Now only the signature of Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper is needed on a bill that bans Coloradans from purchasing ammunition magazines of more than 15 rounds, as lawmakers in the House on Wednesday gave final approval to the measure and shipped it to his desk.

Amid staunch opposition from Republicans who said the bill is futile and riddled with flaws, the Democrat-controlled House passed the measure on a 34-30 vote .

Reps. Leroy Garcia of Pueblo, Steve Lebsock of Thornton and Ed Vigil of Fort Garland were the only Democrats to join all Republican lawmakers in opposition.

Hickenlooper said he would sign the measure if it arrived on his desk.

“I’m just numb at this moment, to see a bill I’ve worked hard to pass now enter its final stage on the way to becoming law,” said Rep. Rhonda Fields, D-Aurora, who sponsored the legislation. “It’s good public policy, and it’s going to keep Coloradans safe.”

Lawmakers in the House passed the ammunition magazine limit in February. Wednesday’s vote was needed for amendments added by the Senate, which passed it on Monday after several hours of debate.

Fields said banning magazines of more than 15 rounds will help stop mass shootings like the Aurora theater killings.

“These magazines should be used in our theaters of war, not our movie theaters,” Fields said.

Republicans, through much of the four-hour debate Wednesday, contested that assessment, arguing the measure will not keep citizens safe and calling it nothing more than feel-good legislation.

“It does zero to enhance public safety,” said House Minority Leader Mark Waller, R-Colorado Springs . “We’re saying Coloradans can’t own these magazines, but they can still be manufactured here? We can sell these magazines to other states, but hold on, when it comes to owning one the answer is no. It’s hypocritical.”

Under House Bill 1224, manufacturers would be required to date each magazine produced in the state after the law goes into effect. Anyone who currently possesses a magazine that holds more than 15 rounds is able to keep it, though if they transfer or sell the magazine, the seller would face a Class 2 misdemeanor charge.

“There’s no confiscation involved,” Fields said. “But if you’re caught breaking the law, like with everything else, you’re going to have to face consequences.”

The House on Wednesday also was set to give a final vote to House Bill 1229, which requires universal gun background checks and passed through the chamber in February. But that item was held up and now heads to a conference committee Thursday where lawmakers will settle lingering issues about language in the bill.

“Hunting clubs could be required to have patrons all undergo a background check before going out on the hunt,” said Rep. Beth McCann, D-Denver, the bill’s co-sponsor. “And that’s too broad, so we’ll look to tighten the language.”

With House Bill 1224 headed to the governor’s desk, Colorado joins New York as the first states to pass stricter gun laws after the shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., ignited the national debate over guns.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s national gun-control group, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, has waded into the debate over magazine limits and background checks in Colorado by enlisting a handful of local lobbyists. So far the group has spent $9,000 in lobbying efforts but has a $25,000 contract it has yet to pay to the Denver-based firm Headwaters Strategies.

“It’s just tough to see East Coast groups making laws here in Colorado,” Waller said.

Kurtis Lee: 303-954-1655, klee@denverpost.com or twitter.com/kurtisalee