(The Center Square) – A bill introduced by Democrats to ban the sale of assault weapons in Colorado won’t pass this session after one of its prime sponsors said they’ll ask for the legislation to be postponed indefinitely.
House Bill 24-1292, which was passed by the House last month, would ban the sale or purchase of assault weapons, defined in the bill as .50 caliber rifles, semi-automatic rifles and pistols with detachable magazines, or ones that can be modified to include one, and semi-automatic rifles or pistols with fixed, large-capacity magazines.
The Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs Committee is slated to hear the bill on Tuesday, but its Senate sponsor, Sen. Julie Gonzales, announced on Monday that she would ask the committee to table the legislation.
“I intend to request that the Senate State Veterans and Military Affairs committee postpone indefinitely HB24-1292, the assault weapons ban, on May 7, 2024,” she said in a statement. “That being said, I couldn’t be prouder of my colleagues in the House of Representatives for passing an assault weapons ban for the first time in Colorado history.”
“After thoughtful conversations with my Senate colleagues, I decided that more conversations need to take place outside of the pressure cooker of the Capitol during the last weeks of the legislative session,” Gonzales added.
The legislative session is set to conclude on Wednesday.
Last session, an assault weapons ban failed to make it past the House Judiciary Committee, but garnered more support this session, passing the full chamber in a 35-to-27 vote.
“I look forward to renewing and continuing those discussions over the interim,” Gonzales said. “It is clear that survivors of devastating gun violence, responsible gun owners, and local and national policy advocates remain committed to doing the work necessary to save lives — and an assault weapons ban will do just that.”
The bill’s House co-sponsor Rep. Elisabeth Epps, D-Denver, tweeted “states that banned assault weapons did not do so on 1st attempts.”
“Legislators must keep doing the work even when—esp. when—it’s hardest. We can’t wait on federal govt, can’t rely on [ammunition] bans, can’t wait on gatekeeping [Democrats], she said. “Thank you to all survivors/advocates. On we press.”
