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Lost and Stolen Gun Safety bill, renamed ‘Ana Thallas Act’, passes the House
DENVER, CO– The House today passed Representative Tom Sullivan and Leslie Herod’s bill to prevent firearms from getting into the wrong hands by requiring responsible gun owners to report to law enforcement within five days of realizing their firearms have been lost or stolen. After a Third Reading amendment, the bill was renamed the Isabella Joy Thallas Act, after a Denver woman who was murdered last summer with a stolen weapon that was never reported. The bill passed by a vote of 41-24.
“Bella Thallas’ young life was cut short in a tragic, senseless and random act of violence,” said Rep. Leslie Herod, D-Denver. “I’m proud that we were able to honor her life with this small gesture, and I’m incredibly grateful to Bella’s mother, Ana, and her family for their strength and testimony in the wake of an unspeakable tragedy.”
“Lost and stolen firearms end up in crime scenes across the country every day,” said Rep. Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial. “By requiring that lost or stolen guns be reported in a timely way, this bill will give law enforcement the information they need to prevent crime and track down perpetrators when crimes are committed. Renaming the bill after Isabella is the least we could do to honor her memory and her family today.”
Isabella Joy Thallas was murdered on June 10, 2020 while she and her boyfriend were walking their dog outside of their apartment in Denver’s Ballpark neighborhood. The high-powered semi-automatic rifle used in the killing was stolen.
SB21-078 requires an individual who owns a firearm and has reasonable cause to believe that the firearm has been lost or stolen to report that firearm to a law enforcement agency within five days after discovering that the firearm is missing.
A first offense for failure to make such a report is a civil infraction punishable by a $25 fine, and a second or subsequent offense is a misdemeanor punishable by a maximum $500 fine. The bill requires a law enforcement agency that receives a report to enter information about the lost or stolen firearm into the National Crime Information Center database and report the information to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.