Denver suburb approves carry restrictions but holds off on waiting periods, age restrictions

Seth Perlman

The Denver suburb of Broomfield, Colorado, has become the latest locality in the state to adopt its own gun control measures following the repeal of the state’s firearm preemption law, but the anti-gun advocates on the city council have held off on adopting a few of their favored proposals; hitting the pause button on an ordinance raising the age to purchase a firearm within the city limits from 18 to 21 and imposing a 10-day waiting period on all firearm transfers in the city.

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Council members moved forward with a ban on open carry in Broomfield, as well as declaring all city-owned buildings and property to be “sensitive places” where concealed carry is banned, but decided not to move forward on the waiting periods and age restrictions because they’re hoping to see Colorado Democrats impose these same measures statewide.

Gun violence prevention advocates are applauding Broomfield City Council for approving several new gun laws.

“I think it’s great that they are taking a step and I would say cautiously taking the step to protect the people of their community and begin to lead the way in Colorado,” said Eileen McCarron, president of Colorado Ceasefire.

Two other measures were tabled until after the legislative session. One that would increase the age to buy a firearm to 21, and another that would require a 10-day waiting period and proof of training to buy one.

“Upon our country’s founding many young kids, I mean 13-year-olds, were able to possess and own rifles so raising that age to 21 certainly wouldn’t be under the text history and tradition of the 2nd amendment,” said Taylor Rhodes, executive director with the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners.

The gun lobby plans to challenge the new laws in court later this year.

“We still are looking at litigation against Broomfield, but it will likely come after the legislative session is over because we could potentially combine those suits,” Rhodes said.

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Waiting periods and age restrictions aren’t the only bad ideas that Second Amendment activists in Colorado are expecting to see from the Democratic majorities in the statehouse in Denver.

Rhodes is waiting to learn more about a leaked draft of a bill that would ban assault weapons statewide.

The bill has not been introduced yet and is only a draft. It would reportedly ban the sale of certain classifications of guns, but not affect those who already own them.

“This would make Colorado the most restrictive place in America to buy a firearm,” Rhodes said.

Well, there’s also that newly-introduced Massachusetts bill that would define all semi-automatic rifles and shotguns as “assault weapons,” so I don’t know if I’d say that the draft “assault weapons” ban in Colorado that’s been floating around would make it the most restrictive place in the country to purchase a firearm. What I do know is that both bills are so flagrantly unconstitutional that they’re certain to face legal challenges if they’re enacted into law, just like Broomfield’s newest anti-gun ordinances.

The city’s ban on open carry will probably withstand court scrutiny, given that they’re still theoretically allowing those with concealed carry licenses to exercise their right to bear arms in some form or fashion, but the designation of all city-owned buildings and property as “gun-free zones” is far too broad (in my opinion, anyway) to be upheld under Bruen, which noted that historically, the places where firearms were banned were few and far between. When Broomfield’s ban gets its day in court, I doubt it’s going to fare well, but unfortunately for Colorado gun owners, this is just one of several assaults on their Second Amendment rights that they’re going to be dealing with this year.

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