Gov. Polis signs pair of gun safety bills into law, creating restrictions on ammo purchases, gun shows
DENVER, Colo. (KRDO) – Starting next summer, all ammunition sold in Colorado will need to be kept in locked cases or stored behind counters. Gun shows will also be subject to stricter regulations and enhanced security measures.
The changes come after Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed a pair of gun safety measures into law on Friday, April 18.
House Bill 1133 puts restrictions on ammunition sales in Colorado, raising the minimum age to purchase ammo from 18 to 21 years old, with exceptions for military servicemembers and police officers. It also requires sellers to store ammunition in locked cases or behind counters, ensuring that ammo is only accessible to customers with the help of a store employee.
Because the new law mandates that a store employee be present when ammo is sold, it effectively bans the ammo vending machines that were set to be installed in locations across Colorado last summer, including one in Pueblo County.
READ MORE: An ammo vending machine is coming to Pueblo County
Polis also signed House Bill 1238 into state law, which institutes new security requirements for gun shows in Colorado. The bill requires gun show promoters to prepare a "detailed security plan" and submit it to local law enforcement before hosting an event, including details on vendors and venue security.
It also mandates that promoters must have liability insurance for shows, and all guns and ammo at shows must be appropriately tagged, stored and displayed to prevent theft.
Polis signed the pair of gun safety bills only a week after signing another gun bill, considered to be one of the most restrictive gun laws in the country.
The new law puts stricter regulations on the purchase semiautomatic weapons in Colorado, making it illegal to buy, sell or manufacture certain types of firearms without passing multiple background checks and completing a firearms safety course every five years.
READ MORE: Colorado now has one of the most restrictive gun laws in the country
It also entirely outlaws the purchase or sale of "rapid-fire conversion devices," such as bump stocks and binary triggers, which can make semiautomatic weapons operate like automatic weapons.
The law has faced harsh criticism from state Republicans, who contend that the measure violates Second Amendment rights, while proponents have argued that the move could save lives through reducing gun violence.
The restrictions apply to new purchases only, starting in August 2026.
