HB20-1278 Summary

• Court must require respondents subject to qualifying protection orders to state in court or complete an affidavit disclosing the number of firearms in their possession or control and their locations, with truthful statements protected from use in other proceedings.

• Respondents must relinquish firearms within 24 hours (if served in court) or 48 hours (if served outside court), excluding legal holidays and weekends, with courts able to grant an additional 24 hours if the respondent demonstrates inability to comply.

• Relinquishment options include selling to a federally licensed firearms dealer, storing with law enforcement, or transferring to a private party who must complete a firearms acknowledgment form and cannot live in the same residence as the respondent.

• Court must conduct a hearing to ensure compliance; failure to appear constitutes a protection order violation and may result in arrest warrant or search warrant for the respondent's residence.

• Law enforcement agencies storing firearms may seek matching incentive fees from the Department of Public Safety to maintain or increase storage capacity, and are immune from civil liability for firearm damage unless caused by willful and wrongful acts or gross negligence.