A bill seeking to ban 3-D printed firearms in Colorado will no longer prohibit the sale or distribution of digital instructions for how to print guns or gun components after lawmakers dropped that provision to avoid a veto from Gov. Jared Polis. 

Senate sponsors of the measure, House Bill 1144, said on Friday that they were told by Polis that he would not sign the bill without the change, which was made that day as the measure was being debated in the Senate. The bill, which later passed a preliminary vote, would still largely ban the manufacture of 3-D printed guns and gun components, such as high-capacity magazines and receivers. 

Eric Maruyama, a spokesperson for Polis’ office, did not say why Polis opposed the provision to ban the distribution of printing instructions when asked on Friday. 

In a statement, Maruyama said the governor “appreciates the sponsors’ and advocates’ hard work on this important issue and is supportive of efforts to ensure our Second Amendment rights are protected, promote responsible gun ownership and keep our communities safe from illegal firearms, including ghost guns, and senseless gun violence. 

Maruyama added that Polis “believes this important bill closes a dangerous loophole and he looks forward to reviewing the final version of the bill.”

Critics of the proposed ban on instruction distribution said it would have limited access to information and infringed on First Amendment rights. Bill sponsors said they were frustrated about having to drop the provision, something they saw as a core component of the measure. 

“It’s unfortunate that the key parts of this legislation had to be removed to get this signed this year,” said Tom Sullivan, D-Centennial, who added that “community members asked us for these inclusions.” 

Sen. Katie Wallace, D-Longmont, said she felt conversations about the bill with the governor’s office “came much too late in the process.” The bill was introduced in the House on Feb. 3 and passed the chamber on March 2. 

“We still think that there are helpful things in this bill, considering the harms that these technologies can create,” Wallace said. “We appreciate the governor letting us know he would have vetoed the bill without this amendment, and we look forward to fighting another day for it.”

This is not the first time Polis has forced a major amendment to a gun control bill under the threat of a veto. 

Democrats last year introduced legislation that would have banned the sale and manufacture of most semiautomatic guns. After it became clear that Polis wouldn’t sign the measure, the bill was changed to require would-be gun buyers to undergo training and acquire a permit to purchase semiautomatic firearms, which ultimately passed and became law. 

Sullivan, who has been a main proponent of gun control legislation since his son, Alex, was killed in the 2012 Aurora movie theater shooting, signaled that he would try again to pass a ban on 3-D printing instructions next year after Polis leaves office. Polis is term-limited in 2027.

The amendment made to the 3-D printing bill on Friday was a win for Republicans, though they still were uniformly opposed to the rest of the legislation, which they argued erodes Second Amendment gun rights and won’t prevent criminals from illegally possessing and using firearms. 

HB 1144 makes 3-D printing a gun or gun component a Class 1 misdemeanor for a first offense, and a Class 5 felony for multiple offenses, both of which are punishable by incarceration. The bill exempts federally licensed firearm manufacturers and certified gunsmithing programs.

“This bill is highly vulnerable to constitutional challenge, particularly as applied to conduct protected by the Second Amendment,” said Rep. Zamora Wilson, R-Colorado Springs. 

The bill is among several gun control measures being advanced by Democrats. 

Senate Bill 43, which would restrict the sale or transfer of gun barrels to only federally licensed firearm dealers and require dealers to keep records of barrel sales, passed the Senate and is awaiting a final vote in the House. Another measure, House Bill 1126, which would mandate new security and storage measures for firearm dealers, passed the House and is awaiting action in the Senate. 

Lawmakers also passed Senate Bill 4, which adds schools, health care facilities and other entities to the list of groups that can petition a judge to temporarily remove someone’s firearms under the state’s red flag law. That bill has been sent to Polis, who is expected to sign it.