Committee Approves Sullivan, Hansen Bill to Require Three Day Waiting Period for Firearm Purchases

Commonsense policy will help save lives, create a safer Colorado

DENVER, CO – A bill sponsored by Senators Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, and Chris Hansen, D-Denver, that would establish waiting periods for firearm purchases cleared the State, Veterans, & Military Affairs committee today.

HB23-1219 would create a minimum three day waiting period, delaying immediate access to a firearm and saving Colorado lives from gun violence.

“Right now, if you want to get your hands on a gun, you can do so with near immediacy,” said Sullivan. “Whether you intend to harm yourself or others, waiting periods on firearm purchases delay immediate access to weapons and cut down on impulsive acts of violence. I’m proud to champion this legislation that will save lives and create safer communities for all Coloradans.”

“A cooling off period could be the difference between life and death for a person in the midst of a mental health crisis,” Hansen said. “This legislation is backed by research and will reduce gun deaths by suicide and homicide. I’m incredibly proud of Colorado’s leadership on this issue and am eager to continue to take meaningful steps forward, like implementing a three day waiting period, to reduce the epidemic of gun violence.”

Current law mandates that a background check is completed before a firearm can be transferred, which often takes less than three days. HB23-1219 would require a gun seller to wait for an approved background check or three days from the initiation of the background check, whichever is later, to deliver a firearm. Creating a waiting period delays immediate access to firearms and can help prevent impulsive acts of violence, including suicides, homicides and assaults. Mandatory waiting periods are supported by 72 percent of gun owners.

Research shows that creating a waiting period for purchasing a firearm has led to a 7 to 11 percent reduction in suicides by firearm and a 17 percent reduction in firearm-related homicides. In 2020, Colorado had the seventh highest suicide rate in the US, and in 2021, there were 740 suicides by firearm in Colorado, accounting for more than half of all suicides in the state. 

Transferring a firearm prior to the expiration of the waiting period would be a civil infraction punishable by a $500 fine for the first offense, and a $500 to $5,000 fine for a second or any subsequent offenses.

The bill would not apply to antique firearms. It also exempts the transfer of a firearm between an active duty military servicemember who is set to deploy overseas and their family.

HB23-1219 will now be considered before the full Senate. More information is available HERE.