Why it matters
The case decides whether lawful buyers must complete state checks, a sheriff card, a safety course and a test before buying certain semiautomatic firearms, or whether those steps can be paused while the challenge proceeds.
Who is asking a federal court to pause the new permit rules?
The Colorado State Shooting Association and five plaintiffs are asking a federal judge for a preliminary injunction, a temporary order pausing the permit-to-purchase system, while the constitutional challenge proceeds.
The filing seeks a preliminary injunction, so the permit-to-purchase requirements would be halted while the broader constitutional challenge moves forward in federal court.
The law went fully into effect at the beginning of August, so the challenge comes after buyers already became subject to the new requirements.
What must gun buyers do before buying certain semiautomatic firearms?
Prospective buyers of certain semiautomatic firearms must pay for a background check, apply to a sheriff for an eligibility card, complete an approved safety course and pass a written exam.
Senate Bill 25-3, the state law that created the permit-to-purchase system, ties those steps to buying certain semiautomatic firearms.
Fees and travel are among the burdens the plaintiffs cite, alongside the background check, sheriff-issued eligibility card, safety course and written test.
Why do plaintiffs say the permit system burdens gun rights?
The plaintiffs argue Senate Bill 25-3, the law that created the permit-to-purchase system, creates an unconstitutional cumulative burden through checks, cards, courses, testing, fees, travel and inconsistent implementation.
Their argument focuses on the total effect of the requirements, described as a cumulative burden on Second Amendment rights, the constitutional right to keep and bear arms.
The plaintiffs also say the state administrative system behind the rules is incomplete and inconsistently implemented. That is their legal claim, not yet a court ruling.
