DENVER – A bill that would have closed a loophole that allows government agencies to access electronic communications, such as emails, without a warrant if the communications are older than 180 days was killed in committee on Tuesday.
The sponsor of the bill, Rep. Lois Landgraf, R-Fountain, said the decision to kill House Bill 1053 came as a surprise to her based on the diverse stakeholders, which included police officials and the American Civil Liberties Union, and the infringement on Fourth Amendment rights that is allowed by federal law.
If the bill had passed, it would have applied only to Colorado agencies and not to federal entities operating within the state.
Before the hearing, Landgraf said she had “seven or eight amendments” that would have made the bill shorter.
The amendments may have created confusion over what the bill accomplished, which led to it being killed.
“I think things probably got far too complicated for the bill structure itself, including today with multiple, multiple amendments,” said Rep. Joe Salazar, D-Thornton, and member of the House Judiciary Committee, which killed the bill.
Members of the committee and Landgraf said there might be a similar bill coming out of the Senate. “I think it would be better in the long run, just in the policy making, to (kill) this bill, bring another one and I’ll help you advocate for that,” Salazar said.
Rep. Mike Weissman, D-Aurora, said he agreed with Salazar on the need to start with a clean slate.
“This is an important enough subject. It’s better to do better-crafted legislation a little later than to rush it,” Weissman said.
In addition to HB 1053, 21 bills were scheduled for hearing by committees, 20 received third reading and final vote and 14 bills were adopted following second reading between the two chambers.
Included in the bills heard before committees were:
Senate Bill 111, which would increase the amount of inventory medical marijuana centers can sell to other medical dispensaries, was heard by the Senate Finance Committee and held over until the next meeting while a final amendment is being considered.Current statute allows for medical marijuana centers to sell or purchase up to 30 percent of their total inventory. SB 111 would increase this to 50 percent and allow centers with a common owner to transfer freely between locations.
SB 116, which would remove the need for a special permit to carry a concealed firearm in Colorado, was also heard in the Senate Finance Committee and passed on a 3-2 party-line vote that saw Republicans use their majority to move forward the piece of Second Amendment legislation.“If you’re legally eligible to possess a firearm, you should be able to carry that weapon concealed for self-defense without begging for government permission,” said Sen. Tim Neville, R-Littleton, and sponsor of the bill.
Under current law, Coloradans can carry firearms openly if they desire and the bill would simply allow them to throw a coat on over it without having to receive a permit, Neville said.
SB 116 will next move to the Senate Appropriation Committee, and if it passes the committee, and the Senate as a whole, it would still have to be approved by the Democratic-held House, which has killed all legislation governing Second Amendment rights so far this session.
Lperkins@durangoherald.com
