Nearly 170 New Laws Went Into Effect In Colorado On September 7

On Tuesday, September 7, 169 bills were passed and signed into law by Governor Jared Polis.

“Some laws make take months or years to know the true impact," Joshua Dunn, Ph.D, director of the Chair of the Department of Political Science and director of the Center for the Study of Government at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs told FOX21. “The biggest thing I like to keep in mind is, sometimes we have to wait to see what the effect of these laws will actually be."

While some bills are more complex, some are straightforward.

House Bill 21-1108 has added gender identity and gender expression to the state's discrimination protections.

Senate Bill 21-078 requires gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms within five days or they will face a $25 fine, which will increase for repeated violations.

“Firearms legislation has led, in the past, to some blowback by voters,” Dunn told FOX21, “I don’t know if these particular laws will generate significant pushback.”

Another bill created the Immigrant Legal Defense Fund that awards grants to organizations that help immigrants through the legal process of becoming U.S. citizens.

Seven new laws offer support to people with disabilities and include provisions to better support independent living in the community.

According to FOX21, many of the bills that passed on Tuesday are because of the Democratic control of the State Senate, State House, and Governor's office.

To see a full list of the laws, click here.