FPC Takes Colorado to Court Over Unconstitutional Nonresident Carry Ban

Look, I'm all for states having reasonable licensing requirements—if you want to carry concealed, that's fine. But what Colorado's doing? That's not regulation, that's discrimination. The Firearms Policy Coalition just filed a motion for a preliminary injunction in Hoffman v. City and County of Denver, and honestly, they've got a solid case.

Here's the deal: Colorado requires a permit to carry a concealed handgun, but they won't issue those permits to nonresidents. They'll only recognize permits from states that recognize Colorado's permits—which is basically a reciprocity nightmare. And in Denver? Forget it. They ban open carry entirely. So a peaceful traveler from another state who legally carries at home suddenly finds themselves completely disarmed the moment they cross into Colorado—or worse, potentially facing federal prosecution for being within 1,000 feet of a school without a state-issued license.

That's insane. The Second Amendment doesn't say "the right of the people residing in Colorado to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." It says "the people"—all the people, everywhere in this country. Under Bruen, the state needs historical analogues to justify these restrictions, and FPC's motion points out that early American law actually gave travelers MORE protection to carry arms, not less.

They're also hitting Colorado on the Privileges and Immunities Clause—you can't deny fundamental rights to Americans just because they live in another state.

Colorado and Denver created a labyrinth where out-of-state folks are forced to surrender their rights or risk jail time. That's not public safety—that's a police state. If the judge follows Supreme Court precedent, they should have a real hard time explaining why the right to bear arms vanishes the moment you cross a state line.