Today on Colorado Edition: Colorado lawmakers passed a high-capacity magazine ban following the Aurora theater shooting in 2012. Since then, few people have been sentenced for violating the ban. We explore the enforcement of the ban in our state, and explore how other states with similar laws are handling things. We also look at transportation funding, following the defeat of a handful of tax measures across our state that would have put money into infrastructure.
Colorado's High Capacity Magazine Ban And Its Enforcement
An undercover investigation released by KUSA-TV this week found that despite being banned, high-capacity magazines are still being sold in gun stores in our state. Some gun store owners are selling them disassembled, but at least two shops are selling the magazines assembled.
Earlier this year, KUNC’s Leigh Paterson took a look at how this ban is enforced. She found that six years after the ban was put in place, very few people have been sentenced for violating it. And a warning to our listeners — this piece contains the sound of gunshots.
How Other States Have Handled Similar Bans
Beyond Colorado, a handful of other states have put in place or explored the idea of high-capacity magazine bans. Here to tell us more about how other states have dealt with challenges to similar bans is Jake Charles, the executive director of the Center for Firearms Law at Duke Law School.
The State Of Our Roads And The Funding Needed To Fix Them
In the election held last week, measures that would have taxed Coloradans to help pay for transportation failed around the state.
Those measures included statewide Proposition CC, and infrastructure taxes in both Loveland and Larimer Counties.
So what do these failures mean for the future of transportation in our region? We explore that question and more with BizWest reporter Dan Mika.
Colorado Edition is made possible with support from our KUNC members. Thank you!
Our theme music was composed by Colorado musicians Briana Harris and Johnny Burroughs. Other music this week by Blue Dot Sessions:
- “Vibrant Canopy” by Origami
Colorado Edition is hosted by Erin O'Toole (@ErinOtoole1) and Henry Zimmerman @HWZimmerman), and produced by Lily Tyson. The web was edited by digital editor Jackie Hai. Managing editor Brian Larson contributed to this episode.
KUNC's Colorado Edition is a daily news magazine taking an in-depth look at the issues and culture of Northern Colorado. It's available on our website, as well as on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcasts. You can hear the show on KUNC's air, Monday through Thursday at 6:30 p.m.