Colorado Ammunition Restrictions Law Amendment (2014)
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| This measure was not put on an election ballot |
| Voting on Firearms |
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| Ballot Measures |
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| Not on ballot |
The Colorado Ammunition Restrictions Law Amendment did not appear on the 2014 statewide ballot in the state of Colorado as an initiated constitutional amendment. The measure, which was sponsored by the group "Put it to the People,"[1] would have declared that laws regarding any restrictions on "the purchase or possession of ammunition storage and feeding devices" could only be enacted by a vote of the people. It would have essentially nullified the ban on magazines that contain more than 15 rounds, which went into effect with the passage of House Bill 1224.[2][3]
A separate measure, which was attempting to repeal all gun legislation passed in 2013, likewise failed to make the 2014 ballot. Additionally, a pro-gun control group was attempting to land a measure on the November ballot that would have banned concealed weapons on college campuses.[4]
Background
On March 20, 2013, Gov. John Hickenlooper signed House Bill 1224 into law. The bill, which was sponsored in the general assembly by Rep. Rhonda Fields (D-42) and Sen. Mary Hodge (D-25), "prohibits the sale, transfer, or possession of an ammunition feeding device that is capable of accepting, or that can be readily converted to accept, more than 10 rounds of ammunition or more than 5 shotgun shells (large-capacity magazine)." It also expanded background checks on those purchasing firearms. The law went into effect on July 1, 2013.[5][6][7]
The highly contested law came about, in part, as the result of mass shootings in a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado in July 2012 and in a grade school in Newtown, Connecticut in December 2012.[7] Gun shop owners and Colorado sheriffs were outspoken opponents of the law. The sheriffs filed a lawsuit against the state, arguing ammunition magazines can be converted to hold more ammunition than the maximum number prescribed by the new law and it would be difficult for private citizens to comply with the expanded background checks.[7] The bill's success also triggered efforts to recall Sen. Angela Giron (D-3), Senate President John Morse (D-11) and Sen. Evie Hudak (D-19). Giron and Morse were successfully recalled, and Hudak chose to resign.[8][9]
Support
The measure was being supported by a group called "Put it to the People." Colorado resident Tim LeVier and his friend spearheaded the effort. LeVier said,
| “ | It’s a tough road to be on when you’re doing a volunteer initiative like this. We don’t have any funds to pay for petitioning. … [The petitions are] in a lot of firearms-related stores throughout the state. That’s really our primary focus, being in as many accessible places as possible.[3][10] | ” |
| —Tim LeVier | ||
Path to the ballot
On February 18, 2013, the House passed HB 1224 34 to 31. On March 11, 2013, the Senate passed HB 1224. Gov. Hickenlooper signed the bill into law on March 20, 2013.[6]
| Colorado Gun Laws, HB 1224 House Vote | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
 Yes | 34 | 52.3% | ||
| No | 31 | 47.7% | ||
| Colorado Gun Laws, HB 1224 Senate Vote | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
| Yes | 18 | 51.4% | ||
| No | 17 | 48.6% | ||
Supporters had to obtain at least 86,105 valid signatures by December 9, 2013, in order to place the measure on the ballot. In a December 9, 2013, post on Facebook, Put it to the People announced that they were far from reaching the necessary number of signatures.[11]
Related measures
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ Put it to the People
- ↑ Put it to the People, "The Proposal," accessed January 21, 2014
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The Daily Caller, "Group pushes to nullify magazine limits through constitutional amendment," August 19, 2013
- ↑ The Denver Post, "Gun-related ballot measures to again make Colorado political battleground," January 2, 2014
- ↑ State of Colorado, "HOUSE BILL 13-1224," accessed August 26, 2013
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 OpenStates.org, "HB 13-1224: Colorado House Bill - Prohibiting Large-capacity Ammunition Magazines," accessed August 26, 2013
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 FoxNews.com, "Colorado gun laws take effect amid final rush for ammo," July 1, 2013
- ↑ HuffingtonPost.com, "Angela Giron, Colorado State Senator Facing Gun Vote Recall, Predicts Victory," August 25, 2013
- ↑ Fox News, "Democratic Colorado state senator resigns to avoid recall over gun law," November 27, 2013
- ↑ Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ Put it to the People Facebook account, "Important: It is with our sincerest gratitude that we thank all of our supporters and volunteers...," December 9, 2013
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