Federal judge approves Colorados age limit for firearms purchases

A federal judge upheld Colorado’s restriction on firearms sales requiring buyers to be 21 or older after Rocky Mountain Gun Owners and two people looking to purchase firearms sued Democratic Gov.Jared Polis. Chief U.S.

District Judge Philip A.Brimmer agreed with the U.S.

Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit’s decision that age-based requirements for purchase do not fall under the Second Amendment’s right to keep and bear arms.The 10th Circuit and Brimmer agree that the issue falls under a “safe harbor” exclusion, placing it outside the scope of the Constitution.The only exceptions to Colorado’s firearm purchase age restriction are for those in the U.S.

Military and for peace officers.In both cases, the person must be making the purchase while on duty and is “serving in conformance with the policies” of their respective agency.“Governor Polis is committed to making Colorado one of the ten safest states, and common-sense laws encourage responsible gun ownership and keep people safe.

For decades in Colorado, you had to be 21 to purchase a handgun, per federal law.The requirement to be 21 was expanded to rifles and shotguns with the signing of SB23-169, and Governor Polis is glad to see the court affirm that Colorado’s common sense law does not infringe on Second Amendment rights.

Governor Polis is confident this law has and will help keep Coloradans and our communities safe,” Polis’ Communications Director Conor Cahill said in a statement to Fox News Digital.Brimmer acknowledged that Adrian Pineda and Matthew Newkirk — the two individuals under 21 who sued Polis together with Rocky Mountain Gun Owners — are part of “the people” as written in the Second Amendment.However, he referred to the 10th Circuit’s decision, saying it had resolved the case back in 2023, according to Courthouse News Service (CNS).The decision in Colorado comes in contrast to one issued by the Supreme Court in 2022 in which justices determined that Ne...