A federal judge has determined that Colorado’s prohibition on selling firearms to individuals under 21 does not infringe upon the Second Amendment.
A legal challenge to the state law has been mounted by the group Rocky Mountain Gun Owners along with two other plaintiffs. In 2023, they took legal action against Gov. Jared Polis, contesting the constitutionality of the law that was enacted that same year. In a significant ruling, Philip A. Brimmer, the chief district judge of the U.S. District Court for the District of Colorado, has issued a temporary injunction.
Current federal legislation prohibits individuals under the age of 21 from acquiring handguns. Colorado’s new legislation, SB23-169, raises the age threshold for acquiring rifles and shotguns.
In a decisive ruling late last year, the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously determined that SB23-169 represents a constitutional framework governing the conditions and qualifications for firearm sales in Colorado. The ruling lifted the injunction, paving the way for the law to take effect.
Brimmer’s recent decision on Thursday, in favor of the governor, brings the case to a close.
