historic assault on Second Amendment rights will also embolden and energize anti-gun extremists in other states. That momentum should inspire the Second Amendment community to use this cautionary tale of Colorado to become engaged in protecting gun rights nationwide, just as NRA-ILA will continue to do at every opportunity and in every forum.
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