State lawmakers have sent two bills that would tighten gun regulations in Colorado to Gov. Jared Polis, who plans to sign them into law.
Senate Bill 78 would require Coloradans to report a lost or stolen firearm within five days of realizing that it is missing. Failing to do so would be a Class 2 petty offense, punishable by a $25 fine. A subsequent offense would be a Class 3 misdemeanor that could result in a jail sentence, though rarely does.
The measure cleared the Legislature on April 6. No Republicans voted for the bill.
House Bill 1106 would require gun owners to use a trigger lock or store their weapons in a safe when they know, or reasonably should know, that a child or someone who is ineligible to possess a firearm can gain access to the gun. Failing to do so would be a Class 2 misdemeanor, which is punishable by fines and jail time.
The measure won final passage on Monday in the state Senate. No Republicans voted for House Bill 1106, either.
“(Polis) intends to sign them,” said Shelby Wieman, a spokeswoman for the governor.
The two bills were introduced before the shooting at a Boulder King Soopers in late March in which a gunman killed 10 people.
State lawmakers are expected this year to also introduce and debate a bill that would require a waiting period between when someone purchases a gun and when they can access the weapon.
The Boulder shooting prompted discussions about the possibility of Democrats introducing a bill to ban assault weapons this year, but it’s not clear if there are enough votes in the Legislature to pass the policy. Polis and House Speaker Alec Garnett, D-Denver, have declined to say if they support the proposal.
