The Denver City Council passed an ordinance Monday to ban the concealed carry of guns in city buildings and parks.
The council voted 9-3 in favor of the bill, and it will head to the mayor's office over the next 48 hours for a signature or veto, a City Council spokesperson said.
The ordinance was passed amid a spate of gun violence and mass shootings across the U.S.
There are exemptions to the concealed carry ban, however, for law enforcement and military personnel. Also exempt are licensed security guards acting within the scope of their duties, authorized activities at Denver police and sheriff shooting ranges, and legitimate sporting activities.
The ban is punishable with a civil penalty of up to $50 for a first offense and up to $999 for subsequent offenses, with no jail penalty.
City Attorney Kristin Bronson said the ordinance would ensure public safety, and not infringe upon gun rights.
“We believe residents and visitors of Denver have an expectation that when visiting a Denver park with friends, family, and children anywhere in our system, that each park is a gun-free zone. The same is true for city buildings,” Bronson said in a statement.
“This bill is not intended to assess the character of concealed carry permit holders. It is commonsense legislation designed to increase the level of safety in city facilities by reducing the number of firearms present at any given time," Bronson continued.
"Look, accidents happen, and accidents involving guns can have disastrous and tragic results.”
But the the ordinance was met with resistance from some members of the council.
Council member Candi CdeBaca had proposed an amendment to remove parks from the ordinance, the Denver Gazette reported. She argued the ban could lead to excessive use of force from law enforcement, especially when it comes to racial profiling.
“I am physically sick to my stomach,” she tweeted Monday evening. “Council just approved a ban on CCW in parks that’ll justify racial profiling & responding guns drawn to allegations of a gun. No proof needed. No data backing this ban except that last year Black ppl had the highest rate of CCWs approved. Shame.”
The two other no votes were members who supported CdeBaca's amendment.
The city attorney's office said the ordinance won't be enforced until signs are posted at public entrances of of buildings and parks.
Denver previously had a policy banning concealed carry in certain buildings and areas, but the state mandated that localities with such rules have metal detectors in place, the city attorney said.
That rule changed last year when the Colorado state Legislature passed a bill to allow municipalities to set their own gun restrictions.
