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Second Regular Session
Seventy-fifth General Assembly
STATE OF COLORADO
REREVISED
This Version Includes All Amendments
Adopted in the Second House
LLS NO. 26-0840.01 Ken Fowler x2372 HOUSE BILL 26-1302
House Committees Senate Committees
State, Civic, Military, & Veterans Affairs State, Veterans, & Military Affairs
A BILL FOR AN ACT
CONCERNING THE COLORADO BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION'S FIREARMS101
BACKGROUND CHECK OPERATING HOURS.102
Bill Summary
(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced and does
not reflect any amendments that may be subsequently adopted. If this bill
passes third reading in the house of introduction, a bill summary that
applies to the reengrossed version of this bill will be available at
http://leg.colorado.gov.)
In current law, the Colorado bureau of investigation (bureau) must
remain open 12 hours a day, every calendar day except Christmas and
Thanksgiving, to transmit requests for a background check to the national
instant criminal background check system and search other databases.
The bill allows the bureau to determine its own hours of operation that
best meet its business needs.
SENATE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 14, 2026
SENATE
2nd Reading Unamended
April 13, 2026
HOUSE
3rd Reading Unamended
April 2, 2026
HOUSE
Amended 2nd Reading
March 27, 2026
HOUSE SPONSORSHIP
Duran and Boesenecker, Bacon, Brown, Camacho, Froelich, Jackson, Joseph, Lindsay,
McCluskie, Nguyen, Woodrow
SENATE SPONSORSHIP
Kipp, Amabile, Coleman, Cutter, Danielson, Da ugherty, Gonzales J., Jodeh, Lindstedt,
Sullivan
Shading denotes HOUSE amendment. Double underlining denotes SENATE amendment.
Capital letters or bold & italic numbers indicate new material to be added to existing law.
Dashes through the words or numbers indicate deletions from existing law.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:1
SECTION 1. Legislative declaration. (1) The general assembly2
finds and declares that:3
(a) The Colorado bureau of investigation, or CBI, is currently4
mandated to provide background check services at least 12 hours a day5
every day of the year, excluding Thanksgiving day and Christmas day;6
(b) The current background check business hours requirement was7
established when firearm transfers could occur immediately upon8
approval of a background check;9
(c) House Bill 23-1219, enacted in 2023, implemented a 3-day10
waiting period for firearm transfers, which has reduced CBI's need to11
provide immediate background check services; and12
(d) Allowing CBI to flex its operational hours based on business13
needs will enable CBI to staff its background check services more14
strategically, streamline its processes, and reduce costs by eliminating15
unnecessary employee shifts, all while continuing to provide timely16
background check services.17
SECTION 2. In Colorado Revised Statutes, 24-33.5-424, amend18
(7)(b) introductory portion, (7)(b)(IV) introductory portion, and19
(7)(b)(IV)(A); and add (7)(c) and (7)(d) as follows:20
24-33.5-424. National instant criminal background check21
system - state point of contact - fee - grounds for denial of firearm22
transfer - appeal - rule-making - unlawful acts - instant criminal23
background check cash fund - creation.24
(7) (b) The rules adopted pursuant to paragraph (a) of this25
subsection (7) shall SUBSECTION (7)(a) OF THIS SECTION MUST include, but26
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need not be limited to:1
(IV) Procedures for carrying out the duties under REQUIRED2
PURSUANT TO this section, including, at a minimum:3
(A) That the bureau shall be IS open for business at least twelve4
hours per day every calendar day, except Christmas day and Thanksgiving5
day, DURING HOURS THAT BEST MEET THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF THE BUREAU6
in order to TIMELY transmit the requests for a background check to the7
NICS system and search other databases. THE DIRECTOR OF THE BUREAU,8
OR THEIR DESIGNEE, SHALL CONTINUOUSLY REVIEW THE BUSINESS NEEDS9
STATISTICS OF THE BUREAU'S UNIT THAT CONDUCTS FIREARM TRANSFER10
BACKGROUND CHECKS PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION AND DETERMINE11
HOURS OF OPERATION THAT BEST MEET THE BUSINESS NEEDS OF THE12
BUREAU.13
(c) THE BUREAU SHALL IMMEDIATELY PLACE IN THE PROCESSING14
QUEUE A REQUEST FOR A BACKGROUND CHECK PURSUANT TO SUBSECTION15
(3)(a) OF THIS SECTION, REGARDLESS OF WAITING TIME REQUIREMENTS16
ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-12-115. THE BUREAU SHALL17
ALLOW THE SUBMISSION OF A BACKGROUND CHECK REQUEST EVERY DAY18
OF THE YEAR EXCEPT THANKSGIVING DAY AND CHRISTMAS DAY,19
NOTWITHSTANDING UNFORESEEN AND UNAVOIDABLE BACKGROUND20
CHECK SYSTEM OUTAGES. PURSUANT TO SECTION 18-12-115 (1)(a)(I), THE21
THREE-DAY WAITING PERIOD TO DELIVER A FIREARM TO A PURCHASER22
BEGINS WHEN A LICENSED GUN DEALER INITIATES A BACKGROUND CHECK23
OF THE PURCHASER.24
(d) ON OR BEFORE JANUARY 15 OF EACH YEAR, THE BUREAU SHALL25
SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES JUDICIARY26
COMMITTEE AND THE SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE, OR THEIR27
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SUCCESSOR COMMITTEES, DETAILING:1
(I) AVERAGE BACKGROUND CHECK PROCESSING TIMES;2
(II) ANY SIGNIFICANT CHANGES TO OPERATING HOURS;3
(III) SYSTEM OUTAGES OR DISRUPTIONS THAT RESULTED IN THE4
BUREAU'S INABILITY TO HAVE SUBMISSIONS ACCEPTED; AND5
(IV) STEPS TAKEN TO IMPROVE ACCESS AND EFFICIENCY.6
SECTION 3. Act subject to petition - effective date. This act7
takes effect at 12:01 a.m. on the day following the expiration of the8
ninety-day period after final adjournment of the general assembly (August9
12, 2026, if adj ournment sine die is on May 13, 2026); except that, if a10
referendum petition is filed pursuant to section 1 (3) of article V of the11
state constitution against this act or an item, section, or part of this act12
within such period, then the act, item, section, or part will not take effect13
unless approved by the people at the general election to be held in14
November 2026 and, in such case, will take effect on the date of the15
official declaration of the vote thereon by the governor.16
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