Attorney General Phil Weiser issued a statement on June 21, 2024, in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold gun safety laws designed to protect domestic violence victims.
"The Supreme Court today upheld federal and state laws, including Colorado’s law, that bar people subject to domestic violence restraining orders from possessing firearms," said Weiser. He highlighted the critical impact of these laws by citing data on domestic violence fatalities in the state. "The tragic fact we know from our work tracking domestic violence fatalities in the state is that most domestic violence-related murders involve firearms. An abuser is five times more likely to murder their intimate partner if a firearm is in the home."
Weiser also noted that not only intimate partners but also law enforcement, children, family members, and friends are at increased risk during domestic violence incidents when an abuser has access to a gun.
"It’s obvious that these gun safety laws make a difference and save lives. Today’s opinion from the court makes it clear that laws keeping domestic violence abusers from having guns are constitutional and will remain so," he stated.
Colorado participated in a coalition of states that submitted an amicus brief in United States v. Rahimi, advocating for the protection of domestic violence victims through such gun safety regulations.