New gun laws combat violence, limit who can acquire firearms

(COLORADO) — New gun violence prevention laws will take effect starting Wednesday, Aug. 7.

The newest laws combat gun violence by improving concealed carry permit training, hosting the Colorado Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) ability to address illegal firearms, and making it easier to recognize dangerous firearm purchasing patterns.

“Concealed Carry Permits and Training,” also known as HB24-1174, requires handgun training classes to include at least eight hours of instruction, including a live-fire exercise and a written exam with a minimum passing score. It also requires handgun training classes to be held in person and include training on the safe handling of firearms and ammunition, safe storage of firearms and child safety, federal state firearm laws, interactions with law enforcement, and more.

In addition, HB24-1174 prohibits a person from being issued a permit if they have been convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses within five years of submitting a concealed carry permit application. The law also makes it a deceptive trade practice for a person to claim to be a verified firearms safety instructor unless they have been verified by a county sheriff.

“Responsible gun ownership takes work,” said House Representative Kyle Mullica. “Creating minimum training requirements for safe handling of firearms, shooting fundamentals and more ensures we’re treating concealed carry permits with the seriousness they deserve. Too often, careless gun owners create dangerous situations that needlessly put many others in harm’s way. I’m proud to champion this important legislation that advances gun safety measures and helps prevent senseless gun violence.”

SB24-003 allows the CBI to investigate illegal activity involving firearms. The law allocates $1.7 million to the Department of Public Safety to create a team that investigates individuals convicted of felonies who are attempting to illegally purchase a gun, or possess a ghost gun.

While SB24-066 requires payment card networks such as Visa or Mastercard to provide a specific merchant code for businesses that sell firearms and ammunition. These codes allow banks to recognize dangerous firearm purchasing patterns and report them to law enforcement.

A report by Guns Down America found that a policy like SB24-066 could have prevented many mass shootings, including the Aurora movie theater shooting and Pulse Nightclub shooting.

The Aurora movie theater shooter used a Mastercard to purchase $11,000 worth of weapons and military gear at multiple stores six weeks before the shooting.

For more information on each gun law, click on the links above.

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