Future of assault weapons ban passed by Colorado House seen as uncertain

Denver — Colorado's Democratic-controlled House connected Sunday passed a measure that would prohibition nan waste and transportation of semiautomatic firearms, a awesome measurement for nan authorities aft astir nan aforesaid measure was swiftly killed by Democrats past year.

The bill, which passed connected a 35-27 vote, is now connected its measurement to nan Democratic-led authorities Senate. If it passes there, it could bring Colorado successful statement pinch 10 different states - including California, New York and Illinois - that person prohibitions connected semiautomatic guns.

But moreover successful a authorities plagued by immoderate of nan nation's worst wide shootings, specified authorities faces headwinds.

Colorado's governmental history is purple, shifting bluish only recently. The bill's chances of occurrence successful nan authorities Senate are little than they were successful nan House, wherever Democrats person a 46-19 mostly and a bigger far-left flank. Gov. Jared Polis, besides a Democrat, has indicated his wariness complete specified a ban.

Last year, a akin measure died successful committee, pinch immoderate Democratic lawmakers citing concerns complete nan expanse of a prohibition and promises they made to their constituents to debar authorities overreach affecting astir weapon owners' rights.

Democrats past twelvemonth passed and Polis signed into rule 4 less-expansive weapon power bills. Those included raising nan property for buying immoderate weapon from 18 to 21; establishing a three-day waiting play betwixt nan acquisition and receipt of a gun; strengthening nan state's reddish emblem law; and rolling backmost immoderate ineligible protections for nan firearms industry, exposing it to lawsuits from nan victims of weapon violence.

Those laws were signed months aft 5 group were killed at an LGBTQ+ nightclub successful Colorado Springs past year. Soon, nan authorities will people nan 25th day of nan 1999 Columbine High School shooting that killed 13 people. Other wide shootings successful Colorado see 12 group killed successful 2012 astatine an Aurora movie theater and 10 group killed successful 2021 astatine a Boulder supermarket.

"This is nan authorities wherever nan modern era of nan wide shooting began pinch Columbine," Democratic Rep. Javier Mabrey said successful urging chap lawmakers to subordinate different states that prohibition semiautomatic weapons.

Republicans decried nan authorities arsenic an onerous encroachment connected nan U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment. They based on that intelligence unwellness and group who do not worth life - not guns - are nan issues that should beryllium addressed. People pinch sick intent tin usage different weapons, specified arsenic knives, to harm others, they argued.

Democrats responded that semiautomatic weapons tin origin overmuch much harm successful a short play of time.

"In Aurora, erstwhile nan shooter walked successful that theatre and opened fire," Mabrey said, "and successful little than 90 seconds changeable up a room afloat of people. That cannot beryllium done pinch a knife, that can't beryllium done pinch a knife."

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