Analysis: The Thorny Politics of Colorado’s New Semi-Auto Law [Member Exclusive]

Colorado Governor Jared Polis (D.) simply picked sides between a rock and a tough place.

On Thursday, Polis signed SB25-003 into regulation. Because of this, starting in August 2026, the manufacture, sale, and buy of most semi-automatic firearms that may settle for removable ammunition magazines might be outlawed in Colorado. Solely those that endure particular vetting from their native sheriff’s workplace, take as much as 12 hours of coaching over a number of days from a soon-to-be-developed state-sanctioned class, and pay an undetermined quantity in charges for each processes might be permitted to purchase the widespread weapons lined beneath the regulation.

The brand new regulation as soon as once more places Colorado within the nationwide highlight over gun politics, a probably uncomfortable place to be for the person who signed it.

Polis, a soon-to-be term-limited Governor usually floated as a potential 2028 presidential candidate, has labored laborious to garnish a popularity as a political average with libertarian leanings. Till this week, that work prolonged to weapons.

Whereas he has signed quite a few gun-control payments, he by no means pushed for big-ticket {hardware} bans and different extra controversial measures supported by the progressive members of his social gathering. Certainly, he even opposed two failed earlier efforts by Colorado lawmakers to enact an “assault weapon” ban lately.

But when lawmakers returned earlier this 12 months with an much more sweeping ban proposal, Polis selected to not publicly oppose the invoice or threaten a veto. As an alternative, he settled for a set of amendments that in the end turned the brand new permit-to-purchase scheme, a undeniable fact that he tried to emphasise in explaining his choice to signal the invoice over the objections of gun-rights supporters.

“This regulation will not be a ban, and I’ve been clear that I oppose banning sorts of firearms,” Polis mentioned on the measure’s signing ceremony. “Correct gun security schooling and coaching, nevertheless, are key elements of public security and accountable gun possession.”

However even along with his workplace’s work to water down the regulation, his signature formally codified probably the most complete gun restrictions in Colorado’s historical past–a undeniable fact that might be troublesome to downplay in a nationwide election. The invoice additionally consists of provisions which have given fellow average Democrats pause elsewhere.

A less-discussed part in SB-003 bans the possession and sale of so-called rapid-fire gadgets.

Democrats included it within the measure as a technique to outlaw bump shares, binary triggers, and different equipment meant to considerably improve a semi-automatic firearm’s price of fireplace. Nonetheless, slightly than undertake slim statutory language explicitly aimed toward these gadgets, the supply as an alternative crafted felony prison penalties for anybody possessing any half or mixture of components which have the impact of “growing the speed of fireplace of a semi-automatic firearm above the usual price of fireplace.” As written, that appears to implicate anodyne modifications, like after-market triggers generally sought out by hunters and competitors shooters, proper alongside extra apparent price of fireplace enhancers.

Underneath strain to move any sort of gun restriction within the aftermath of the Lewiston taking pictures, Maine Governor Janet Mills (D.) nonetheless determined to veto a “bump inventory” ban that contained equally broad language final 12 months.

“There are a selection of minor modifications that may meet this definition, equivalent to adjusting the set off weight or altering the buffer spring or bolt as a way to improve velocity,” she wrote in her veto assertion. “These sorts of alterations are widespread amongst these utilizing firearms for sporting functions. The result’s that this invoice might unintentionally ban a major variety of weapons used for searching or goal taking pictures by accountable gun homeowners in Maine.”

On the similar time, the political realities being what they’re in a state like Colorado, Polis can declare to have achieved extra to shore up gun rights within the model of SB-003 that turned regulation than almost another Democratic determine would have.

His possible alternative as Colorado Governor after subsequent 12 months’s elections, US Senator Michael Bennet, is one other moderate-leaning Democrat. He, too, as soon as opposed {hardware} ban laws. However now he’s spearheading a federal invoice that’s almost an identical in scope to SB-003’s unique model that may have merely banned the sale of semi-automatic firearms that settle for removable magazines.

That implies he would have fortunately accepted the invoice as launched had their roles been reversed, slightly than push for a similar allow course of that Polis secured. Maybe his capability to assert that he headed off a much more sweeping ban will do extra to assist, as an alternative of damage, his credentials as a average ultimately.

No matter the way it in the end performs out, {that a} self-styled “libertarian” like Polis felt compelled to signal the measure this session after years of resisting requires {hardware} restrictions highlights the dwindling area for political moderation on weapons left amongst key Democratic social gathering figures.

Restrictions on fashionable semi-automatic firearms have turn out to be a litmus take a look at for Democrats, one which moderates and progressives alike now are prepared to move. Jared Polis might now be a take a look at case for the way properly his reply performs with these past the Democratic base.