Colorado Passes anti-CCW bill

[Desk Jockey]

In spite of the first-sentence description, this new law will affect any US citizen who carries with an out-of-state CCW license.

House Democrats pass anti-gun bill to guv

http://http://www.coloradosenatenews.com/content/view/324/26/

Wednesday, 28 March 2007

House legislators approved a Senate Democrat measure today barring Colorado residents on using out-of-state concealed carry permits for their self-defense needs.

The bill is now en route to Gov. Bill Ritter for consideration.
Senate Bill 34, by freshman Sen. John Morse, D-Colorado Springs, and House Majority Leader Alice Madden, D-Boulder, restricts Colorado’s recognition of valid out-of-state concealed-carry firearms permits. It passed in the House by a mostly party-line vote of 36-29.

Sen. Greg Brophy, R-Wray, expressed his displeasure of the bill’s outcome in the House.

“The Legislature has taken its first shot at the Second Amendment,” said Brophy after learning of the House vote on the proposal. “I’m anxious to see if the governor will stand up for the Second Amendment or not.”

During its Senate debate, SB 34 became an immediate, top-priority target of opposition from gun-rights groups led by the National Rifle Association.

Critics of the bill point out there is no point in creating another bureaucratic hurdle to concealed-carry permit holders arriving in Colorado from other states because, like permit holders in Colorado, they are overwhelmingly law-abiding citizens.

Democrat Senators Lois Tochtrop, of Thornton, and Bob Hagedorn, of Aurora, and Jim Isgar, of Hesperus, voted with a majority of GOP senators against SB 34 last month.

“What concerned me was that out-of-state valid permit holders who come to Colorado are breaking the law (under the bill),” said Isgar.

Republicans argued in the Senate that SB 34 should be re-written to expand current law so that Colorado would recognize every valid concealed-carry firearms permit issued to legal citizens of the United States.

“This bill is an unnecessary restriction on concealed-carry permit holders,” Brophy said. “I’m disappointed that it’s moving on.”

[glockman19]

It's a sad day in CO. one of teh reasons I got my Utah CHP & Florida CWP was so I could carry when going to CO. I hope the Gov. has the sense not to sign it.

[AJ Dual]

Sucks, and it ought to be fought, but it's not the end of the world. It's forcing Colorado residents from carrying on out of state CCW permits. I don't see it doing anything about out of staters carrying on out of state CCW's... (Does the bill require out-state visitors to have a license from their state of residence?)

But forcing residents to have a permit from their state is something most shall-issue CCW states do.

Sounds like it mainly is bad for newly arrived residents of CO who may have to wait while they switch permits.

[Desk Jockey]

It does nothing about out of staters carrying on out of state CCW's...

Sorry, you're wrong.

If you want to carry in Colorado after this law, you must have a permit from your state of residence, and that state must have reciprocity with Colorado.

The reporters don't like to include that detail, but if you read the bill, it's very clear. It's even clear in the bill summary:

A BILL FOR AN ACT CONCERNING CLARIFICATION OF RESIDENCY STATUS FOR THE PURPOSE OF GRANTING RECIPROCITY TO CONCEALED WEAPONS PERMITS ISSUED BY STATES OTHER THAN COLORADO.

Bill Summary

Clarifies that a person cannot use a permit to carry a concealed handgun that is issued by another state if the person does not reside in the issuing state.

Bill as a pdf file is here.

but it's not the end of the world

You're right about that, and it doesn't affect me directly. I have a Colorado permit. But I'm still quite ticked off. Not the end of the world, but it is one more chip taken from our rights. This bill fixes no problems, and does not affect a single criminal. It only takes away from the rights of some law-abiding citizens. For what???

[Standing Wolf]

I hope the Gov. has the sense not to sign it.

It's a representative of the Democratic (sic) party.

[Rumble]

Huh. I guess I won't be visiting Colorado anytime soon.

[Risasi]

Me either...about time to go island shopping. Pirate Bay never bought that one for sale did they?

[EDIT] Sorry, I'm in a facetious mood tonight. Busy tied up with two auto thefts and a couple other break-ins. Reviewing videos and other evidence has left me a bit woozy and more than a little irritable.

The plus side, we got the ID on one of them...

[txgho1911]

This is about revenue. In addition to sticking it to those who actually carry on a license or permit. This will force people to get home state papers where they are not issued, or insufficient in the eyes of CO legislature or issuing authority.
CO residents will have to spend the big bucks for the CO papers.

Does this affect open carry by those without proper papers? Or does open carry there require papers as well?

[Jim Keenan]

I would oppose the bill on general principles, but it doesn't sound any worse than requiring CO residents to have CO driver's licenses, not licenses issued by Florida. But Coloradans can apparently get CCW licenses.

The problem comes when your state won't issue CCW licenses to other than wealthy businessmen and a few elite politicians, and won't recognize a license issued by any other state, period. If they did that with driver's licenses, there would be hell to pay.

Jim

[gyp_c2]

...if HB 1174 passes, everyone with a CCW will be a member of the criminal database...
So...you can still get one, but they are trying to make sure you are then accessible through the criminal database as well...
...sucks...
...welcome to Coloradofornia...

[joe4702]

Looks like the California refugees have voted in the same type of liberal pols that have made a mess of California. Freaking moron voters.

[Anotherguy]

That's too bad. Just got my Utah license and Florida is on the way. Actually had a trip planned to Colorado this summer to visit some relatives on my wife's side.
Please post the names of which politicians to put some calls in if it will help. I've had lots of practice this year since I live in the most unfriendly gun county and state in America-Cook County, IL.

