Colorado gun owners have launched a devastating federal lawsuit against the state's unconstitutional semiautomatic firearms ban, challenging Governor Jared Polis's radical assault on Second Amendment rights that effectively outlaws popular rifles used by millions of law-abiding Americans.
The Colorado State Shooting Association, backed by the Mountain States Legal Foundation and individual plaintiffs, filed the challenge against Senate Bill 25-003—one of the nation's most restrictive gun control measures that will ban the purchase, sale, and manufacture of countless semiautomatic firearms starting next year.
This draconian law targets AR-15s, AK-47s, and their variants, along with many popular shotguns and handguns—forcing Colorado gun owners to jump through bureaucratic hoops including sheriff screenings, eligibility cards, and up to 12 hours of government-mandated training just to exercise their constitutional rights.
"Because [the law] attempts to govern and regulate arms-bearing conduct, the text of the Second Amendment is implicated," the complaint states, challenging the government's authority to ban commonly owned firearms.
The lawsuit comes as federal courts nationwide continue striking down state gun restrictions following the Supreme Court's landmark 2022 Bruen decision, which established that firearm regulations must have historical precedent dating back to America's founding. More than 1,600 federal cases citing Bruen have generated increasingly pro-gun rulings.
Colorado's measure was championed by Senator Tom Sullivan, whose personal tragedy in the 2012 Aurora theater shooting has driven his crusade against constitutional rights. Sullivan confidently predicted victory, dismissing the lawsuit as "typical" while ignoring the growing judicial rejection of similar restrictions across the country.
Previous Colorado firearm restrictions including the 15-round magazine limit, three-day waiting period, and 21-year minimum age have all been upheld in court, setting up a crucial test of the state's expanding gun control regime.
As the legal battle unfolds, Colorado gun owners face the prospect of criminalization for possessing firearms that remain perfectly legal in most of America. This constitutional challenge represents more than just a lawsuit—it's a fight for the fundamental right to keep and bear arms against government officials who view the Second Amendment as a mere suggestion.