City of Boulder “Firearms Certificate”
Russ Chastain 10.25.18
I recently saw the above image shared on Facebook. It was posted by “Rally For Our Rights,” which describes itself as “a demonstration in support of the Right to Keep and Bear Arms.”
We reported back in June that the Boulder, Colorado city council had banned modern sporting rifles, bump stocks, and magazines holding more than 21 rounds. They went on to outlaw semi-auto shotguns with folding stocks and/or magazine capacity higher than 6 rounds, semi-auto pistols that can hold magazines of 21 rounds or greater capacity, and even any configuration of parts that results in something that can “convert a firearm into an assault weapon,” whatever that means.
Folks who own such guns have until the end of 2018 to have them “certified” under this new set of rules, and it seems that one brave soul decided to do just that. He’d better not lose this certificate, or else he will automatically become a criminal on New Year’s Day.
Here’s the text which accompanied the photo:
A Boulder, CO resident who had a firearm “certified” under the city’s new “assault weapons” ban brought this to us today. We’ve been wanting to see one but not many people are interested in registering their firearms.
In order to be part of Boulder’s “This-Is-Not-A-Registry” program, anyone who owned one of the banned firearms prior to June 15th, 2018 must go to the police department and have it “certified” before Dec 31st, 2018. They must then keep the certificate with the firearm at all times — forever — otherwise they’re a criminal. Lose this piece of paper? The firearm will be confiscated. Don’t comply? Criminal. Allegedly there are no copies of these certificates kept.
Requirements for certification include: Valid photo ID, the firearm being certified (unloaded and secured in vehicle), and a new background check. If the background check comes back clear, two certificates per firearm will be issued. The cost is $20 for the first firearm and $5 for each additional firearm.”
Boulder’s ban includes: 1.) All semi-automatic center-fire rifles that have the ability to accept a detachable magazine and have a pistol grip, telescoping stock, or off hand stabilization feature. 2.) All semi-automatic center-fire pistols that have the ability to accept a detachable magazine other than in the pistol grip or has any other secondary stabilization feature. 3.) All semi-automatic shotguns that have the ability to accept a detachable magazine, or have a fixed magazine over 5 rounds, or have any secondary stabilization features.
This is pathetic… and it’s just a taste of what all gun owners can look forward to, as long as we continue to allow such infringements to our civil rights.