HB 23-1230

House Bill 23-1230, which has been signed into law in Colorado, bans the manufacture, sale, and transfer of assault weapons to most individuals. This includes prohibiting rapid-fire trigger activators. However, there are exceptions for military personnel, police officers, licensed dealers who sell existing inventory out-of-state, certain businesses, and historical institutions under specific conditions. Violations of this ban are considered a class 2 misdemeanor. The law aims to reduce access to assault weapons while allowing some entities to possess them for legitimate purposes.

Official Summary

The bill defines the term "assault weapon" and prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of an assault weapon. The bill further prohibits a person from possessing a rapid-fire trigger activator. A violation is a class 2 misdemeanor. The prohibition does not apply to: A member of the United States armed forces, a peace officer, or other government officer or agent, to the extent that such person is otherwise authorized to acquire or possess an assault weapon and does so while acting within the scope of the person's duties; The manufacture, sale, or transfer of an assault weapon by a licensed firearms manufacturer to any branch of the United States armed forces or to an entity that employs peace officers for use by that agency or its employees; The sale or transfer of an assault weapon to a licensed firearms dealer or gunsmith for the purposes of maintenance, repair, or modification, and the subsequent return of the assault weapon to the lawful owner; Any federal, state, or local historical society, museum, or institutional collection that is open to the public, provided that the assault weapon is securely housed and unloaded; A forensic laboratory, or any authorized agent or employee of the laboratory, for use exclusively in the course and scope of authorized activities; An entity that operates an armored vehicle business and an authorized employee of such entity while in the course and scope of employment; A licensed gun dealer who has remaining inventory of assault weapons as of July 1, 2023, and sells or transfers the remaining inventory only to a non-Colorado resident and the sale or transfer takes place out-of-state; or A peace officer. The bill provides civil penalties for individuals and for gun show vendors and licensed firearms dealers who violate the law. The bill creates the crime of possessing, manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of a rapid-fire trigger activator. A violation is a class 2 misdemeanor. (Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)

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