Colorado Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud Defeat of Dangerous Gun Legislation Defeated in Colorado Legislature

DENVER – The Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement after the close of the state’s legislative session marked the defeat of bills that would have rolled back Colorado gun laws, including:

• H 1037, which would have forced public K-12 schools to allow civilians to carry loaded handguns, both openly and concealed, on their premises
• SB 97, which would have removed Colorado’s requirement of a permit in order to carry a concealed handgun in public

The Colorado House also passed Red Flag legislation last week to create a way for family members and law enforcement to act before warning signs escalate into tragedies. Eight states now have a form of this Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation, including three — Florida, Vermont and Maryland — that enacted such laws this year after the Parkland tragedy. Although a Senate committee blocked this bill before it could receive a vote on the Colorado Senate floor, its passage through the Colorado House reflected the continued growth of the state’s gun violence prevention movement.

On average, nearly 700 Colorado residents are shot and killed with a gun every year. Between 2012-2016, suicide by gun accounted for nearly 80 percent of all firearm fatalities, killing over 2,700 Coloradans.

Volunteers with the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action attended hearings on gun bills throughout the session, often staying late into the night, as they urged lawmakers to reject legislation that would dismantle current gun laws.

STATEMENT FROM HELEN KAMIN, VOLUNTEER WITH THE COLORADO CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:

“Colorado’s common-sense gun laws protect all of us, and our elected officials recognized yet again that weakening these public safety laws would be reckless. We’re grateful they stood up for our sensible laws on the books and rejected dangerous legislation that would have taken us backward.

We’re also grateful to the lawmakers who pushed for Red Flag legislation, because we have to do more to keep guns out of the hands of people who pose risks to themselves or others. The gun violence prevention movement continues to be a growing force in Colorado, and we’ll keep doing all we can to improve the safety of our communities.”