Weekly Spotlight 1/30/25 -2/5/25
Colorado Legislators Push to Restrict Self-Defense Rights with Senate Bill 3
Senate Bill 3, currently making its way through the Colorado state legislature, seeks to impose restrictions on the buying, selling, and manufacturing of certain semi-automatic firearms. Alarmingly, this bill is being rushed through the legislative process without sufficient input from key stakeholders, including responsible gun owners and firearms instructors. The fact is, millions of Americans rely on certain types of semiautomatic firearms for their safety and self-defense. A blanket ban on these tools puts responsible Coloradans at a disadvantage in defending themselves and their families.
Analysis shows no significant link between homicide rates and assault weapons bans or large-capacity magazine restrictions. In fact, data supports the idea that well-trained, prepared citizens–such as concealed carry permit holders–can deter crime and enhance community safety. These law-abiding gun owners undergo various firearm training and are among the most law-abiding demographics in the nation, with lower crime rates than even police officers.
Punishing responsible gun owners for the actions of a criminal few does not effectively prevent violence. We know that by definition criminals do not follow the law. Measures like SB 3 target the wrong people—law-abiding citizens who serve as the first line of defense in their communities, particularly in areas where law enforcement resources may be limited. We’ve seen in cities like Chicago that stricter gun laws often correlate with rising crime rates, not reduced violence.
Rushed legislation rarely produces thoughtful, effective solutions. Responsible policymaking requires time, public input and a careful consideration of both public safety and our constitutional rights. Instead, Colorado legislators on both sides of the aisle should work together and with law abiding, responsible gun owners toward a shared goal of ending senseless violence. We can achieve this goal, and we can do so faster and more efficiently working together rather than infringing on the constitutionally protected rights of law abiding Colorado citizens.
The USCCA’s For Saving Lives Action Fund will host an event next Saturday, February 8th from 10:30 – 12 A.M./MST at The Gallery’s Sportsman’s Club and Range featuring Colorado legislators, 2A activists, gun owners and more. We look forward to demonstrating the widespread opposition to this misguided legislation that infringes on the fundamental rights of Colorado gun owners.
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OTHER NEWS YOU MAY HAVE MISSED
Newsmax: Rep. Hudson to Newsmax: Concealed Carry Reciprocity ‘Common Sense’
January 28, 2025
Nicole Weatherholtz
Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., told Newsmax on Tuesday that concealed carry reciprocity “is just common sense” and that’s why he’s introduced a bill in the House that would allow concealed carry permit holders to carry their guns across state lines. “When I drive from my home in North Carolina to D.C., I don’t have to stop at the Virginia state line and take a new driver’s test and get a Virginia driver’s license,” Hudson said on “Carl Higbie FRONTLINE.”
The Reload: Analysis: How ATF Operates And How That Could Change
January 27, 2025
Kevin D. Williams
The “F” in ATF stands for “firearms,” and, in the matter of overseeing the sale of these, the ATF is a damned peculiar creature: It is a law enforcement agency dedicated to regulating transactions between federally screened, licensed sellers and a population of buyers from which serious criminals (felons, domestic abusers, those under indictment for such crimes) are excluded. It may not exactly shock you to learn that very few American criminals are carrying firearms legally purchased from a licensed retailer (murderers and armed robbers are not famously punctilious about lesser crimes) but just how small that share is may surprise you: It is less than 2 percent.
Washington Examiner: Institute Concealed Carry Reciprocity
January 24, 2025
John Commerford
Reports suggest that nearly 22 million hold permits to carry a concealed handgun, a dramatic rise from 2014’s 11 million permit-holders. Moreover, this number should be set to surge further. In the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in the NRA-supported case New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, law-abiding gun owners in well-populated states such as California, New York, and New Jersey are only just beginning to enjoy a right to carry.
California Globe (California): Wildfires In California Reinforce The Importance Of Gun Rights
January 24, 2025
Bradley Larson
Wildfires have once again devastated California, reducing vibrant neighborhoods and close-knit communities to piles of ash in a matter of days. The death toll continues to climb as firefighters and search teams recover the missing, and estimated damages now exceed $250 billion. Many residents are grappling with the heartbreaking reality that their homes—and priceless family heirlooms—are gone forever. It is apocalyptic and utterly heartbreaking. My prayers go out to those mourning the loss of life, property, and their way of living.
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