Last week, the Colorado 2025 legislative session adjourned, but before it did, the anti-sportsmen legislature and governor passed several bills detrimental to hunters and law-abiding citizens.
This year’s major assault on sportsmen, which was signed into law by Governor Jared Polis, is a firearm registry scheme aimed at a plethora of semiautomatic firearms, which includes most semiautomatic rifles, shotguns, and handguns equipped with a detachable magazine.
SB25-003 requires Coloradoans who want to purchase a firearm to first apply for and be approved to receive a firearms safety course eligibility card, aka a permit-to-purchase card. The process to receive a permit entails passing a 4- or 12-hour (must be provided on two different days) in-person firearms safety course (on top of your hunter safety course), fingerprinting, passing a criminal background check and paying an undecided fee. SB25-003 goes into effect August 1, 2026.
Note: Even after going through the application process and passing a criminal background check, the county sheriff makes the final approval decision and can deny an applicant for a mere “reasonable belief” of being dangerous and can revoke a permit under the same standard. Renewal of the permit is required every five years.
Additionally, the legislature passed, and the governor signed, two other anti-sportsmen measures that further erode citizens’ rights, including:
HB25-1133, which prohibits 18- to 20-year-olds from purchasing ammunition in person or by delivery and takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB25-1238, whichadds burdensome bureaucratic red tape on gun show vendors and organizers, making it harder for them to host an event and takes effect January 1, 2026.
If you would like to view the bills the Sportsmen’s Alliance monitored during the legislative session, check out our interactive legislative map.
Even though the 2025 legislative session is over, the Sportsmen’s Alliance will continue to monitor activities in the Centennial State. You never know when issues that sportsmen need to be aware of may arise.
Please share this message with your family and friends as sportsmen. Urge them to join you and the Sportsmen’s Alliance in standing up to fight, protect, and defend against the relentless attacks from animal extremists. The extremists work tirelessly to crater our rights, values and heritage and we must work harder to ensure they are secure today, tomorrow, and for the future.
The Sportsmen’s Alliance guarantees hunting, fishing and trapping for the American sportsman now and forever. We’re there when sportsmen need us most. We are the only organization specifically created to protect the individual hunter, angler and trapper – no matter the threat. We will never compromise when it comes to defending our way of life in the courts, in the legislatures, in the public square and at the ballot box. We make this promise to the American sportsman: we will never give up and never give in while proudly securing our future against those seeking to destroy our values, beliefs, and traditions. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
