1919 Colo. Sess. Laws 416-19
| dc.coverage.spatial | Colorado | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-10-23T03:43:09Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-11-11T14:08:31Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2026-03-16T23:29:20Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 1919 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Foreign-Born Unnaturalized Citizens, § 1: Prohibited noncitizens from owning or possessing any shotgun, rifle, pistol or firearm of any kind; violators subject to fine, imprisonment, confiscation of weapon. | |
| dc.description.exceptions | Police officers when on duty, those licensed to concealed carry by the mayor. | |
| dc.description.lawtext | Section 1. That from and after the passage of this act, it shall be unlawful for any unnaturalized foreign-born resident to hunt for or capture or kill, in this state, any wild bird or animal, either game or otherwise, of any description, excepting in defense of persons or property; and be that end it shall be unlawful for any unnaturalized foreign-born resident, within this state, to either own or be possessed of a shotgun or rifle of any make, or a pistol or firearm of any kind. Each and every person violating any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be punished by a fine of not less than twenty-five dollars ($25) nor more than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250), or by imprisonment in the county jail not less than ten (10) days or more than three months (3), or by both such fine and imprisonment. Provided, that in addition to the before-named penalty all guns of the above-mentioned kinds found in possession or under control of an unnaturalized foreign-born resident shall, upon conviction of such person, be declared forfeited to the State of Colorado, and shall be sold by the Fish and Game Commissioner as herein after directed. Section 2. For the purposes of this act, any unnaturalized foreign-born person who shall reside or live within the boundaries of the State of Colorado for one day shall be considered a resident, and shall be liable to the penalties imposed for violation of the provisions of this act. Section 3. That the possession of a shotgun or rifle, or pistol or firearm of any kind, at any place outside of a building, within this state, by an unnaturalized foreign-born resident, shall be conclusive proof of a violation of the provisions of Section 1 of this act, and shall render any person convicted thereof liable to the penalty fixed by said section. Section 4. That the presence of a shotgun or rifle, or pistol or firearm of any kind, in a room or house, or building or tent, or camp of any description, within this state, occupied or controlled by an unnaturalized foreign-born resident, shall be prima facie evidence that such gun is owned or controlled by the person occupying or controlling such property in which such gun is found, and shall render such person liable to the penalty imposed by Section 1 of this act. Section 5. That notice of the seizure of all guns, made for violation of any provision of Section 1 of this act, shall be sent to the Game and Fish Commissioner, at Denver, by the officer making such seizure, and there shall be a final verdict in any prosecution brought for violation of any provision of this act, made before the sale of guns, said guns to be sold subject to the approval and at the discretion of the said Game and Fish Commissioner, who shall apply the money thus realized, first, to the payment of costs arising from such prosecution and seizure, and the remainder, if any, shall be deposited by the Commissioner in the State Treasury in the fund now known as the Game Cash Fund. Section 6. That all duly appointed and sworn officers of the Game and Fish Department of this state, forestry officers, and all peace officers of the state, shall have the right, and it is hereby made their duty, to arrest, without warrant, any person whom they have good reasons to suspect as belonging to the class of unnaturalized foreign-born residents, when they find such person with guns of the before-mentioned kind in possession, within the State of Colorado. Any or either of such officers shall have the right and power, where they suspect the concealment by an unnaturalized foreign-born resident of guns of the before-mentioned kind, to apply to any court having jurisdiction of the premises, within the State of Colorado, who, upon receipt of proof made by affidavit of the probable cause for believing in such concealment, shall issue a search warrant and cause a search to be made in any places and to that end, the said officer shall have power, after demand and refusal, to cause any building, room inclosure, or car to be broken open and entered, and any closet, chest, locker, box, trunk, crate, basket-box, or package, or other receptacle, to be opened and contents examined by said officer. Section 7. Each and every justice of the peace of this state shall have jurisdiction of offenses arising under this act; and each and every justice of the peace, on complaint made before him on affidavit of any person of a violation of the provisions of this act by any person, is herewith authorized and required to issue his warrant, under his hand, directed to any constable, police officer, game protector, or any other officer of the state known as a police officer, or authorized to serve warrants, and cause such person to be brought before such justice of the peace, who shall hear the evidence and determine the guilt or innocence of the party charged. If the accused be convicted of such offense, he shall be sentenced to pay the full penalty prescribed by the section violated, and to pay all costs of prosecution. All moneys collected for fines under this act shall be immediately paid over by the justice of the peace collecting the same as follows: One-third into the treasury of the county where the offense was committed, and two-thirds to the Game and Fish Commissioner. It shall be the duty of every justice of the peace before whom any prosecution under this act is commenced, within twenty days after the trial or dismissal thereof, to report in writing the result thereof and the amount of fine collected, if any, and the disposition thereof, to the Commissioner at Denver. Section 8. All acts or parts of acts in conflict with the provisions of this act are hereby repealed. | |
| dc.description.summary | This Colorado law makes it illegal for "unnaturalized foreign-born residents" to hunt or possess firearms, with limited exceptions for defense of person or property, and treats violations as misdemeanors punishable by fines, jail time, and confiscation and sale of the weapons. It broadly defines such residents, allows possession of firearms to be used as evidence of violation, and grants officers authority to arrest suspected individuals without a warrant and to search for weapons with court approval. The law also outlines procedures for prosecution, distribution of fines, and administration by game and fish authorities. | |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://dspace.firearmsresearchcenter.org/id/frc0001/3309 | |
| dc.relation.isreferencedbyGoogle | https://www.google.com/books/edition/Laws_Passed_at_the_Session_of_the_Genera/LvtHAQAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&pg=PA416&printsec=frontcover | |
| dc.subject | POSSESSION - DANGEROUS PERSONS | |
| dc.title | 1919 Colo. Sess. Laws 416-19 |