Committee advances bill requiring firearm barrels be sold through licensed dealers

A Colorado legislative committee voted to advance Senate Bill 43 after hearing hours of testimony for and against the proposal to require transfers of professionally manufactured firearm barrels to take place in person through federally licensed firearms dealers.

Representative Froelich, the bill’s prime sponsor, told the State Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee the measure “closes a loophole regarding firearm barrels” by ensuring barrels that are sold to complete 3D‑printed or otherwise home‑assembled firearms are moved through licensed dealers so law enforcement can trace them. She framed the bill as part of the state’s broader effort to reduce gun violence and suicide, and asked the committee for an aye vote.

Co‑sponsor Representative Brown said the bill would not ban barrels or lawful ownership and includes exemptions for military, government and licensed collectors. She said the requirement is about traceability and in‑person sales, not serialization: “It’s really just about common sense regulations to ensure that firearm barrels are purchased through federally licensed dealers,” Brown said.

Supporters, including Amanda Wilcox of Brady Colorado and former firearms‑bureau official Steve Lindley, said professionally manufactured barrels are difficult to reproduce safely with consumer 3D printers and that unregulated sales let prohibited people and traffickers obtain parts used to complete ghost guns. Wilcox recounted the death of her daughter and said the bill would deter illegal manufacture and trafficking: “I miss my daughter every single day,” she said.

Opponents — including trade groups and gun‑rights advocates — raised drafting and enforcement concerns. Nephi Cole of the National Shooting Sports Foundation warned the bill “has no mechanism to make this bill work,” arguing that because barrels are not the serialized part of a firearm dealers have no federal mechanism to verify a buyer’s eligibility and that collected records would become unsearchable paper files. Several FFL owners and gunsmiths said they would be reluctant to sell barrels under the bill’s current language and predicted commercial and practical burdens for competitive shooters and routine maintenance.

Members questioned statutory terminology and implementation details throughout the hearing. Representative Espinosa asked sponsors to replace the statute’s use of the defunct term “unclassified misdemeanor” and to clarify whether some misdemeanor versus civil‑infraction distinctions are appropriate. Representatives Luck and Brooks pressed the sponsors about how the bill would affect hobbyists, buyers who already own barrels, and whether the required records could function as a registry.

The sponsors offered a narrow amendment, L14, to exempt accredited gunsmithing programs so schools may purchase barrels through FFLs and transfer them to students for training. The committee adopted L14 without objection.

After closing remarks, Representative Froelich moved SB43 as amended to the Committee of the Whole with a favorable recommendation; Representative Ricks seconded. The committee approved the motion on a roll call vote of 8‑3 (Yes: Carter, Espinosa, Gray, Froelich, Wynn, Ricks, Clifford, Chair; No: Bottoms, Brooks, Luck). The committee did not take further action beyond the vote and adjourned.

The bill’s proponents said the measure would increase traceability of parts used to make ghost guns and support law‑enforcement investigations; opponents say the current text lacks a practical enforcement mechanism and risks creating paperwork without searchable identifiers. The Committee of the Whole will consider the bill next under the legislature’s schedule.