COLORADO: Further restrictions on CCW proposed! (Revised)

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Quick mod note:

I hope you guys don't mind that I've trimmed some of the posts from this thread that are just kind of regular discussion forum stuff, in order to make it easier for someone who clicks on the thread to get to the meat of the political activism info.

I've duplicated the original, unedited thread here.

I apologize if, in doing so, I've stepped on any toes.
 
My letter

Sir,

As a Colorado citizen and a CCW holder, I'm dismayed to read of your plans to "toughen" concealed carry permit requirements by eliminating Colorado's reciprocity agreements with other states. What purpose does this serve? Have there been a rash of assaults by out-of-state CCW holders moving to CO? Have law-abiding citizens of other states who have taken the time to be trained, fingerprinted, and background-checked moving to Colorado and shooting up the place? Why do you want to invalidate the CCW permits of Coloradoans that chose to get a Utah permit valid in CO because it's much cheaper ($60 as opposed to $150)?

When Texas instituted their CCW program, they set up an office to study crimes by CCW holders. They found that CCW holders were 7.6 times less likely to be arrested for a gun crime than the average citizen (mostly the result of police not being up on the new laws), and 20 times less likely to be arrested for any crime whatsoever! Let me repeat that. Twenty times less likely to be arrested for anything! Ask yourself honestly, is this group of people really in need of more laws like yours to ensure that they're law-abiding?

I'm sorry, sir. If you're going to pass a law like this, you have to have a better argument than just "well, we just want people to have a Colorado permit." When I applied for my permit, it took 86 days to recieve it, $150 in fees, and a $150 8 hour training course. Are you seriously saying that when law-abiding people from Utah move into Colorado, they must now pay $300, take another course, and wait three months to bring their formerly-legal concealed firearm across the border? What about the Colorado citizen with a Utah permit, that now has to apply again and pay more fees and wait three months? Doesn't that represent an unnecessary financial and bureaucratic hardship to them - that your bill would make mandatory for no good reason? (Or do you just want that extra $150 per CCW holder in CO's coffers? - but I digress)

What are you going to do to inform people of this law change? Are you aware that your legislation would overnight make criminals of thousands of Coloradoans for no good reason whatsoever?

Lastly, I'm an independent that voted Democrat this year, both because I'm fed up with Republican excess, and I think that Dems have the ability to fix things.

Not to be blunt, but don't you have better things to do than try to push through laws that will do nothing but annoy the law-abiding anyway? You weren't elected on a gun control platform, so why are you starting now? Why are you spending valuable Democrat political capital on this kind of legislation when there much more pressing issues at hand? Schools, meth, the environment, any of these ring a bell? Come on man - tackle the real problems instead of this empty legislation!

Thank you for your time. I will urge my senator to oppose this issue, as well as calling all of the other members of the Judiciary Committee to urge them to oppose it.
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It also wouldn't be a bad idea to do the whole letter to the editor thing. I've sent the following letter to the local newspaper:

State Senator John Morse No Friend of Gun Owners


John Morse of state senate district 11 in Fountain has in SB-07-034 proposed a law that is worse than do-nothing. He has proposed a law that will unnecessarily complicate the lives of the most law-abiding among us.

This law would either criminalize or disarm any new resident of Colorado. One cannot imagine what it would be like to move to an unfamiliar city in a new state only to find out that one's carry permit is now completely invalid, and that, by law, they would not be able to protect themselves until issued a Colorado concealed carry permit, which can take as long as 3 months.

What’s worse, his bill declares that any out-of-state visitor with a concealed weapons permit from a state other than the one that s/he resides in is a criminal in Colorado! One wonders how a potential visitor is supposed to know about this ahead of time. Does Senator Morse propose to add giant signs at all entries into the state making visitors aware of the fact that they are in violation of the law?

Perhaps if there were some compelling public safety need his bill would be a good idea. However, when asked to provide even one real-world example of violence that his law would have otherwise prevented, he did not. This bill is a solution looking for a problem.
Click to expand...

If anyone wants to use this letter as a template in the effort to stop this bill from becoming law, please feel free.

If you haven't already contacted your state senator, or those on the Judiciary Committee, please do so.
 
Justin, one thread, two threads, doesn't matter as long as people read the info and take some sort of action. Whatever you want to do...

Received this today from Rocky Mountain Gun Owners:

Next week is a busy time at the capitol for gun owners. With 2 good bills being offered, and one bad one, we need some well-spoken, articulate freedom-lovers to testify.

If you are familiar with any of the three issues below, please e-mail (or call) our office. And even if you'd just like to show up, look for Dudley Brown (he'll have an RMGO nametag, and will be hanging out just outside the hearing rooms in advance of the bills), and introduce yourself.

-Monday, Jan. 29, 1:30pm, Senate Judiciary Committee (Third floor, room 352) will hear SB34 by Sen. Morse. This bill would stop the use of out-of-state concealed carry permits unless the permit holder was from that state, and is strongly opposed by RMGO.

-Monday, Jan. 29, 1:30pm, Senate State Affairs Committee (Third floor, room 353) will hear SB69 by Sen. Scott Renfroe. This bill would get stop the entry of concealed carry permit holder in a statewide criminal database, and is strongly supported by RMGO. It is last on the agenda, so we'll work on killing SB34 first before trying to pass SB69.

