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Colorado’s grade on gun control improves to A minus, says Giffords center

By 12/18/2023 | updated 2 years ago
This picture shows non-serialized, pre-made firearm parts that can be assembled into a "ghost gun." (PHOTO: Denver City Attorney's Office)

Colorado’s grade on gun laws improved dramatically over the past several years, going from a C+ to an A- between 2021 and 2023, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
 
The group, which released its annual gun law scorecard on Monday, grades and ranks each state on the strength of its gun laws.
 
Colorado earned its A- because it imposed waiting periods, banned “ghost” guns, enacted legislation on victims’ legal access, increased the minimum age to purchase firearms, and invested $1 million in community violence intervention.
 
In a statement Monday, Peter Ambler, executive director of the Giffords Law Center said, “We know strong gun laws save lives.”
 
“Colorado’s strong laws and comparably low gun death rate demonstrate that,” he added. 

 
In the 2021 report, Colorado got a “C+” from Giffords, followed by a B in the 2022 report that was released in March of this year.
 
While the organization ranked Colorado in the Top 16 of states with strong “gun control” laws in 2021, its middle-of-the-pack grade at that time resulted from policies the state didn’t have – waiting periods for firearms sales, a law raising the legal age to purchase to 21, and a requirement for lost or stolen guns to be reported.
 
The group noted Colorado ranked No. 14 on the strength of its gun laws but saw more gun deaths per 100,000 population than any of its peer states.
 
The 2021 session saw the passage of legislation for gun storage, as well as a requirement that lost or stolen guns be reported.
 
Consequently, Colorado is now No. 10 in the nation for the strength of its gun laws, according to Giffords.
  
However, the state’s rate of gun deaths is 17 deaths per 100,000 in population, placing Colorado 19th overall, which still reflects a high rate for gun deaths, the group said.  
 
The 2023 session also saw the passage of the other measures Giffords pushed for, notably waiting periods and a hike in the legal age to purchase a firearm to 21, with certain exemptions. 
 
What kept Colorado from getting an “A” is legislation to ban “assault” weapons. Democratic lawmakers joined their Republican counterparts on the House Judiciary Committee during the 2023 session to vote down a measure to ban assault weapons, in part because of a threat of a gubernatorial veto.
 
This picture shows non-serialized, pre-made firearm parts that can be assembled into a “ghost gun.” (PHOTO: Denver City Attorney’s Office)
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Marianne Goodl

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