Second Amendment advocates file lawsuit over Colorado’s new semi-automatic weapons law
KRDO News
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — On Tuesday morning, Second Amendment advocates held a press conference on Colorado’s new law, SB 25-003. You can watch below:
The Colorado State Shooting Association said that it has filed a lawsuit, seeking to overturn the law. Opponents of the law say that it will do nothing more than impose long and costly waiting periods for law-abiding people.
“This law won’t stop crime — it will only stop Coloradans from exercising their constitutional rights,” said Ray Elliott, president of CSSA. “Colorado already has background checks. We already have waiting periods. SB25-003 piles on yet another hoop for responsible citizens while criminals ignore the rules. Enough is enough.”
The law places more restrictions on those looking to purchase a semi-automatic weapon in Colorado.
Under the law, those hoping to buy a semiautomatic are required to complete a firearms safety course every five years. The course will go over safe storing, handling, and other gun safety issues. Those applicants will then take an exam, which they must pass with at least 90%.
Sheriff’s offices are required to check that an applicant does not have criminal convictions preventing them from getting a gun. They can also deny an applicant if they have a reasonable belief that the applicant is a danger to themselves or another person.
“This mandate, which goes into effect on August 1, 2026, will in practice impose long, costly, and unnecessary waiting periods on law-abiding Coloradans — even longer than the 7-day waiting period recently struck down as unconstitutional by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit in Ortega v. Grisham,” read a press release by the Colorado State Shooting Association.
The law also prohibits the purchase or sale of “rapid fire conversion devices, like bump stocks and binary triggers,” according to Colorado Senate Democrats.
“High-capacity magazines are what put the ‘mass’ into mass shootings, which is why over a decade ago Colorado Democrats passed legislation to prohibit magazines that hold over 15 rounds of ammunition,” said Senator Tom Sullivan in a prior press release. “The people of Colorado have mandated that we do something about the public health crisis that is gun violence, so that’s what we’re going to do,” he later added.
But one local gun shop owner says the new restrictions could drive away customers and put financial strain on their business.
“As far as my business is concerned, about 70 percent of my business is semi-automatic firearms, whether it be pistols, rifles, things of that nature,” said Teddy Collins, owner of Spartan Defense.
A local firearms instructor tells KRDO13 that while he understands the intent, he worries about how it would work in practice.
“I feel this bill will be good because it will require people to have more training,” said David Ruhl with Tactical Elite Training Academy. “However, we are not in support of this bill. The fact that it’s gonna put further regulations on law-abiding citizens, whereas the criminal element doesn’t abide by the law to begin with.”
According to House Democrats, the law does not impact the sale of shotguns, commonly used hunting rifles, semiautomatic firearms that have fixed magazines, and the majority of handguns.
After its passage, Democrats touted the law as a win for safety in Colorado.
“Coloradans deserve to grocery shop, go to school, and worship without worrying about being a victim in the next mass shooting,” said Representative Meg Froelich in an April release. “This gun violence prevention law requires that all firearm purchasers complete a rigorous safety training course and acquire a permit to purchase the most deadly weapons on the market to ensure that they are not a danger to themselves or our communities.”
In a press conference on Tuesday, members of the Colorado State Shooting Association said that Governor Jared Polis and Attorney Phil Weiser are also named as defendants in the lawsuit.