Colorado Democratic Gov. Jared Polis signed four bills into law Friday that raise the age requirement for gun possession and establish a minimum waiting period for gun deliveries, among other measures.
“Today we are taking some important steps to help make Colorado one of the ten safest states, and building upon the ongoing work to make Colorado communities safer,” Polis said in a statement, adding that the laws “improve public safety and reduce gun violence.”
The package of new laws comes amid a fresh political debate over gun control and mental health, and just months after a mass shooting left five people dead and more than a dozen injured at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs in November. Last year there were 646 mass shootings in America, according to the Gun Violence Archive, and there have been at least 172 so far this year.
Under the new measures, Colorado residents must be 21 years old to legally possess a gun, increasing the requirement from 18 years of age. However, there are several exceptions. Among them, residents attending firearms safety courses, hunter’s education or authorized target shooting practice, or those participating in a shooting class under the supervision of someone who is at least 25-years-old, or those who are active service members.
There will also now be a three-day minimum waiting period before the delivery of a firearm that was purchased following a background check. A violation of this waiting period will result in a $500 fine for the first violation and up to $5,000 for subsequent violations.
One of the new laws expands the state’s red flag law, which currently allows law enforcement, family members or a household member to petition a judge to temporarily seize a person’s firearms if they are deemed a risk. Under the new law, more people will be allowed to petition for an extreme risk protection order,…
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