Colorado Parks and Wildlife will host a public meeting March 10 in Pueblo as part of a statewide effort to inform residents about the state’s new Firearms Safety Program.

The meeting will take place from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Pueblo Community College’s Hoag Theater, 607 W. Orman Ave., according to the agency.

The program was established under Senate Bill 25-003, which was signed into law April 10, 2025. The law requires individuals to obtain an eligibility card through their county Sheriff’s Office and complete a firearms safety course before purchasing or transferring certain specified semiautomatic firearms after the law takes effect.

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife is responsible for implementing the program, including developing course standards, maintaining eligibility records and coordinating with county sheriffs, certified course instructors and licensed firearms dealers.

Starting August 1, 2026, individuals seeking to purchase or transfer a specified semiautomatic firearm must complete an in-person firearms safety course within five years before the transaction.

State law defines a specified semiautomatic firearm as a semiautomatic rifle or shotgun with a detachable magazine or a gas-operated semiautomatic handgun with a detachable magazine.

The requirement does not apply to individuals who already own these firearms and does not prohibit their use. The law applies only to purchases or transfers after the effective date. The Colorado Department of Revenue will maintain a list of specified semiautomatic firearms through its oversight of licensed firearms dealers.

Most semiautomatic hunting shotguns and several other firearm types are exempt under the statute.

Individuals who have completed a Colorado Parks and Wildlife-certified hunter education course may take a shorter four-hour basic course. Those without hunter education must complete a 12-hour extended course. All courses must be completed in person and include a final exam requiring a minimum score of 90 percent.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will not teach the courses but will provide standardized course materials for instructors verified by county sheriffs.

“We now have additional meeting dates and locations confirmed, and we look forward to continuing conversations with communities and stakeholders across Colorado,” said Colorado Parks and Wildlife Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement Jim Hawkins. “These meetings provide an opportunity to share information about how the Firearms Safety Program will work and to hear directly from Coloradans as we move toward implementation.”

Additional public meetings are scheduled April 23 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Colorado Parks and Wildlife headquarters in Denver and May 4 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the La Plata County Fairgrounds in Durango.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife will also hold stakeholder meetings with county sheriffs, licensed firearms dealers and firearms safety instructors.

More information about Senate Bill 25-003, course requirements and upcoming meetings is available on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.