In a hearing Monday that lasted more than seven hours, the state House committee on State, Veterans and Military Affairs killed five bills that would have seriously weakened laws concerning firearms. It was the right thing to do.
One of the bills would have had little impact. Another would not have accomplished much, except to send the wrong message. The other three, however, were dangerous and irresponsible.
The first would have rescinded the 2013 law banning magazines that can hold more than 15 rounds. That ban is largely unworkable, and in any case, a crazy with multiple 15-round magazines can do plenty of damage.
Another bill extending the “make my day” law to businesses was unnecessary but, – outside of the implied suggestion that clerks, tellers or receptionists be armed – probably harmless. Legitimate self-defense is already legal.
The remaining three were interesting insights into the current thinking of those to whom guns are all-important.
One would have exempted active duty members of the military from Colorado’s concealed-carry law if the weapon involved was a handgun. Period. As written, it did not specify the individual be in uniform or of any particular age.
A fourth bill that died Monday would have allowed concealed weapons on school campuses to remedy the perceived problem of “gun-free zones.” One can only imagine that this one was not run by the teachers’ union or presented at any PTA meetings.
It was apparently based on the thinking that the answer to a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun. But most parents would probably prefer that the bad guy was kept away from their kids to begin with. Having a teacher or principal in a gun battle with a killer would not necessarily improve the outcome.
Those were all House bills and did not make it past the “kill committee.” Senate Bill 17 actually passed the Senate, with the help of a “yes” vote from state Sen. Ellen Roberts, R-Durango. It would have preserved reasonable restrictions, such as keeping schools off limits and requiring that anyone carrying a concealed weapon be 21 years old and “law-abiding.” But it would also have completely removed any requirement to have a permit to carry a concealed weapon. And without the permitting process who knows if that person really is law-abiding?
Taken together, these five bills amount to a concerted effort to allow concealed weapons – anytime, anywhere and carried by anyone. And it has been coming up every year.
We should be thankful that there are still enough people in state government to see the folly in that.
