The Boulder County Commissioners voted Tuesday, July 7, to hold a discussion on five new gun regulations in light of the last month’s high-profile mass shootings.

Tuesday’s meeting was the first reading of the ordinances, meaning that while all measures were approved, they are approved only to move into an official and public discussion, not signed into law. This first reading is simply “putting it on the table,” said Commissioner Matt Jones.

The ordinances would introduce several new regulations for purchasing guns and utilizing guns in Boulder County. The measures include increasing the legal age to purchase a gun to 21, requiring a 10-day waiting period for purchase, and prohibiting selling assault weapons, large-capacity magazines, and trigger activators.

Further ordinances also restrict carrying firearms in “sensitive” areas including government and county property, public parks, places of worship, health care facilities, grocery stores, or pre-schools. It would also prohibit gun owners from carrying their weapons in establishments that serve alcohol. The last ordinance aims to address unfinished or unserialized guns, also known as ghost guns. The ordinance makes the possession of unmarked frames or unserialized guns a misdemeanor.

The measures, if approved, will only be implemented in Boulder County and not apply to the rest of the state. The Commissioners are acting under the authority of a 2021 bill that allows local governments to make gun regulations prohibiting or limiting gun and ammunition purchases or exchanges at their own discretion.

“These measures are needed and I hope others around the country do the same,” Commissioner Jones said.

The full ordinances and their measures can be found on the Boulder County Attorney’s Office webpage. Constituents can email input on the proposals to their Commissioners through July 31 and a link to attend the virtual meeting will be released in mid-July on the Colorado Attorney’s website.

Commissioner Claire Levy said most discussion and questions about the finer points of the bill would be saved for the August hearings, but expressed her support for such actions, even if some might find the bill too limited or overbearing in their actions.

“It’s incumbent on us as elected officials who are responsible for the health, safety, and welfare of the people of Boulder County to do everything within our power to protect that public safety, even if our state and federal government aren’t able to move forward,” said Commissioner Levy during the Zoom meeting.

According to the Gun Violence Archive, the United States has suffered 314 mass shootings in the last 186 days since January, a rate of 1.7 mass shootings a day. Close to a dozen of those shootings happened just over the Fourth of July weekend. All of this while, according to Gallup polls, 66% of Americans support stricter gun laws.

Public hearings on the Boulder County Ordinances will be held on Zoom on August 2. The link will also be on the Boulder County website.