Brady Celebrates Gov. Polis Signing Historic Gun Violence Prevention Bill into Law

Colorado is the first state to pass a firearms procurement law that will keep taxpayer dollars away from irresponsible gun dealers 

Washington, D.C., June 2, 2025 — Brady, the nation’s oldest gun violence prevention group, applauds Gov. Polis and the Colorado State Legislature for signing a firearms procurement law (SB25-158) that makes Colorado the first state in the nation with a law that ensures taxpayer dollars used to purchase law enforcement firearms are spent at the most responsible of gun dealers. 

Colorado’s responsible firearms procurement law addresses a shocking national problem, exposed by a Brady investigation, that law enforcement agencies have spent millions of dollars to buy firearms from dealers and manufacturers with repeated and serious violations of federal firearm regulations. An analysis by Brady found that between 2015 and 2024, Colorado state agencies spent over $3.1M at a gun dealer that had a history of over a dozen violations of federal gun laws, including links to crime guns. 

Now with the passage of SB25-158, Colorado can ensure that taxpayer dollars used to purchase law enforcement firearms go to responsible dealers, and not to gun dealers with histories of legal violations and problematic business practices, thereby stopping the flow of money to dealers that fuel the gun violence epidemic. 

Brady President Kris Brown said:

With the successful passage of this legislation, Colorado proves why it is a leader in the gun violence prevention movement. Now, irresponsible gun dealers will not profit from hard-earned tax dollars, making Colorado a model for the nation. The passage of this life-saving bill wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of elected officials dedicated to preventing gun violence and Brady’s grassroots activists who want a safer Colorado and America for us all. 

Taxpayers are the number one purchaser of firearms in America, with cities across the country spending more than $5 billion a year on guns alone. Government agencies have an obligation to ensure tax dollars are utilized responsibly, but they also have a powerful opportunity to incentivize gun businesses to adopt practices that will decrease the number of firearms diverted into the illegal market — and Brady is ready to work with states and localities looking to do so. This victory is a reminder of the power states have in protecting their communities from gun violence.

Brady urges Gov. Polis to sign the nine additional gun violence prevention bills passed by the state legislature, including a key policy that would require school districts to send home information about secure firearm storage laws (HB25-1250).