HB 21-1298 Summary

• Licensed gun dealers must obtain approval from the Bureau before transferring any firearm to a buyer after completing state or federal background checks; violating this requirement is a Class 1 misdemeanor.

• The Bureau must deny firearm transfers to individuals convicted within the past five years of 11 specified misdemeanor offenses including assault, sexual assault, child abuse, protection order violations, harassment, bias-motivated crimes, animal cruelty, and illegal weapon possession.

• The Bureau cannot approve a transfer until it completes its background investigation and confirms the transfer would not violate federal law (18 U.S.C. § 922(g) or (n)) or state law.

• Denied transferees have 30 days to request a review of the denial and background check records, and the Bureau must render a final administrative decision within 60 days of receiving such a request.

• The bill exempts antique firearms as defined in federal law and curios or relics from these transfer requirements.