By Shaina Cole | Guest Commentary, Rocky Mountain Voice
In a state where crime surges and citizens rely on their Second Amendment rights for protection, you’d hope lawmakers would take their duties seriously. Yet, during debates on Senate Bill 25-003—a measure slashing Coloradans’ ability to defend themselves—several representatives checked out.
Rep. Meghan Lukens (D) played Tetris, Rep. Sheila Stewart (D) and Rep. Javier Mauro (D) scrolled TikTok, Rep. Tisha Mauro (D) browsed Instagram, and Rep. Matthew Clifford (D) surfed Facebook—all while colleagues argued over a bill that could leave Coloradans defenseless.
Their minds seemed made up, uninterested in the arguments put forth by their colleagues.
And on March 24, 2025, with Lukens casting the deciding vote, SB-003 passed the House 36-28, proving their distraction didn’t stop their agenda.
SB-003 bans the sale and purchase of semiautomatic firearms with detachable magazines—rifles, shotguns, and gas-operated handguns—requiring permits and training starting August 1, 2026. It also outlaws rate-of-fire boosters like bump stocks.
Sponsors Speaker Pro Tempore Andy Boesenecker and Rep. Meg Froelich call it a life-saver, enforcing Colorado’s 2013 high-capacity magazine ban. But it disarms law-abiding citizens while criminals ignore the rules, especially in Denver, where safety is crumbling.
The stats paint a grim picture. Per Freedom For All Americans, Denver’s 2024 crime rate is 74.14 per 1,000 residents—10.58 violent crimes and 63.56 property crimes per 1,000. That’s a 1-in-95 chance of violence, double the national median, and a 1-in-16 shot at property crime.
With 52,881 total crimes yearly—7,545 violent and 45,336 property—Denver logs 342 crimes per square mile, far above the national median of 27. Five Points has already seen 168 violent incidents this year.
Acting DEA administrator Derek Maltz told Denver7 that Colorado is “ground zero for some of the most violent criminals in America,” with the Tren de Aragua gang running its U.S. hub here.
Yet, while citizens begged for their rights, Lukens and company played games.
Their apathy wasn’t the only slap. Another representative was forced to remove a Second Amendment sticker from their laptop—a petty jab at a right many Coloradans need.
According to Freedom For All Americans the city averages 13 violent crimes daily, which means a firearm can equate to survival when police can’t arrive fast enough. SB-003 guts that option, banning affordable semiautomatic choices like the Ruger 10/22 or entry-level AR-15s—guns that start at $250–$500—while pushing people toward pricier alternatives like shotguns or recoil-operated handguns costing $350–$600 or more.
For Coloradans facing 342 crimes per square mile, this isn’t just a restriction; it’s a price hike on safety, and the distracted lawmakers didn’t care to listen.
Lukens, whose Tetris session didn’t stop her from tipping the scales, sealed the deal with her aye vote in a razor-thin margin.
This isn’t just disrespect—it’s a betrayal.
If lawmakers can’t focus when our safety and freedoms are at stake, why trust their decisions?
The bill limits the law-abiding while gangs arm up.
Maltz warned Denver7 that “cartels, MS-13, the violent gangs… they’re going to be held accountable” — but not if leaders scroll instead of act.
On March 24, the House proved it, passing SB-003 despite the tuned-out few.
SB-003 now heads to the next stage, poised to strip our defenses unless we demand better.
Some lawmakers fought hard on both sides, but the distracted bloc—including Lukens, whose vote clinched it—should outrage us.
We elect them to hear us, not to play.
In a state where crime and gangs thrive, we need focus, not Facebook.
Tell them: drop the devices and protect our rights—before it’s too late.
Editor’s note: Opinions expressed in commentary pieces are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the management of the Rocky Mountain Voice, but even so we support the constitutional right of the author to express those opinions.