DENVER ― The Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today applauded Governor Jared Polis for signing HB19-1177, legislation that will empower family members and law enforcement officers to ask a judge to temporarily suspend a person’s access to guns if there is documented evidence that the person poses a serious risk to themselves or others.
“So many shootings are slow-motion tragedies — a long trail of warning signs leading up to one terrible moment,” said John Feinblatt, President of Everytown for Gun Safety. “We applaud Governor Polis for standing firm in the face of gun lobby fear-mongering and signing legislation that will allow family members and law enforcement to step in before it’s too late.”
“This victory is the direct result of Coloradans standing up for our safety and showing that together, we are stronger than the gun lobby’s scare tactics,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Moms Demand Action volunteers helped flip the Colorado senate to be a gun-sense majority in November, and they turned out to make sure lawmakers did the right thing and voted for this common-sense proposal that protects our families. We know these laws are effective in keeping guns out of the hands of people in crisis, which is why they’re gaining traction across the U.S.”
“Today’s signing was a long time coming,” said Karin Asensio, volunteer leader with the Colorado chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Coloradoans are all too familiar with the devastation of gun violence, from shootings that make national headlines to the overwhelming number that never do. For years we’ve gone to our statehouse, urging our lawmakers to enact policies that will save lives, and they have responded with action. We thank our lawmakers for standing up for gun safety, and we’re grateful to Governor Polis for signing this bill into law.”
HB19-1177 was passed with overwhelming support from Coloradoans. According to polling released by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, the vast majority of respondents — including 78 percent of gun owners — support the concept of Extreme Risk Protection Order laws.
Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation, also known as Red Flag laws, gained traction in the wake of the Parkland shooting, where 14 students and three staff members were shot and killed. Colorado is the fifteenth state, not including the District of Columbia, to enact Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation. Red Flag laws have been shown to be especially effective in reducing the risk of firearm suicide by temporarily removing guns from dangerous situations.
The bill was sponsored by newly elected Representative Tom Sullivan (D-Aurora), whose son Alex was shot and killed in the Aurora theater shooting in 2012. Representative Sullivan was an active volunteer with Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America and is a member of the Everytown Survivor Network. During the 2018 election, Representative Sullivan was endorsed by the Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Moms Demand Action volunteers turned out in force to support him.