[wdlsguy]

Bill Ritter, Governor
136 State Capitol
Denver, CO 80203-1792

Phone
(303) 866-2471

Fax
(303) 866-2003

Governor.ritter@state.co.us

http://www.colorado.gov/governor/contact.html

[Cacique500]

Georgia does this to a degree. If you are a resident of Georgia, you may not use another states CCW to carry. What's frustrating is that it's taking 4 to 6 months to get a permit in GA and my valid FL CCW was not recognized the day I got my GA drivers license.

Stupid.

I understand the revenue part - but what GA does is basically disarm you for the period between establishing residency (drivers license) and the time you get your permit.

There's a real simple solution to this - all the state has to do is allow the out of state CCW permits ALONG WITH a copy of your in-state CCW application.

[TallPine]

welcome to Coloradofornia

Which I left 10 yrs ago

[AJ Dual]

Wow, that really blows.

They ought to at least put in universal recognition of all other state licenses, and out-state licences for non-issuing states then.

But that's obviously not what this bill is about.

[LAR-15]

Ritter will sign it

[JLStorm]

this is what happens when you allow the plague of california to run rampant through your state. If only people from California where banned from carrying their political disease with them when they travel to other states....

[Sistema1927]

Even though ti doesn't impact me personally (I have a resident NM CCW), it is just another example of why I haven't found it necessary to spend any of my discretionary income vacationing in Colorado the last several years. I think that the last time I was there was for the Colorado Rockies first home game in April of 1993. If I want a dose of MLB I head to Phoenix during the season or Tucson for Spring training (like I did a couple fo weeks ago).

Utah, Texas, and Arizona? Yes. Colorado? No.

Has something happened to that "clear, mountain water"?

[GhostlyKarliion]

people, please read the text of the bill before commenting...

1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Colorado:
2 SECTION 1. 18-12-213, Colorado Revised Statutes, is amended
3 to read:
4 18-12-213. Reciprocity. (1) A permit to carry a concealed
5 handgun or a concealed weapon that is issued to a person
6 by a state that recognizes the validity of permits
7 issued pursuant to this part 2 shall be valid in this state in all respects as
8 a permit issued pursuant to this part 2 IF THE PERMIT IS ISSUED TO A
9 PERSON WHO IS:
10 (a) TWENTY-ONE YEARS OF AGE OR OLDER; AND
11 (b) (I) A RESIDENT OF THE STATE THAT ISSUED THE PERMIT, AS
12 DEMONSTRATED BY THE ADDRESS STATED ON A VALID PICTURE
13 IDENTIFICATION THAT IS ISSUED BY THE STATE THAT ISSUED THE PERMIT
14 AND IS CARRIED BY THE PERMIT HOLDER; OR
15 (II) A RESIDENT OF COLORADO FOR NO MORE THAN NINETY DAYS,
16 AS DETERMINED BY THE DATE OF ISSUANCE ON A VALID PICTURE
17 IDENTIFICATION ISSUED BY COLORADO AND CARRIED BY THE PERMIT
18 HOLDER.
19 (2) FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION, A "VALID PICTURE
20 IDENTIFICATION" MEANS A DRIVER'S LICENSE OR A STATE IDENTIFICATION
21 ISSUED IN LIEU OF A DRIVER'S LICENSE.
22 SECTION 2. Safety clause. The general assembly hereby finds,
23 determines, and declares that this act is necessary for the immediate
24 preservation of the public peace, health, and safety.

Non-Residents of colorado may still carry their CCW as long as they have a drivers license from their home state, it's residents that cannot carry with an out of state permit.

The part that ticks me off is the "saftey clause", I really do not understand what kind of processes these people must have going on inside of their heads to think like this.

[Zak Smith]

Non-Residents of colorado may still carry their CCW as long as they have a drivers license from their home state, it's residents that cannot carry with an out of state permit.

A RESIDENT OF THE STATE THAT ISSUED THE PERMIT,

Nope. Non-residents must have a CCW FROM THEIR HOME STATE.

For example, if someone from WI (which has no CCW) had a FL permit, under this bill they can no longer CCW in CO.

[Desk Jockey]

Non-Residents of colorado may still carry their CCW as long as they have a drivers license from their home state, it's residents that cannot carry with an out of state permit

How do you reach that conclusion after reading the bill?

It says this:
A permit will be recognized in Colorado if it is from a state with reciprocity and issued
a) to a person who is at least 21 years old AND
b) either 1) a resident of the issuing state
or 2) a new resident of Colorado whose CO DL is no more than 90 days old.


If your DL says that you live in NM and your carry permit is issued by any state other than NM, your carry permit will not be valid in CO. The only people who will be allowed to carry with a permit issued by a state not matching the state issuing their DL are new residents of CO - for a maximum of 90 days.

The "safety clause" is standard language on every CO bill that I've bothered to read - including the one that will tack a $15 fee onto every FFL transfer. It's obviously complete and utter BS, but that makes no difference to politicians.

[romma]

This is why we could use National reciprocity. I paid for a Florida Permit and New Hampshire for this reason... Not many states recognize my CT permit. The tide seems to be turning somewhat.

[GhostlyKarliion]

How do you reach that conclusion after reading the bill?

simple, removed the wrong typo when checking for typing problems...

it should have read

Non-Residents of colorado may still carry their CCW from their home state as long as they have a drivers license from their home state, it's residents that cannot carry with an out of state permit

[Desk Jockey]

it's residents that cannot carry with an out of state permit

Colorado residents and non-residents are affected.

Everyone with a permit from their state of residence is still legal. But non-resident permits will not be recognized. This affects anyone with a non-resident permit, no matter what state they live in.