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The Colorado House has approved a Democratic-backed semiautomatic weapons ban, following the state Senate’s passage of the same legislation last month.
The measure, known as SB 25-3, secured approval in the House with a 36-28 vote, as reported by Colorado Newsline. This follows its earlier passage in the Senate on February 18, 2025, where it received 19 votes in favor and 15 against.
The legislation focuses on what Democratic lawmakers have termed “specified semiautomatic firearms.” According to the bill’s text:
BREAKING: Rep. Chad Clifford (D-HD37) was watching Netflix on the house floor yesterday during the worst gun ban Colorado has ever seen, banning almost all common use firearms. He voted to ban your guns.#COPolitics pic.twitter.com/SM3Ctpcrfd
— Scott Shamblin (@scottpshamblin) March 25, 2025
> The bill defines a “specified semiautomatic firearm” as a semiautomatic rifle or semiautomatic shotgun with a detachable magazine or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine. The bill prohibits knowingly manufacturing, distributing, transferring, selling, or purchasing a specified semiautomatic firearm; except that a person may transfer a specified semiautomatic firearm to an heir, an individual residing in another state, or a federally licensed firearm dealer.
Amendment to Colorado's Assault Weapon bill:
🔴 Permit required for all semi-autos with detachable mags
🔴 Moving the permitting process to Parks and Wildlife 🔴 Not required to approve you, no appeals, no cap on fines, and your permit can be revoked at any timeIt's even worse pic.twitter.com/75jN6aStW7
— National Association for Gun Rights (@NatlGunRights) March 10, 2025
The scope of the ban is extensive, as Denver 7 reports. It would prohibit numerous types of firearms, including the AR-15, America’s most commonly owned rifle, as well as various shotguns and “gas-operated semiautomatic handguns that have a detachable ammunition magazine.”
Before the legislation can reach Governor Jared Polis’s desk for consideration, lawmakers must first reconcile the differences between the House and Senate versions of the bill.
