Colorado gun owners are facing an unprecedented assault on their Second Amendment rights as Assault Weapons Ban SB25-003, the state’s most restrictive gun control measure to date, awaits Governor Jared Polis’ signature after passing both chambers of the legislature last week.
The legislation, which narrowly passed the House 36-29 with all 22 Republicans and 7 Democrats voting against it, creates a burdensome licensing scheme for purchasing semi-automatic firearms with detachable magazines. Set to take effect August 1, 2026, the law represents the most aggressive attempt yet by Colorado Democrats to restrict firearm ownership under the guise of public safety.
Assault Weapons Ban: What CO Gun Owners Need to Know
At its core, SB25-003 establishes a state-controlled permitting system that effectively creates a registry of gun owners. While sponsors claim the bill “isn’t a ban,” the reality is far more concerning. Under the new law:
- Semi-automatic rifles, shotguns, and gas-operated pistols that accept detachable magazines can no longer be purchased without jumping through extensive government hoops.
- Buyers must obtain a new “Firearms Safety Course Eligibility Card” through a complex application process.
- Applicants must submit to additional background checks beyond what’s already required at the point of sale.
- County sheriffs will have discretion over who receives approval to exercise their rights.
- Approved applicants must complete mandatory training courses (either 8 hours of combined hunter safety and basic gun safety, or a 12-hour “Extended Firearms Safety Course”).
- Gun buyers must pass a government-designed test with 90% or better accuracy.
- The entire process creates a searchable database of government-approved buyers, effectively establishing a gun registry.
Notably, the bill also bans bump stocks and forced reset triggers outright.
A Solution in Search of a Problem
Despite Democrats’ claims that this measure will reduce mass shootings, statistics tell a different story. The types of firearms targeted by this legislation are used in only about eight homicides per year in Colorado, according to data compiled by gun rights activists.
“The passage of this bill is not only an assault on our rights, but it is absurd to think it will stop mass shootings, as if mass shooters lack training and a license will instill morals in an evil person,” stated Lesley Hollywood in her analysis of the legislation. “Additionally, the firearms this bill targets are used in a fraction of murders, with them being responsible for approximately 8 murders a year in Colorado.”
The arbitrary nature of the bill is further highlighted by its exemption list, which allows continued purchase of 38 specific firearms without the licensing requirement, including the Ruger Mini-14 Ranch Rifle and Springfield Armory M1A—semi-automatic rifles functionally similar to those being restricted.
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Ruger Mini-14 Ranch 5.56mm NATO 18.5in Blued Semi Automatic Modern Sporting Rifle - 20+1 Rounds - Brown | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 1099.99 | |
| Ruger Mini 14 Ranch .223 Remington Rifle, Black Synthetic - 5817 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 1269.99 $ 1103.99 | ||
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Ruger Mini 14 Ranch .223 Remington Rifle, Black Synthetic - 5817 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 1349.99 $ 1049.99 | |
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Ruger Mini-14 Ranch 5.56mm NATO 18.5in Blued Semi Automatic Modern Sporting Rifle - 5+1 Rounds - Brown | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 1049.99 |
Follow the Money
Perhaps most concerning for sportsmen and outdoor enthusiasts: the funding for this gun control scheme will come directly from Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Outdoor Parks and Recreation Fund—the same fund supported by hunting licenses, fishing permits, and the $29 state park pass added to vehicle registrations.
As noted in reports analyzing the bill, “The funding for this license to buy program will come out of CPW’s Outdoor Parks and Recreation Fund which gets a lot of its funding when you add the $29 state park pass to your car registration. It also gets funding from hunting and fishing licenses, state park camping fees, and more. Any money you give to CPW from here forward will be funding your own disarmament.”
What Happens Next?
Governor Polis has ten days to sign or veto the bill once it reaches his desk. While his office claims they worked with sponsors to address “major concerns,” they have not confirmed whether he plans to sign it.
Gun rights organizations are mobilizing rapidly, with the Colorado State Shooting Association launching a petition demanding Polis veto the measure. Constitutional challenges are certain to follow if the bill becomes law.
Second Amendment advocates are already looking to the 2026 elections as an opportunity to hold accountable the legislators who supported this unprecedented restriction on Coloradans’ rights.
As the Colorado State Shooting Association stated in their petition, “We the undersigned being registered electors in the State of Colorado, in recognition of the right to keep and bear arms guaranteed to us by the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution and repeatedly reaffirmed by the United States Supreme Court, including recent decisions such as Bruen, hereby demand that Governor Jared Polis veto Senate Bill 25-003, or the Semi-Automatic Firearm Ban, in the case it is approved by the legislature and placed upon his desk for signature into law.”
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