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DENVER, CO - The House State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs Committee today passed legislation sponsored by Representatives Cecelia Espenoza and William Lindstedt. SB25-205, which passed by a vote of 8-3, would help identify individuals who are trying to sell a firearm that has been reported lost or stolen or involved in a criminal investigation.
“Firearm dealers can come across thousands of firearms in their career, and their partnership in running serial numbers not only keeps our communities safe but also prevents them from unknowingly selling a stolen firearm,” said Rep. Cecelia Espenoza, D-Denver. “By creating a clear procedure, firearm dealers can help identify individuals who may have stolen a firearm or been involved in a crime. This is an additional approach Colorado Democrats are taking to protect our communities from gun violence.”
“This bill adds to the work that Colorado Democrats have done to prevent lost, stolen, or illegally handmade firearms from getting into the wrong hands,” said Rep. William Lindstedt, D-Broomfield. “Our legislation would add extra safety measures to help solve crimes, return firearms to their rightful owners and protect Coloradans.”
SB25-205 would establish a procedure to allow a federal firearms licensee to request a firearm serial number check before purchasing a firearm from an individual. Under the bill, local county sheriff’s offices would have to complete the serial number check within 72 hours of the request.
If a licensee has a reason to believe that a person sold or attempted to sell a firearm that is stolen, lost, or involved in an open criminal investigation, they would be required to report the information to law enforcement within 48 hours.Colorado Democrats have passed numerous laws to keep firearms out of the wrong hands, including laws to require gun owners to report when their firearm has been lost or stolen and properly store their firearms when not in use, including in their vehicles. The legislature also cracked down on “ghost guns” to keep unregulated, untraceable firearms out of our communities.