Gun dealers will need state permits for firearm transfers, not just sales. They must install security alarms, surveillance systems, and metal bars on exterior doors and windows. Dealers must report stolen firearms to the state within 72 hours. Record-keeping expands from handguns to most transactions. House Bill 26-1126 was announced February 5. Committee assignment pending. Rep. Emily Sirota (D-Denver) sponsors it.
Current law requires permits to sell firearms. This bill requires permits to transfer them. “Transfer” includes sales, loans, gifts, temporary possession, and any change of custody. Permits now extend to individuals who direct or manage dealer policies, independent contractors who handle firearms, and anyone processing transfers on dealer’s behalf.
Security alarm systems cost $500-2,000 installation plus $30-80 monthly monitoring. Surveillance systems run $2,000-10,000 for quality commercial setups. Metal bars and security screens on exterior doors and windows cost $5,000-20,000 depending on building size. Total upfront cost: $7,500-32,000. Annual ongoing cost: $360-960 for monitoring fees.
Small dealers—especially part-time kitchen-table FFLs who process transfers from home—cannot afford these mandates. Only large gun stores survive. Fewer dealers equals less competition equals higher prices.
Gun shows typically feature dealers with booths, private sellers, and independent contractors processing background checks. This bill requires permits for anyone transferring firearms. Independent contractors who handle firearms or process transfers need permits.
Requiring surveillance systems means government knows dealers have footage. Subpoenas can demand footage. Law enforcement can request access. Every customer is recorded. Government can track who visited which dealers, when, and what they purchased.
Seventy-two-hour reporting means state knows which firearms were stolen, who owned them, when. State builds database of firearm ownership through theft reports. Expanding records from handguns to “most transactions” means rifles and shotguns now tracked.
The bill requires dealers “secure firearms” without defining how. Vague language enables arbitrary enforcement. State inspectors decide what counts as “secure.”
Rep. Sirota represents House District 10 in urban Denver. Former Occupy Wall Street organizer, progressive activist. She sponsors HB26-1144 banning 3D printers. Her district has minimal gun culture.
Gun shops already face federal security requirements from ATF. They have strong financial incentive to prevent theft—inventory loss, insurance premiums, ATF penalties.
With Democrat supermajorities, passage is likely. Second, Fourth, and Fifth Amendment challenges will follow.
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