On Friday, the governor of Colorado signed four bills aimed at combating gun violence, making it the latest state to take action this month after a mass shooting. Governor Jared Polis stated that the legislation would improve public safety and reduce gun violence. The new laws include increasing the minimum age to purchase firearms from 18 to 21, establishing a three-day waiting period between purchasing and taking possession of a firearm, expanding the state’s existing red flag law, and making it easier for victims of gun violence to sue the gun industry.
However, gun rights groups have filed lawsuits over the new restrictions on waiting periods and minimum purchasing age. These groups argue that a key Supreme Court decision last year expanded gun rights, which conflicts with the new laws. Despite this opposition, the Colorado government believes that these measures will make a significant difference in reducing gun violence in the state.
The passing of this legislation comes months after a tragic mass shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, where a 22-year-old man killed five people and injured over a dozen others. The sponsor of two of the bills, Colorado Sen. Tom Sullivan, lost his son in the 2012 mass shooting at a movie theater in Aurora.
While the issue of gun control remains a divisive topic in the United States, states like Colorado are taking steps to address gun violence. This legislation is part of a growing trend of states implementing measures to curb gun violence in the wake of mass shootings.
