Colorado House Democrats Take Aim at Gun Shows

While the semi-auto ban/permit-to-purchase legislation that’s been approved by the Colorado State Senate is the biggest headline-grabbing gun control bill in the state this year, it’s far from the only assault on the right to keep and bear arms making progress in the statehouse. The Colorado House of Representatives recently approved a bill that could cripple the ability to run gun shows throughout the state. 

Rep. Sean Camacho, the Denver Democrat behind HB 25-1238, claimed during floor debate that the bill is “about enforcing Colorado state law; laws that we have already passed,” but in truth the legislation would impose a host of new requirements for gun show promoters. 

The bill would require gun show promoters to create and submit a security plan to local law enforcement two weeks before the event that includes the anticipated vendors, estimated number of attendees, number of security personnel who will be at the show and a floor plan of the venue. Gun show promoters would also need to have liability insurance for the event.

Vendors would need to have a federal firearms license and the state firearms dealer permit created by the Legislature last year. They would need to attest that they will comply with state laws around background checks, waiting periods, high-capacity magazines and ghost guns. Various notices of those state laws would need to be displayed around the venue. Vendors would also need to keep ammunition out of easy reach to attendees to comply with a bill expected to pass into law this year about ammunition sales. 

Additionally, the bill would set standards for video surveillance of the parking lot, entrances and exits in order to deter theft and record any instances of crime. The promoter would need to retain that video footage for six months.

“I have veterans that have gun shows that aren’t going to be able to put cameras in parking lots in southeastern Colorado. Hell, they don’t even have a paved parking lot in southeastern Colorado,” said Assistant Minority Leader Ty Winter, a Trinidad Republican.

In addition to saddling promoters with additional costs, the bill also contains requirements for attendees as well. 

The bill would also prohibit minors from attending gun shows unless they are with a parent, grandparent or legal guardian. The minimum age to buy a gun in Colorado is 21.

“Gun shows, in order to be able to continue selling guns, are likely going to say ‘We’re not admitting anyone 18 or younger,’” said Rep. Stephanie Luck, a Penrose Republican who questioned how a promoter could verify a familial relationship. “It will switch from being a family-friendly event and a community-building event with food and quilts and all of the things we heard before, into just selling weaponry.”

I suspect that’s part of the impetus behind HB 25-1238. Colorado Democrats seem intent on following the lead of their anti-gun brethren in California, and the Democratic supermajority in Sacramento has done its utmost to destroy gun shows across the state as part of its larger effort to eradicate a culture of lawful and responsible gun ownership. 

Frankly, I’m surprised that this bill doesn’t contain any language prohibiting gun shows on government-owned property, but maybe Camacho is waiting until next year to add that piece to state statute. Even without that measure, however, HB 25-1238 is yet another blatant attack on gun shows in the state, and evidence that as Democrats across the country try to rebrand themselves as “moderates”, the anti-gun extremism inherent in party leadership remains firmly in place.