The Colorado House this week passed a bill to implement a ban on so-called assault weapons, but the measure's future isn't certain as the state GOP vows to kill the bill and previous attempts to pass such a law have failed.
With a final vote count of 35 to 27, the bill entitled "Prohibit Certain Weapons Used in Mass Shootings," or HB24-1292, passed the House on Sunday mostly along party lines. Nine Democrats joined their Republican colleagues in voting against it.
Rep. Tim Hernández, a primary sponsor of the bill, called the passage "one step we can take in the legislature to protect our communities, especially our students and educators, and save Colorado lives."
On the House floor, the 27-year-old Democrat referenced high-profile mass shootings in Colorado, such as at Columbine High School and the Aurora movie theater, as reasons to pass the measure. In both instances, shooters used firearms described in the bill.
"As the youngest member of the Colorado General Assembly and a teacher, I feared every day that my school could end up in the news from a deadly attack," Hernández said.
Critics of the bill like Rep. Ryan Armagost, a Republican whose key issue is gun rights, argued on the House floor that the definition of an "assault weapon" is subjective and that the bill doesn't provide a clear definition.
"The biggest issue with this is nobody does understand what is classified as an assault weapon because it changes with every hand that it's in," said Armagost, suggesting that some may consider certain features dangerous while others do not.
Although the bill is longer than what lawmakers filed last year, it largely mirrors language used in legislation filed for a federal assault weapon ban.
According to the bill, the law will prohibit making, selling, and buying assault weapons. The term is defined using a long list of firearm features, such as a pistol grip, detachable magazine, muzzle brake, threaded barrel, and more, and models and variants of ARs, AKs, and other firearms. The bill would also prohibit "rapid-fire trigger activators."
For first-time violators, the punishment would be a $250,000 fine and $500,000 for each subsequent violation. However, the law would not apply to gun dealers, law enforcement officers, and active duty servicemen as well as residents who currently own firearms described in the bill.
Following the House vote, the Prohibit Certain Weapons Used in Mass Shootings advances to the state Senate. If it passes there and signed by the governor, Colorado will become the eleventh state to enact an assault weapons ban.
