Colorado § 25-1-131 - Firearms safe storage education campaign.

§ 25-1-131. Firearms safe storage education campaign.

(1) (a) The office of suicide prevention within the department shall include on a public page of the department's website information about the following:

(I) The unlawful storage of a firearm offense described in section 18-12-114 and the unlawful storage of a firearm in a vehicle offense described in section 18-12-114.5;

(II) The penalties for an offense related to providing a handgun to a juvenile or allowing a juvenile to possess a firearm in violation of section 18-12-108.7; and

(III) The requirement that a licensed gun dealer provide a locking device with each firearm transferred, as described in section 18-12-405 (1).

(b) Any information described in subsection (1)(a) of this section posted on the department's website must be in both English and Spanish.

(c) The office of suicide prevention shall include references to the offenses listed in subsection (1)(a) of this section and direction to the department's website for more information about those offenses in materials provided to the following:

(I) Licensed gun dealers, shooting ranges, and safety instructors; and

(II) Health-care providers, including facilities licensed or certified by the department pursuant to section 25-1.5-103.

(2) The department shall develop a notice intended to be displayed on the premises of a licensed gun dealer, and designed to be printed with each letter at a minimum of one inch in height, that informs firearms purchasers that unlawful storage of a firearm, including in a vehicle, may result in imprisonment or fine. The department shall make electronic copies of the notice publicly available for download from its website without charge.

(3) (a) Subject to available money, including appropriations or gifts, grants, or donations received pursuant to subsection (4) of this section, the department shall develop and implement a firearms safe storage education campaign, referred to in this section as the "education campaign", to educate firearms owners, firearms purchasers, licensed gun dealers, shooting ranges, and safety instructors about safe storage of firearms and state requirements related to firearms safety and storage. The department shall consult with the division of criminal justice in the department of public safety in developing and implementing the education campaign.

(b) As part of the education campaign, the department may:

(I) Develop and provide materials to local law enforcement agencies to assist those agencies with educating the public about safe storage of firearms and state requirements related to firearms safety and storage;

(II) Develop and provide materials to health-care providers to assist providers with educating the public about safe storage of firearms and state requirements related to firearms safety and storage; and

(III) Provide information about programs that assist firearms owners with the cost of purchasing firearms locking devices, gun safes, or other secure firearms storage containers, including programs that provide free or reduced-price locking devices.

(c) (I) As part of the education campaign, the department shall provide information on its website about community programs that allow firearms owners to voluntarily and temporarily store a firearm at a secure location outside of the home, including a firearms retailer, gun range, or law enforcement agency.

(II) The department may provide assistance to any local entity that facilitates a program described in this subsection (3)(c).

(d) In furtherance of the goals of the education campaign, the department may use television messaging, radio broadcasts, print media, digital strategies, or any other form of messaging deemed appropriate by the department.

(4) The department may seek, accept, and expend gifts, grants, or donations, including in-kind donations, from private or public sources for the purposes of this section.

(5) In fiscal years 2020-21, 2021-22, and 2022-23, the general assembly shall not appropriate money from the general fund for the purposes of this section. Notwithstanding any provision of section 24-75-1305, in fiscal year 2023-24 and any subsequent fiscal year, the general assembly may appropriate money from the general fund for the purposes of this section.

Source: L. 2021: Entire section added, (HB 21-1106), ch. 39, p. 149, § 7, effective July 1. L. 2024: (1)(a)(I) and (2) amended, (HB 24-1348), ch. 178, p. 971, § 6, effective January 1, 2025.

Cross references: For the short title ("Promoting Child Safety Through Responsible Firearm Storage Act") and the legislative declaration in HB 21-1106, see sections 1 and 2 of chapter 39, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.