Colorado Gov. Jared Polis Signs Two Bills Strengthening Gun Regulations

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) signed two bills Monday strengthening his state’s gun regulations. The governor’s action comes weeks after a deadly shooting rocked Boulder, Colorado.

Polis signed Senate Bill 78 which requires gun owners to report their lost or stolen firearms within five days. He also signed House Bill 1106 which requires gun owners to “responsibly and securely” store their firearms and requires gun dealers to provide locking devices during a firearm sale or transfer.

Senate Bill 78 was renamed the Isabella Joy Thallas Act, in honor of a woman who was shot with a firearm stolen from a Denver police sergeant.

“While of course this legislation can’t bring any of our fellow Coloradoans back who are no longer with us, we know that this not only can prevent future loss of life, but can also be part of the healing for the Thallas family and so many others impacted by gun violence by a stolen gun,” Polis said in a Monday press conference.

Failing to report a stolen firearm will lead to a a $25 fine for owners for a first offense; second offenses have a maximum $500 fine. When a stolen firearm is recovered by police, the new bill requires they enter all of the weapon’s information into the Colorado Bureau of Investigations Crime Information Center Database.