Handgun bill sparks dispute
April M. Washington, Rocky Mountain News
Published February 21, 2007 at midnight
A verbal shootout erupted in the Senate on Tuesday over a bill that would make concealed- handgun permits issued by other states worthless to Coloradans.
Some Republicans blasted the measure as an infringement on the personal freedoms of law- abiding citizens.
But the Senate on voice vote initially approved Senate Bill 34 after stripping a GOP amendment aimed at gutting the controversial gun bill.
"We should be about freedom and liberty," said Sen. David Schultheis, R-Colorado Springs. "We shouldn't be about trying to restrict the gun rights of good, law-abiding citizens."
Colorado Springs Democrat Sen. John Morse shot back, arguing that his bill closes a loophole that now allows a person to circumvent Colorado law by obtaining a concealed-handgun permit over the Internet from states such as Florida.
"This bill simply requires that you have a permit from your home state," Morse said. "That's only common sense. This will assure that law-abiding citizens of Colorado who obtained the weapons permit remain law-abiding citizens.
"Let's not compromise the safety of our citizens by allowing concealed-gun permits that are not adequately overseen," he said.
Earlier, Schultheis, with the help of two Democrats, had amended the bill in a Senate committee to allow concealed-weapons permits from other states.
But Republicans were surprised Tuesday when two of their own members unexpectedly voted with Democrats to restore the bill's original language.
Sens. Ken Kester, of Las Animas, and Jack Taylor, of Steamboat Springs, said they switched their votes after getting calls from sheriffs in their districts.
Kester and Taylor hadn't told their caucus of their intent. The vote left Democrats smiling and Republicans steamed.
"I've made it very clear to the caucus that they don't have to explain their vote to their caucus but to their constituents," said Senate Minority Leader Andy McElhany, R-Colorado Springs.
"But a little communication would have been nice so there were no surprises."
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