Colorado’s HB25-1262, a bill to regulate private security officers and agencies, is a textbook case of overregulation and bureaucratic bloat. By piling on unnecessary red tape, this legislation doesn’t just burden an already functional system—it’s a blatant act of government overreach that threatens the liberties of Coloradans. Far from enhancing safety, this bill erects massive barriers to exercising constitutional rights and hammers the economy. It’s time to peel back the layers of this assault on freedom and see it for what it is: another step toward disarming the people under the guise of oversight.
At its core, HB25-1262 creates a new state board under the Department of Regulatory Agencies to license private security officers—anyone from event guards to commercial protectors—starting August 1, 2026. Want to carry a firearm? You’ll need a special "weapon endorsement." Pepper spray or a baton? Same deal. Employers must register, fees must be paid, and training must be board-approved. This isn’t streamlining—it’s suffocation. Existing laws, like concealed carry permitting and background checks, already ensure accountability. Adding this layer of bureaucracy duplicates what’s in place, forcing individuals and businesses to navigate a maze of compliance for no clear gain. It's the government flexing its muscle, not solving a problem.
The economic impact is brutal, especially for small security outfits and individuals—many of whom are retired law enforcement or military veterans relying on these gigs. Licensing fees, mandatory training costs, and ongoing compliance expenses create a financial wall that could drive them out of business. For those who see private security as a way to exercise their Second Amendment right to bear arms professionally, HB25-1262 slams the door shut. The right to defend oneself and others, enshrined in the Constitution, shouldn’t become a privilege for those who can afford the state’s tollbooth. The weapon endorsement requirement doesn’t just apply to firearms—it bizarrely extends to nonlethal tools like pepper spray (a staple for regular citizens) and batons (really?). This isn’t regulation; it’s insanity.
This isn’t just about jobs or fees—it’s about the soul of self-reliance. The Second Amendment isn’t only about personal defense; it nods to the right to maintain a militia, a citizen-led safeguard against a tyrannical government. Private security, often staffed by trained patriots, echoes that tradition. HB25-1262 strangles it with micro-measures, mirroring moves like SB25-003, another Colorado law chipping away at gun rights. Bit by bit, the state tightens the noose—extra regulations today, outright bans tomorrow. It’s a slow disarmament dressed up as “regulation,” eroding the ability of Coloradans to stand up for themselves and their neighbors.
HB25-1262 isn’t about protecting anyone—it’s about control. It drowns private security in bureaucratic quicksand, slashes economic opportunity, and mocks the right to bear arms. From the absurd overreach on pepper spray to the unelected board calling the shots, this bill reeks of government tyranny. Colorado’s lawmakers need to hear it loud and clear: this assault on liberty won’t stand. The people deserve better than a state that disarms them one regulation at a time.
