A contentious measure that would have allowed Colorado judges to order the seizure of guns from people considered a “significant risk” to themselves or others was rejected Monday night by Republicans in a GOP-controlled state Senate panel.

The so-called “red flag” legislation — House Bill 1436 — failed on a 3-2, party-line vote in the Senate’s State, Veterans, and Military Affairs Committee, as expected.

The measure’s demise comes after it cleared the Democratic-controlled House on Friday night by a 37-23 vote — with only two Republicans voting “aye.” One of those was Assistant House Minority Leader Cole Wist, R-Centennial, a prime sponsor of the legislation along with Assistant House Majority Leader Alec Garnett, D-Denver.

The other Republican was Rep. Dan Thurlow of Grand Junction.

In contrast, there was no public backing for the bill from GOP lawmakers in the upper chamber.

“There is no divide in the Senate,” Senate Majority Leader Chris Holbert, R-Parker, told reporters Monday, underlining that fact.

The bill would have allowed relatives, household members or law enforcement to petition a judge to issue a temporary protection order for the removal of firearms from a person deemed an “extreme risk.” The court would then have held a second hearing within a week on whether to weigh evidence that would have barred the person from having or receiving a firearm for six months — and potentially longer.

The judge could have considered a person’s recent credible threats of violence, relevant mental health issues, any history of domestic violence, abuse of controlled substances and evidence of a recent acquisition of a firearm or ammunition in determining if they were a risk.

Gun control groups have been pushing for a red flag bill in Colorado for months, and a recently released poll indicated there’s broad support for the concept among likely Colorado voters.

But when the measure was introduced last week, it immediately prompted fierce blowback from conservatives who worried it represented government overreach — despite the backing of big-name Republicans outside of the Capitol, like U.S. Rep. Mike Coffman and 18th Judicial District Attorney George Brauchler. Republicans in other states have also passed similar measures, which came into national focus after February’s high school shooting in south Florida.

“I don’t think that good policy is ever made in the last couple days of session,” Sen. Owen Hill, R-Colorado Springs, said in voting down the bill. “I believe this bill has significant constitutional problems”

The legislation’s backers said the measure would have saved lives.

“If we’re trying to pass a bill that’s perfect in any way, it’s never going to happen,” testified Douglas County Sheriff Tony Spurlock, a Republican who supports the legislation.

“This is not about taking away guns from now until forever,” or about the Second Amendment, said Sen. Lois Court D-Denver, who was a prime sponsor of the bill and voted in its favor Monday night.

Senate President Pro Tem Jerry Sonnenberg, R-Sterling, on Monday — before voting down the bill — captured the political nature of the legislation and the conservative rejection of the concept.

“I got the biggest round of applause Saturday at the Lincoln Day Dinner in Elbert County when we talked about the red flag bill and its demise,” Sonnenberg told reporters.

The failure of House Bill 1436 means no comprehensive firearm regulations will be passed this year at the Colorado Capitol after Senate Republicans earlier rejected a ban on bump stocks, which can increase a semi-automatic rifle’s rate of fire to near than of an automatic firearm. Democrats this legislative session also rejected a wave of GOP bills attempting to loosen firearm controls.