Lucas Brady Woods

Senate Bill 3 is aimed at making it harder for people to violate the state’s 15-round magazine limit. But the gun industry warns that it would also have a major effect on their business and that it presents safety and liability issues.

Done poorly, they can be Powerpoint Purgatory. Done well, they make news.

There's a bit of an unspoken rhythm to the Colorado legislature: after lawmakers gavel in and get through all the big speeches and bill introductions, things get pretty quiet for a bit, before the session ramps up to full speed.

The SMART Act was meant to increase oversight, accountability and transparency for state departments, but some lawmakers say it’s often a lost opportunity.

Colorado gun stores say they may be forced to shutter should Democrats in the Legislature this year pass a ban on the manufacture, sale and purchase of semiautomatic firearms with detachable ammunition magazines.

“If Alex had had two seconds, maybe he could have gotten behind the seat, maybe something else could have happened in front of him,” Sullivan said. “Maybe he’d still be here today.”

A controversial proposal that would make it illegal in Colorado to sell, buy or make guns that use detachable magazines cleared its first committee hearing Tuesday, the first hurdle on its legislative path.

Share: A controversial proposal that would make it illegal to sell, buy or make guns that use detachable magazines cleared its initial committee hearing Tuesday, the first hurdle on its legislative path.

Hundreds of Coloradans gathered at the Colorado Capitol to testify on the measure. It passed along party lines after a marathon hearing.

Rifles and shotguns for sale at Bristlecone Shooting, Training and Retail Center in Lakewood, Colorado, on Thursday, Jan. 16, 2025. The Colorado legislature is considering a bill that would ban the manufacture, purchase and sale of semiautomatic rifles and shotguns that are capable of accepting detachable ammunition magazines, as well as some semiautomatic pistols and handguns. (Jesse Paul/The Colorado Sun)