Boulder County Commissioners on Tuesday unanimously agreed to move forward with a package of bills regulating guns in the county, holding most of their comments and questions for the public hearing scheduled for August.
Five ordinances are proposed as part of the package from the Boulder County Attorney’s Office:
- An ordinance prohibiting the purchase of firearms by anyone under the age of 21
- An ordinance requiring a waiting period of 10 days before one can purchase a firearm
- An ordinance prohibiting the concealed or open carry of firearms in sensitive public places
- An ordinance prohibiting the sale and purchase of assault weapons, large capacity magazines and trigger activators
- An ordinance regulating the possession of unfurnished frames and receivers, and unserialized firearms, also known as ghost guns
Melanie Lewis with the county attorney’s office said the package of proposals came from a law passed in 2021 giving local jurisdictions power to create their own policies to regulate gun laws. The commissioners are weighing the proposed restrictions a little more than a year after 10 people were killed in a mass shooting at Boulder’s south-end King Soopers.
“This entire package is urgently needed,” Commissioner Claire Levy said. ”It's incumbent on us as elected officials who are responsible for the health, safety and welfare of the people of Boulder County to do everything within our power to protect that public safety, even if our state and federal government aren't able to move forward.”
Levy said she will have questions about the phrasing of the third ordinance, which restricts where one can carry, once it comes up for second reading.
Lewis said sensitive public places included in the bill include property owned and operated by the county, recreation and community centers operated by the county, public parks, playgrounds, open space, areas within 500 feet of a polling location of a ballot drop box, indoor and outdoor premises at a facility licensed to serve alcohol, health care facilities, facilities that offer mental health or substance abuse services and property owned or operated by a place of worship unless one gives express permission for someone to carry. Other locations include stadiums and arenas, courthouses, banks, grocery stores, preschools and day care centers.
Violations of most of the ordinances would result in a misdemeanor, but some have other specifics outlined depending on the type of violation.
The package will be back for a public hearing and final vote from the commissioners on Aug. 2.
