Monday, May. 11, 2026
Does a Colorado law allow teachers to anonymously petition for gun seizures?
Senate Bill 4 allows schools and certain other institutions to petition for extreme risk protection orders, potentially shielding the identities of the employees initiating the complaint.
Before the bill was signed into law in April, teachers who petitioned for a gun removal under Colorado’s red flag law had to sign their own names. Under the new law, the school can initiate the petition, with the dean or principal signing instead.
The law likewise allows healthcare and behavioral health facilities to make a petition with their administrators signing off.
Extreme risk protection orders allow police to temporarily seize someone’s firearms if a judge determines they pose a “significant risk” of hurting themself or others with a gun. The judge can issue an initial hold for up to two weeks to provide time to hold a hearing. After the hearing, the judge can extend the order for up to 364 days.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- Colorado General Assembly Senate Bill 4: Expand list of petitioners for protection order
- Colorado Attorney General’s Office Email correspondence
- Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment Extreme risk protection orders
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