Colorado Democrats' Gun Control Efforts Stymied in Latest Legislative Session
Colorado Democratic lawmakers killed a bill that would have banned the sale and transfer of semiautomatic firearms, citing concerns over government overreach and promises made to their constituents. The state's purple roots and tensions between urban and rural constituents were also factors. The Legislature has already passed less ambitious gun control bills, including strengthening red-flag laws and raising the age for buying a gun to 21. The proposed semiautomatic firearm ban was proposed after a mass shooting in Colorado Springs, but support for gun rights remains strong in the state's rural areas.