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DENVER, CO - The House today advanced gun violence prevention legislation sponsored by Majority Leader Monica Duran and Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist in a preliminary vote. HB25-1133 would raise the minimum age to purchase ammunition for rifle and shotgun ammunition to 21 years old and require ammunition to be stored behind the counter like nicotine, cold medicine, and other commonly misused or harmful products.
“Colorado Democrats have worked tirelessly to pass commonsense gun violence legislation to save lives, and we’re building on our work by filling gaps in our laws that allow ammunition to get into the wrong hands,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. “While cold medicine is locked up behind a glass case, firearm ammunition is openly available in aisles for anyone to grab. By requiring ammunition to be securely stored and raising the age to purchase, this bill works to prevent senseless gun violence and theft to keep our communities safe.”
“Current firearm laws make it far too easy for people to evade safety measures before purchasing ammunition, especially with online purchases,” said Rep. Lindsay Gilchrist, D-Denver. “That’s why we’re bringing this gun violence prevention bill that would increase the minimum age to purchase ammunition to 21 and implement safety measures, like age verification and secure display requirements. I’m proud to sponsor this bill to prevent senseless gun violence in Colorado and save countless lives.”
Under current law, individuals must be 21 years old to purchase any firearm but only 18 years old to purchase ammunition. HB25-1133 would raise the minimum age to purchase rifle or shotgun ammunition to 21 years old with limited exceptions. Sellers would be required to verify that the buyer is at least 21 years old using a valid government-issued photo identification. The bill also requires sellers to display ammunition in a position where an employee must assist the buyer, like in an enclosed display case or behind a counter, to help prevent theft. Any person delivering ammunition would be required to verify that the person receiving the delivery is at least 21 years old and obtain written proof of receipt of the delivery from the recipient.
The bill exempts an active member or veteran of the US military or Colorado National Guard as well as Coloradans with a valid hunter education certificate or an expired or unexpired hunting license. Coloradans between 18 and 21 years old would be allowed to purchase ammunition at a shooting range if they use it on-site. It would also exempt Coloradans under 21 years old if they were born on or before January 28, 2007.
Unlawful sale of ammunition would be a civil infraction, while subsequent violations would classify as a class 1 misdemeanor. The bill would take effect July 1, 2026.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, firearms are the leading cause of death for young people in the U.S. ages 18 to 20, and the firearm suicide rate among this group has increased by a staggering 41 percent in the last decade.
Majority Leader Duran passed a law in 2023 to raise the minimum age to purchase a long gun firearm to 21, which was already the minimum age to purchase a handgun. She also passed a safe storage law that promotes responsible gun ownership by requiring gun owners to properly store their firearms when they are not in use, especially when children are present.