Colorado lawmakers advance legislation requiring firearms to be stored safely

Colorado state legislators on Tuesday advanced a bill that would require firearms to be stored safely when children are present.

Democrats in the state House made the announcement on their website, noting that the bill aims to “save lives and prevent accidental deaths.”

In a 40-25 vote, along party lines, state lawmakers voted to move forward with bill HB 21-1106, which would charge anyone who fails to safely store a firearm when a juvenile or “someone who is ineligible to possess a firearm” is present with a class 2 misdemeanor.

The charge could carry a fine ranging from $250 to $1,000, according to The Associated Press.

“As an ER nurse, a gun owner, and the father of young children, I’m convinced that this common sense gun safety bill will prevent tragedies and save lives,” said Democratic Rep. Kyle Mullica, who was a main sponsor of the bill. “Asking all gun owners in Colorado to safely store their firearms the way the majority of responsible gun owners already do is not a tall order, but it could go a long way towards preventing accidental deaths, injuries, and suicides involving firearms.”

Under the bill, licensed firearms dealers would be required to offer a locking device with the firearm at the time of sale or transfer.

Federal law currently requires that licensed dealers selling handguns must provide locking devices at the time of sale.

“On average, every week in Colorado a child dies at the hands of a firearm and every day a child is injured by one. A simple and affordable lock on a firearm could prevent a family from being ripped apart by the type of tragedies that have become all too common in our state,” said Rep. Monica Duran (D), who is also a sponsor of the bill.