A new gun control legislation in Colorado that limits gun sales to those younger than 21 years old goes into effect this week. Earlier this year, Governor Jared Polis signed into law SB23-169, one of many sweeping gun control bills passed by the Colorado legislature. Its goal is to make it such that only people 21 and older who are in the military services, law enforcement officers, or have passed a background check and been certified by the Peace Officer Standards and Training board are allowed to purchase firearms.
Gun stores and ranges in the area have conflicting opinions as the law’s implementation date approaches. Some people are worried that the new law would lower revenues, but they are more worried about the consequences for people who won’t be able to defend themselves.
Kevin Day, manager of DCF Guns, expressed concern, saying, “People under the age of 21 are no longer going to have the right to defend themselves with firearms.” Keeping the public informed is our top priority.
However, some groups have taken a position against the statute legally, such as the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO). They took Governor Polis and the state of Colorado to court to question the legitimacy of the statute. In an effort to stop the rule from going into effect, RMGO even sought a Temporary Restraining Order, claiming that it violates the rights of law-abiding gun owners. They argue that people should be able to own guns if they are permitted to vote at the age of 18.
Proponents of the measure, on the other hand, say it would protect children and increase public safety, rather than target law-abiding gun owners. A Democrat and the law’s sponsor, House Majority Leader Monica Duran, highlighted that, “This isn’t aiming to infringe on anybody’s rights… The bottom line is life-saving; we have hard data showing an uptick in both teen suicide and family violence. She thinks that limiting people’s ability to purchase weapons is a positive step toward making neighborhoods safer for everyone.
Proponents of the new legislation point to its potential to save lives, while detractors criticize its impact on individual rights, highlighting the complexity and controversial nature of the discussion around gun control as it goes into force.