DENVER, CO — A new bill introduced in the Colorado Legislature, House Bill 25-1133, would prohibit adults under the age of 21 from purchasing ammunition, imposing yet another restriction on law-abiding gun owners in the state. This bill, along with Senate Bill 3—which seeks to raise the minimum age to purchase all firearms to 21—is part of a growing effort to strip young adults of their Second Amendment rights.

Restricting Rights for Legal Adults

HB25-1133, sponsored by Representatives Duran and Gilchrist and Senator Mullica, would make it illegal for retailers to sell ammunition to anyone under 21. This means that legal adults—who can vote, serve in the military, and assume all other responsibilities of adulthood—would be unable to purchase ammunition for lawful self-defense, hunting, or sport shooting.

Additionally, the bill introduces several other unnecessary burdens, including:

• Ammunition Access Restrictions: Retailers would be required to keep ammunition locked up or otherwise inaccessible to customers without direct employee assistance, creating obstacles for responsible buyers.
• New Regulations on Shipping and Delivery:
  • Retailers must notify shipping carriers that a package contains ammunition but cannot mark the package accordingly.
  • Deliveries must be received by someone 21 or older, with ID verification and a written acknowledgment of receipt.
• Harsh Penalties for Violations:
  • A first offense of selling ammunition to someone under 21 would be a civil infraction, while subsequent offenses would be a Class 1 misdemeanor.
  • Shipping or delivering ammunition without following the new rules would also be a Class 1 misdemeanor.

SB3: A Coordinated Attack on Gun Owners

House Bill 25-1133 isn’t the only assault on gun rights in Colorado this session. Senate Bill 3 (SB3) would raise the minimum age to purchase any firearm to 21, cutting off young adults from their constitutional right to self-defense. If both bills pass, law-abiding 18- to 20-year-olds in Colorado would be completely disarmed—unable to buy a gun and unable to buy the ammunition to use one.

Unconstitutional and Ineffective

These laws do nothing to stop crime and only hurt responsible gun owners. Criminals, by definition, do not follow gun laws. Instead, these restrictions target the very people who should have the right to defend themselves—adults who live on their own, work full-time, and even serve in law enforcement or the military.

If a person is old enough to join the military and be trusted with a firearm in defense of this country, they should be trusted with their constitutional rights at home. The right to keep and bear arms is not a privilege to be granted at the whim of lawmakers—it is a fundamental right protected by the Second Amendment.

A Growing Trend of Anti-Gun Legislation

Colorado has become a testing ground for restrictive gun laws, and these bills are just the latest attempts to chip away at gun rights. Instead of addressing the root causes of violent crime, legislators are pushing laws that disarm law-abiding citizens while doing nothing to stop criminals.

If HB25-1133 and SB3 pass, they will set a dangerous precedent for further restrictions. Colorado gun owners must stay informed and engaged to fight back against these unconstitutional attacks on their rights.