Teller Elected Leaders Mull Next Counter-attack

Commission Chairman Williams: “This is the worst bill in the country.”

Trevor Phipps

The prompt signing of the controversial, anti-gun bill (Senate Bill 25-003) by Colorado Governor Jared Polis has triggered shock waves throughout the county and region, as local elected leaders and head law officers mull their next move.

Many had previously thought that the governor would choose not to sign it, based on his previous stand on this volatile issue and more centrist approach, compared to state progressive Democratic leaders. Regardless, no signing action would have made it a law anyway but could have signaled a key message.

But Polis chose to sign the bill, shortly after it arrived on his desk. This action could eventually trigger a legal firestorm, although time is still on the side of area officials.

The good news for gun enthusiasts is that the bill will not go into effect until August 2026. Moreover, the bill drastically changed from the original proposal, which would have placed an outright ban on purchasing semi-automatic firearms.

Even though the bill now just requires a training program to purchase semi-automatic weapons with removable magazines, pro-gun groups still argue the bill is unconstitutional. Many have said that the bill is now a scheme to force law abiding Coloradans to buy back their Second Amendment rights. Many pro-gun proponents hoped from the beginning that the courts will eventually throw the law out.

Locally, the Teller County commissioners passed a recent resolution adamantly opposing the measure shortly before the bill was signed into law. But according to Teller County Commission Chairman Dan Williams, county officials aren’t making any counter moves quite yet.

No Legal Gunfire, yet

Williams said that the county commissioners’ and sheriff’s hands are currently tied because they took oaths to abide by the federal law and Constitution, as well as state law. “There’s going to be some lawsuits filed, and we are just going is see if we are a party to those lawsuits and whether they make progress on their own,” Williams said. “We are also anticipating some potential federal laws that may overturn it. So, we are just kind of watching it. Obviously, we are disappointed because it is a big overreach.”

Williams said that the county is now in a “wait mode” to see what happens, since the bill does not go into effect for over a year. At press time, no lawsuits had yet been filed against the bill, but several other county commissioners and governments have passed resolutions speaking out against the new law.

“We are all sad and disappointed that he signed it,” Williams continued. “There was still a chance with all of the work we had done, all of the testimony we made, all of the letters and resolutions and phone calls that he wouldn’t do it. But obviously they are focused on one little, small segment. But again, we have some time because it doesn’t go into effect for over a year. So, we will see what develops here in the next coming weeks and months. This is the worst bill in the country, and it has national attention.”

Shortly after the bill was signed, an article was published on the National Rifle Association (NRA) website that spoke against the governor’s decision to sign the bill and pointed out that the signing took place in private in front of an invite-only crowd. “Behind closed doors, Governor Polis cowardly signed into law the most anti-gun, anti-freedom bill in Colorado’s history,” NRA-ILA Executive Director John Commerford said according to the NRA article. “Instead of respecting the individual liberties of gun owners and hunters in his state, he bent the knee to the radical gun control element of his party. If this proposal was popular with his citizens, it would not need to be enacted in secret.”

What Does the New Law Do?

When the bill was introduced on the first day of the 2025 Colorado state legislative session, it would have banned a good percentage of the semi-automatic rifles and pistols that people buy. But as it made its way through the state legislature, several amendments were made, and the bill was watered down from being an outright firearm ban.

Now instead of not being able to purchase or sell semi-automatic firearms with detachable magazines anywhere in the state, those who wish to purchase or sell those types of guns will have to go through a rigorous background check and training program.

“Before applying for a permit, Coloradoans will need to complete a 12-hour educational course,” the NRA article reports. “The new law mandates that training requirements and the permitting process fall under the jurisdiction of Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW), the state wildlife agency, and entails placing burdens on local sheriff’s departments. It also requires CPW to maintain a database of all who pass the training course, which seems like the first step toward creating a government registry of gun owners.”

According to Teller County Sheriff Jason Mikesell, the bill also places a huge financial burden on counties as they must foot the bill to pay for the background checks, training and the database. The law states that the counties can place a fee on the services to recoup the funds spent, but Teller County officials have said they will not do that. This means, the county will have to foot the bill for the new training and background checks through the use of taxpayer dollars.

County officials said they are now waiting until the state legislative session ends in May to decide on their next steps to fight the new law.