On March 28, Colorado Senate Bill 25-003 reached Governor Polis’ desk, and if he doesn’t veto this bill within ten days it becomes law, going into effect Aug 1, 2026.

Originally presented as a firearms magazine enforcement bill, Senate Bill 3 has evolved into a far more restrictive piece of legislation these past few months. Despite repeated assurances from its Democrat sponsors—Senator Tom Sullivan, Senator Julie Gonzales, Representative Andrew Boesnecker, and Representative Meg Froelich—that this is not a gun ban, it still is, but now only if you’re underprivileged and can’t afford an eligibility card.

If this bill becomes law, purchasing a semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, or gas-operated handgun would require the following steps:

1. Schedule an appointment with Colorado Parks and Wildlife
2. Undergo a background check by a third party
3. Locate a certified instructor and complete the required training course. A 12-hour class must be taught in two days, not one.
4. Pass a test with a score of at least 90% and be able to demonstrate that you can use the firearm safely. It’s unclear what firearm will be used for this as students cannot purchase a gun before class to bring with them and even if the instructor has a rifle, it most likely won’t be the same as the one they plan to purchase because there are hundreds, if not thousands, of variations.
5. Schedule an appointment with the local sheriff’s office for final approval.
6. Upon receiving approval, when purchasing the firearm, complete another background check and comply with a three-day waiting period.

Each step of this process has fees, amounting to at least $300 total to get an eligibility card that is only valid for five years. If you can’t afford this process, your options of purchasing a semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, or gas operated handgun with a permanently fixed magazine is extremely limited, as no major manufacturer makes such a firearm because it’s too dangerous. A major concern surrounding this legislation is the potential requirement for gun stores to epoxy or weld magazines to firearms, which would make them nearly impossible to load. Furthermore, such modifications would void manufacturer warranties and compromise firearm safety, as magazines have a limited lifespan and firearms, if managed to be loaded, cannot be properly cleared without removing the magazine.

To put this into perspective, this requirement is akin to mandating that all future gas-operated vehicles have permanently sealed fuel caps, preventing refueling, without offering a safe way to power the vehicle. While proponents argue that firearms remain available for purchase, the requirement renders them effectively inoperable. Notably, the only firearm that will remain compliant is the AR-15 due to the existence of certain aftermarket magazines that could potentially be fixed to the gun. However, even this is uncertain, as no commercially available product currently ensures permanent attachment without the use of adhesives—an approach widely considered unsafe. Even California doesn’t have “permanently” fixed magazines as they can all be removed with a tool.

So no, this bill doesn’t ban the sale of these guns, it just makes them inoperable, which is sneaky legislation.

Even if you can afford to jump through the bureaucratic hoops, it’s going to take close to a year to get your eligibility card. While bill sponsors have said it will only take a few weeks to complete, concealed carry permits are already taking 8–9 months to process in some counties and require far fewer steps.

Beyond the regulatory burdens, Senate Bill 3 carries significant financial implications. Colorado lawmakers have been advised to anticipate major budget cutbacks this year, making it difficult to pass bills with large fiscal notes. As a result, sponsors have proposed funding this initiative by diverting cash reserves from Colorado Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Parks and Recreation. This move raises several concerns, as it risks violating federal funding regulations under Code of Federal Regulations Title 50, Part 80.21. This potentially jeopardizes millions of dollars in annual conservation and education funding from the Pittman Robertson fund. While bill sponsors insist this funding is not at risk, the final determination will rest with federal auditors, not Colorado state lawmakers. If there’s any misappropriations of these funds, Colorado will lose $27-32 million dollars in funding.

Public opposition overwhelmingly outnumbered support every time this bill went to a committee, but a majority of Democrat legislators turned a blind eye and voted to pass this bill anyway. Now the legislation sits on Governor Polis’ desk. Organizations like the Colorado State Shooting Association delivered over 40,000 petitions from Colorado citizens, urging Governor Polis to veto this horrible bill.  We the People want to be heard and represented. Now we’ll wait and see if the Governor thinks we should be.

Ava Flanell is the owner of Elite Firearms & Training and host of the Ava Flanell Show. She lives in Colorado Springs.