1. law, govt and politics

2015 Colorado Firearms Bills
Status 5/6/2015 Sine Die
Capitol Fund
Gun rights activists are still endeavoring to undo the advancements in public safety we achieved in 2013. They also
continue to push legislation enshrining their “more guns = less crime” philosophy. Instead, as shown around the
world and across our nation, “More Guns = More Gun Deaths.”
Bills Passed Related to Firearms
SB15-213 Limit School immunity on violence – no position
Status: On to Governor for Signature
(Sens. Bill Cadman and Mark Scheffel and Reps. Dickie Lee Hullinghorst and Crisanta Duran) Provides a limited
waiver of governmental immunity for claims involving pubic schools for school violence injuries.
SB15-214 Establish committee on school safety, including youth mental health - Support
Status: On to Governor for Signature
(Sens. Mark Scheffel and Bill Cadman and Reps. Crisanta Duran and Dickie Lee Hullinghorst) Establishes a
committee to study school safety, evaluate programs for monitoring students in crisis, establish criteria for threat
and make recommendations to the education committee.
SB15-226 Hunter Education – no position
Status: On to Governor for Signature
(Sen. Jerry Sonnenberg and Rep. Ed Vigil) Provides alternatives to required 10-hour hunter education course and
creates an apprentice program for persons at least 10-years of age if accompanied by a mentor of at least 18 years
of age.
HB1043 Felony DUI – no position
Status: On to Governor for Signature
(Reps. Lori Saine and Beth McCann and Sens. John Cooke and Michael Johnston) Would institute a felony sentence
for the 4th DUI, or 3rd with aggravating circumstances. Relationship to gun violence: 46% of homicide perpetrators
were intoxicated at the time. Persons with a felony record are prohibited from buying or possessing firearms.
Defeated Bills
SB15-032 Permitless Concealed Carry – Strongly oppose
Status: Passed Senate 2/19/15 on 18-17 party line vote. Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs
on 4/13/15 on 4-7 vote. No’s: D’s and R-Thurlow.
(Sen. Vicki Marble and Rep. Kim Ransom) Would allow anyone who is legal to purchase a handgun to be able to
legally carry it concealed in Colorado, just as if the person had a CCW permit. This is the 6th year this bill has been
considered.
SB15-086 – Repeal Background Checks for Private Sale and Fees. – Strongly oppose
Status: Passed Senate 3/25/15 on 18-17 party line vote. Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs
on 2/2/15 on 4-7 vote. No’s: D’s and R-Thurlow.
(Sen. Kent Lambert and Rep. Janak Joshi) Would repeal the provisions of both HB1228 and HB1229, which became
law in 2013. Criminals could once again easily acquire firearms through on-line sites, classified advertisements and
other private sales because no one would check their backgrounds. It also would return the cost of the background
check to the taxpayer, rather than the gun buyer.
SB15-175 Repeal the Ban on High Capacity Magazines – Strongly oppose
Status: Passed Senate 3/17/15 on 21-13-1 vote. All Republicans and 3 Democrats voted yes. Defeated in House
State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 4/13/15 on 5-6 party line vote.
[email protected]
www.ColoradoCeasefire.org
Colorado Ceasefire Capitol Fund P.O. Box 7501, Denver, Colorado 80207
303-380-6711
(Sens. Chris Holbert and Sen. John Cooke/ and Rep. Stephen Humphrey) Would remove the ban on the sale and
transfer of ammunition magazines over 15 rounds, which became law in 2013.
SB15-231 Ban Regulatory Agency Firearms and Special Operations – no position
Status: Defeated in Senate Appropriations 4/17/2015 on 2-5 vote
(Sen. Vicki Marble and Reps. Justin Everett and Joseph Salazar) Would require federal special operations to
coordinate with local law enforcement, would disarm regulatory agents and require the governor to annually certify
the disarmament. Strangely, 16 Republican legislators co-sponsored this bill and bill and HB1068 (Guns in Schools).
HB15-1009 Repeal the Ban on High Capacity Magazines – Strongly oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 2/2/15 on party-line 5-6 vote.
(Rep. Stephen Humphrey and Sen. Chris Holbert) Would remove the ban on the sale and transfer of ammunition
magazines over 15 rounds, which became law in 2013.
HB15-1049 Stand Your Ground (business) – Strongly oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 2/2/15 on party-line 5-6 vote.
(Rep. Justin Everett and Sen. Kevin Grantham) Would allow a person to use deadly force against an intruder in a
business location if they felt threatened, no matter how slight. This is a Stand Your Ground bill. Think of the
shooting death of Trayvon Martin in Florida and you’ve got the idea. This is the 10th straight year this bill has been
considered.
HB15-1050 – Repeal Background Checks for Private Sale and Fees. – Strongly oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 2/2/15 on party-line 5-6 vote.
(Rep. Janak Joshi and Sen. Laura Woods) Would repeal the provisions of both HB1228 and HB1229, which became
law in 2013. Criminals could once again easily acquire firearms through on-line sites, classified advertisements and
other private sales because no one would check their backgrounds. It also would return the cost of the background
check to the taxpayer, rather than the gun buyer.
HB15-1086 – Speed Certificates for Transfer of Machine Guns – Oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 2/2/15 on 4-7 vote. No’s: D and R-Thurlow.
(Rep. Patrick Neville and Sen. Tim Neville) Would require CBI to take no more than 5 days to approve a certificate
to transfer a machine gun or other dangerous weapon (silencers/sawed-off shotguns/grenades etc.)under special
federal law. Also would drive a “shall approve” mechanism for these devices. Currently, it is at local discretion.
HB15-1127 – No Liability for CCW – Strongly Oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 2/2/15 on party-line 5-6 vote.
(Rep. Gordon Klingenschmitt and Sen. Leroy Garcia) Would require CBI to take no more than 5 days to approve a
certificate to transfer a machine gun or other dangerous weapon under special federal law.
HB15-1138 – Skip Background Checks on Gun Transfer for CCW permittees – Strongly Oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 4/13/15 on 5-6 party line vote.
(Rep. Kim Ransom/Sen. John Cooke) Would exempt those people who currently hold CCW permits from the
background checks required of all gun purchases and transfers at gun shows. There are a whole host of reasons to
be opposed to this concept, but the biggest is that the permits are valid for five years, a time span wherein a lot of
things could happen.
HB15-1152 – Permitless Concealed Carry – Strongly Oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 4/13/15 on 4-7 vote. No’s: D and R-Thurlow.
(Reps. Dan Nordberg and Kevin Van Winkle/Sen. Chris Holbert) Would allow anyone who is legal to purchase a
handgun to be able to legally carry it concealed in Colorado, just as if the person had a CCW permit. This is the 6th
year this bill has been considered.
HB15-1168 – Guns in Schools – Strongly Oppose
Status: Defeated in House State, Veterans and Military Affairs on 4/13/15 on 4-7 vote. No’s: D and R-Thurlow.
(Rep. Patrick Neville/Sen. Tim Neville) Removes from state law all prohibitions about carrying guns onto school
property for people with concealed carry permits.
[email protected]
www.ColoradoCeasefire.org
Colorado Ceasefire Capitol Fund P.O. Box 7501, Denver, Colorado 80207
303-380-6711