Colorado Moms Demand Action Applauds Colorado Lawmakers for Introducing Sweeping Gun Safety Package

The Colorado chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statements after Colorado lawmakers announced three common-sense gun safety bills to be filed later today. These bills would create a state Office of Gun Violence Prevention that would include education on Colorado’s extreme risk law and support for violence intervention programming, create a five year firearm purchase prohibitor for certain violent misdemeanors, like assault and hate crimes, close the Charleston loophole– the dangerous gap in federal law that allows gun sales to proceed if a background check has not been completed within three business days, and repeal the preemption law that prevents local governments from enacting gun safety measures. 

“The shooting at the King Soopers in Boulder, and the countless lives lost daily, are painful reminders that gun violence is tragic and urgent — but it’s preventable,” said Julie Carr, a volunteer with the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These measures are an important step in preventing future gun violence and establishing the Office of Gun Violence Prevention opens the door for additional support to community initiatives that have been successfully combating community violence. While these bills will not bring back the lives taken by gun violence, we are thankful that lawmakers turned our state’s grief into action and introduced these common-sense bills that will save lives.”

“Our state’s gun violence crisis can’t be stopped with thoughts and prayers, it takes meaningful action and our lawmakers are doing just that,” said Ava Rehbeck, a volunteer with the Students Demand Action in University of Colorado Boulder. “These are common-sense bills to close dangerous loopholes, prioritize funding and resources for gun violence prevention, and empower local governments to take action to protect their communities. We are proud of our lawmakers for taking bold action to protect us and prevent gun violence, and we will work tirelessly by their side until they become law.”

“Too many people in our state have endured the pain and trauma of having a loved one taken by gun violence,” said Sara Grossman, member of the Everytown Survivor Network and gun violence survivor. “We’re grateful to our lawmakers for standing with us to say ‘enough is enough.’ These bills, as well as the other gun safety bills, are meaningful, common-sense steps to save lives.”

More information about gun violence in Colorado is available here, and information on how Colorado’s gun laws compare to other states’ overall is available here.