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DENVER, CO – Governor Jared Polis yesterday signed HB24-1174, which improves concealed carry permit training to encourage responsible gun ownership, reduce gun violence and keep Coloradans safe.
“States that have eliminated their live-fire training requirements to receive a concealed carry permit saw a 32 percent increase in gun assaults,” said Majority Leader Monica Duran, D-Wheat Ridge. "The data is clear - live-fire gun training can save lives. This important legislation will ensure that Coloradans with concealed carry permits are properly trained before they bring their firearm into their communities.”
“Responsible gun ownership takes work,” Senator Kyle Mullica, D-Thornton, said. “Creating minimum training requirements for safe handling of firearms, shooting fundamentals and more ensures we’re treating concealed carry permits with the seriousness they deserve. Too often, careless gun owners create dangerous situations that needlessly put many others in harm's way. I’m proud to champion this important legislation that advances gun safety measures and helps prevent senseless gun violence.”
“When I received my concealed carry permit years ago, I was surprised to learn that Colorado law did not require live-fire training, a necessary skill to have before carrying a gun in public spaces," said Rep. Marc Snyder, D-Manitou Springs. "This law creates a minimum requirement for concealed carry permit holders, including in-person live-fire training, to ensure that concealed carry permits are issued with appropriate training. Our commonsense gun violence prevention legislation works to prevent senseless gun deaths by improving firearm training.”
HB24-1174, sponsored by House Majority Leader Duran and Representative Snyder, and Senator Mullica, requires handgun training classes to include at least eight hours of instruction, including a live-fire exercise and a written exam with a minimum passing score. It also requires handgun training classes to be held in-person and include training on the safe handling of firearms and ammunition, safe storage of firearms and child safety, safe firearms shooting fundamentals, federal and state firearm laws, state laws related to the use of deadly force for self-defense, interacting with law enforcement who are responding to emergencies, and techniques for conflict resolution and judgmental use of lethal force.
HB24-1174 also prohibits a person from being issued a permit if they have been convicted of certain misdemeanor offenses within five years of submitting a concealed carry permit application. The bill makes it a deceptive trade practice for a person to claim to be a verified firearms safety instructor unless they have been verified by a county sheriff.