-Wednesday, Jan. 31, at 1:30 pm, the House Judiciary Committee (basement, room 0112) will hear State Rep. Cory Gardner's Stand Your Ground bill. It's first on the agenda.

Hope to see you there.

Dudley Brown
Executive Director

Direct Office Line 970-842-3006
Toll-free line 888-874-3006
 
in the past week i spoke with my representitives of both houses in colorado , neither see this as a bill that is going to be an issue . They tell me thier that to thier estimation on it is that it is not an issue , and he does not have anything to trade to make it an issue . Note that neither man is rabidly pro 2a nor anti 2a , just both did not think this bill had a chance since it " does not have legs " both will vote against it , but not due to my call .
 
Just a thought

Isn't there a clause in the constitution which mandates that any instrument(act) of one state such as a drivers or marriage license, must be recognized by all others? I know its been ignored until now due to a lack of litigation, but I would be willing to donate to a legal challenge in Federal Court.
 
From RMGO:

Just as many of us suspected, the fix is in.

Earlier this week I e-mailed you to tell you about Rep. Al White's bill to permanently allow sheriffs to enter concealed
carry permit holders into a statewide criminal database. You can read about that at http://www.rmgo.org/alerts/2007-hb1174.shtml

Numerous State Legislative sources are now confirming that Rep. White's bill is a deal struck with the NRA, the gun-grabbing Democrat legislative leadership and Gov. Ritter's office in an attempt to save Colorado's concealed carry law,
passed in 2003.

What is most disturbing (but not surprising) is how easily those "on our side" give up, even without a fight. Rather than
draw a line in the sand and duke it out, forcing our opponents to be on record, Rep. White, the NRA, and other compromisers
are signalling surrender.

As one State Legislator put it, their policy of appeasement would do Neville Chamberlain proud.

It's the siren cry of the moderates: give up now, or we'll get worse. Usually, though, I just hear what they are really saying: we don't have the stomach to fight.

This bill could be heard as early as Monday on the House floor, so it's vital you take action quickly.

What you can do:

Call the NRA-ILA's Colorado lobbyist at 703-267-1223 and DEMAND they reverse their position on House Bill 1174 and oppose it strongly. Concealed carry permit holders don't deserve to have their names entered in a criminal database with murders and rapists. Tell the NRA you are outraged they would endorse this bill.

Dudley Brown
Executive Director

Direct Office Line 970-842-3006
Toll-free line 888-874-3006
Mobile Phone 970-380-3006

------------------------------------------
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners
Colorado's Largest Gun Rights Organization
Click to expand...
 
I am not a CO resident nor do I have a CO permit.
I understand that CO dont even have reciprocity between counties within CO?? Any fact to that??

I do know the part about moving into CO and as soon as yuo are a res the out of state permit is void and you can wait 3 or 6 mo whatever it is to exercise our 2A and probably CO state constitutional rights.

PS. MI has problems also.
 
Colorado's concealed carry permits used to be Discretionary Issue, and it varied wildly between counties. Some acted as if it were Shall Issue others refused to issue permits altogether, or recognize other counties' permits.

Thankfully that changed a couple of years ago when all of CO went to a shall-issue system. (Except for the people in Denver who made claims that they didn't have to recognize permits if they didn't feel like it.)
 
ha...

...cool...
rauch17.gif
 
Thank you. However, I think Zundfolge should get the credit for that particular line, all the way back on page 1 of this discussion.

According to RMGO, the bill was brought up for discussion in the Judiciary committee yesterday. I'll be curious to know if the handful of letters I tossed in the mail, the letter to the editor, or any of the emails had an effect.
 
Longmont Times-Call article said..

...this bill passed discussion in the Judiciary Committee and is scheduled for debate on the Senate floor. They are good at doing what they do best....
-HowardC
 
The way I read the updates on the Colorado Legislature website, it appears that Morse's reciprocity bill has been amended slightly and is likely to be passed into law.
You can make your own judgement from the info provided here.
Click on "Senate Bills" and scroll down to SB07-034.

As I read it, the amendment that was added in committee allows someone moving into Colorado to keep their valid out-of-state CCW for 90 days after they establish residence here.

But the bill will require all Colorado residents to use a Colorado permit, and all visitors to use only a permit issued by their state of residence. IOW, a Nebraska resident with both a Nebraska and a Utah CCW will not be allowed to carry in Colorado. A Virginia resident with a Florida and a Utah permit will not be allowed to carry in Colorado. Etc, etc.....

If I'm reading any of this wrong (always a possibility), feel free to slap me around.
 
So what happens to this if the national reciprocity law goes into effect on the federal level?

As I read it, the amendment that was added in committee allows someone moving into Colorado to keep their valid out-of-state CCW for 90 days after they establish residence here.
Click to expand...
While I still don't like it, this amendment does show that they were listing to us (at least partially).
 
we here in Colorado are just trying to live up to our state motto.
come to colorado on vacation and leave on probation!
 
(Quote)I understand that CO dont even have reciprocity between counties within CO?? Any fact to that??(end quote)

No.
 
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