Citation(s) from the GunPolicy.org literature library
Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 2024 ‘Guns in Schools in Colorado.’ Guns in Public. San Francisco, CA: Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. 25 April
Relevant contents
[Editor's note: The Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence regularly updates its webpages with new data as US gun regulation evolves state by state. For the most up-to-date information on US gun laws, please refer to the Giffords URL below]
Guns in Schools in Colorado
Colorado prohibits any person from knowingly and unlawfully and without legal authority carrying, bringing, or having in his or her possession a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, in or on the property of any public or private elementary, middle, junior high, high or vocational school.
Exceptions to this prohibition include:
- Presenting an authorized public demonstration or exhibition pursuant to instruction in conjunction with an organized school or class;
- Carrying out the necessary duties of an employee of an educational institution that require the use of a deadly weapon;
- Participating in an authorized extracurricular activity or on an athletic team;
- Possession of a firearm in the lawful possessor's dwelling or place of business, or on property owned or under that person's control at the time of possession;
- Possession in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance for protection of that person, another person, or their property while traveling;
- Possession of a handgun pursuant to a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun or a temporary emergency permit, except if the person was carrying a concealed handgun in violation of state law that prohibits possession of a concealed handgun onto the property of a public elementary, middle, junior high or high school; or
- Possession of a firearm for use in an educational program approved by a school that includes, but is not limited to, any course designed for the repair or maintenance of weapons.
A concealed handgun permittee may only carry a handgun on the property of a public elementary, middle, junior high or high school if he or she is:
1) on duty as a security guard for the school;
2) within his or her private vehicle (if the permittee is not with the vehicle, the handgun must be within a closed compartment within the locked vehicle); or 3) upon undeveloped property owned by a school district used for hunting or shooting sports.
Colorado provides mandatory expulsion from public school by any student who carries, brings, uses or possesses a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, without the authorization of the school or the school district. Carrying, bringing or possessing a firearm without the authorization of the school or the school district does not require mandatory expulsion if, when the student discovers that he or she has carried, brought, or is in possession of the firearm, he or she notifies a teacher, administrator, or other authorized person in the school district as soon as possible and delivers the firearm to the teacher, administrator or other authorized person.
Colleges and Universities
Colorado prohibits any person from knowingly and unlawfully and without legal authority carrying, bringing, or having in his or her possession a firearm, whether loaded or unloaded, in or on the property of any public or private college, university or seminary.
Exceptions to this prohibition include:
- Presenting an authorized public demonstration or exhibition pursuant to instruction in conjunction with an organized school or class;
- Carrying out the necessary duties of an employee of an educational institution that require the use of a deadly weapon;
- Participating in an authorized extracurricular activity or on an athletic team;
- Possession of an unloaded firearm while remaining inside of a motor vehicle upon the property of any public or private college, university or seminary;
- Possession of a firearm in the lawful possessor's dwelling or place of business, or on property owned or under that person's control at the time of possession;
- Possession in a private automobile or other private means of conveyance for protection of that person, another person, or their property while traveling;
- Possession of a handgun pursuant to a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun or a temporary emergency permit; or
- Possession of a firearm for use in an educational program approved by a school that includes, but shall not be limited to, any course designed for the repair or maintenance of weapons…