Hotly debated assault weapons bill onto the House floor following testimony from hundreds

COLORADO (KRDO) - Gun rights and gun reform advocates are hotly debating a Colorado bill that would ban the sale of assault weapons.

This week, around six hundred people testified either for or against this bill. The bill is meant to prevent mass shootings but some believe the restrictions outlined inside go too far.

According to the bill, assault weapons are defined as any rifle with a detachable magazine, which would include AR and AK-style rifles. It would ban the manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, or transferring ownership of an assault weapon.

However, it will not be illegal to own one if you already have one or bring it in from another state. The law would not apply to members of law enforcement or members of the military.     

The legislation passed through a House committee and is now making its way onto the House floor.    

Michael Anderson was inside Club Q when a mass shooting happened in November of 2022. Since then, he's become an advocate for gun reform and believes this bill is long overdue.

Anderson says he never dreamed he would be a victim of gun violence but his story shows that acts of mass violence are a crisis that can impact anyone.

"America is not exclusive to people who deal with mental illness. However, we are the only country that deals with mass domestic terrorism and violence on this level. With this weapon among our allies and neighbors," Anderson said

Paul Paradis has worked in the gun industry for over forty years and he believes this bill is way too far-reaching.    

"To me, they're not fixing any problem. This is never going to stop a bad guy from doing harm to you. It is going to affect you from being able to defend yourself," Paradis added

Paradis says the bill doesn't just ban assault weapons it also bans components of guns that he says make them safer to use. If this bill passed, he says it would effectively ban him from selling a third of the inventory in his store.

That bill was scheduled to be voted on in the House today but that didn't happen. Right now, it's unclear when the bill will be up for vote.