Transcription
Got heated this week. Senate Bill 3 is no longer a ban on certain guns, but Republicans still strongly oppose it. It's now passed the Senate, heavily amended, and goes on to the House.
A major change occurred at the end of last week: an amendment was added that would allow the sale of these types of guns, but the buyer would have to be vetted, complete a training course with a test, and be added to a registry. This is the Colorado legislature's attempt to make it virtually impossible for someone to acquire a semi-automatic firearm within the state of Colorado.
This is important, not so much for whether or not you live in Colorado, although it will clearly affect you. It has the possibility of being adopted by other states with anti-gun legislators. You know the old line: if it happens in California, it's destined for the rest of the country. That's not entirely true anymore; we see pockets of idiocy manifesting in different jurisdictions, and other states try to glob on.
Let's talk about what Colorado is trying to do. They are attempting to outlaw semi-automatic firearms. A semi-automatic firearm, whether a long gun or a handgun, will be illegal to possess in Colorado. However, there are exemptions. If you fall within one of these statutory exemptions, they will decide you can own a weapon for self-defense. The problem is the methodology required to get a gun will be almost insurmountable.
First, you must go to your local sheriff and apply for a card saying you're eligible to buy a gun. This is basically a pre-background check, involving fingerprinting and a check to see if you're a prohibited person at the state and federal level. If they conclude you can own a gun, they'll give you this card. They'll also put you in a database. This database will be used by certified firearm trainers. Getting the card doesn't mean you can buy a weapon. You must take a class. Assuming you're a hunter, you can take a hunter ed class. For self-protection, you can take a basic handgun course (a 4-hour course taught by a certified instructor). Once you've completed this, you get a card valid for 5 years. But you're not done; you'll need another, more enhanced 12-hour class over two days. Then you get a card allowing you to purchase a firearm. You then go to an FFL, who performs the same background check.
Let's compare this to *Bruen*, *New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen*. An individual wants to acquire a firearm for self-protection, target shooting, or as artwork. They have to go through administrative hoops taking substantial time before exercising this right. To the degree their rights have been abrogated by this overburdensome process, their Second Amendment rights have been abrogated. The burden shifts to the state to show how this law is consistent with our nation's history, text, and firearms regulatory traditions in 1791. Good luck.
In California, to acquire a firearm, we get a firearm safety card (a 35-question test). There's no training requirement; it's a short test most people pass easily. I have philosophical issues, but it's not overly burdensome. Colorado's law, however, is ludicrous. Nothing in the historical record comes close to being as burdensome on someone's ability to acquire a weapon as it existed in 1791. This bill will be signed into law by the governor of Colorado.
USCCA, which sponsors these videos, is doing a giveaway. Details are in the description below. This law will be challenged, costing Colorado taxpayers money fighting to keep it. This is essential for the people of Colorado.
If you live outside Colorado but are there for an extended period, nothing prevents you from bringing your weapons. Two people could live next door, one a Colorado resident, the other from New Mexico. One must go through legal hoops to have a firearm; the other doesn't. Besides Second Amendment issues, there are Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment issues related to equal protection. This will cost Colorado taxpayers millions in litigation and will likely end up before the Supreme Court, and be shot down as completely burdensome. If you're a voting resident of Colorado, it may be time to change your government. You can email me at StephenArimusHQ.com. Train constantly, consistently, repetitively, and with purpose. Above all else, stay safe.