A new Colorado law, which made obtaining a concealed handgun permit more difficult, directly caused a triple-digit spike in applications in Northern Colorado before going into effect. The law, HB24-1174 , added additional criteria to make obtaining a concealed handgun permit more timely and educational.

The law, which was signed by Gov. Jared Polis in 2024, went into effect on July 1 of this year.

However, in the final weeks leading up to the law going into effect, the two most populated counties in Northern Colorado saw applications spike. Weld County, known for its conservative roots, saw applications rise more than 300% at the deadline as residents tried to obtain their permit under the previous, less-stringent guidelines.

"The responsibility of being a smart and trained gun owne

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