2017 Gun bills in the Colorado Legislature

[JamesB]

The Colorado Legislature is back in session. A host of pro-gun bills have been introduced. Some are similar to bills that failed in the House last session. Unfortunately, since the House is still controlled by Democrats, the odds of pro-gun bills passing both houses of the legislature are not good. However, here are the bills, in case you do want to lobby your Representative or Senator to support them. I am excited about one new bill in the Senate, to repeal the ban on mere possession of switchblade or gravity knives in Colorado. Colorado knife laws are ridiculous. Perhaps something that truly is "common sense" will stand a chance this year.

SB17-005 Handgun Safety Training For School Employees

SB17-006 Concealed Carry For Military Under Twenty-one Years Of Age

SB17-007 Repeal Ammunition Magazine Prohibition

SB17-008 Legalize Gravity Knives And Switchblades

HB17-1036 Concealed Carry In Public Schools

HB17-1037 Deadly Force Against An Intruder At A Business

[DOC]

Nice. I would like to see all the antigun bills introduced in the last 10 years be up for repeal. But the mag ban would be nice so I can order online again at a discount.

[CS1983]

My only concern would be the under 21 military one for the following reasons:

* Very little to any military training is going to cross over to concealed carry, and some would need to be undone in context (i.e., the guy whose only weapons training is .mil and has yet to understand the differences vs carry in public).
* The threat to .mil members seems to be largely on post, if terrorist actions serve as a guide. The state has no authority to authorize CCW on post where the largest target concentration is.
* The maturity of a grunt (or any MOS) when he is in his squad w/ an NCO directing can be impeccable -- decisive, obedient, etc. Out on the town? Maybe not. This, if it passes, will be every commander's headache of the month.
* Most of the guys under 21 are below NCO ranks and live in the barracks if not married. They either don't have the ability to store their CCW piece except in the arms room (good luck getting that out whenever they want) or would have to store it at a buddy's place -- this would violate current CO law and potentially unit/Division rules = nice thought, but impractical. It would be akin to the legalization of marijuana for many guys and gals at Carson, where the majority of under 21 .mil is in the state.
* Why just current and former .mil members under 21? Why not anyone without a criminal history at the age of 18 or over who can pass the required courses?

[Irving]

M
* Why just current and former .mil members under 21? Why not anyone without a criminal history at the age of 18 or over who can pass the required courses?

This. I appreciate vets and active duty as much as the next guy, but the armed forces specific bills get old and feel cheap.

[CS1983]

This. I appreciate vets and active duty as much as the next guy, but the armed forces specific bills get old and feel cheap.

I agree. I joined and did my time for many reasons, a lot of them selfish, but I never served to be in some special class of citizen. However, if this bill passes and shows that 18-20 year old persons can possess a CCW w/o going all wild west, I would hope it would serve as a stepping stone to extending the responsibility of CCW to their non-military counterparts.

If I had to guess, some of the .mil specific bills are just setting up future legislation.

[ColoradoMinuteMan]

My only concern would be the under 21 military one for the following reasons:

* Very little to any military training is going to cross over to concealed carry, and some would need to be undone in context (i.e., the guy whose only weapons training is .mil and has yet to understand the differences vs carry in public).
* The threat to .mil members seems to be largely on post, if terrorist actions serve as a guide. The state has no authority to authorize CCW on post where the largest target concentration is.
* The maturity of a grunt (or any MOS) when he is in his squad w/ an NCO directing can be impeccable -- decisive, obedient, etc. Out on the town? Maybe not. This, if it passes, will be every commander's headache of the month.
* Most of the guys under 21 are below NCO ranks and live in the barracks if not married. They either don't have the ability to store their CCW piece except in the arms room (good luck getting that out whenever they want) or would have to store it at a buddy's place -- this would violate current CO law and potentially unit/Division rules = nice thought, but impractical. It would be akin to the legalization of marijuana for many guys and gals at Carson, where the majority of under 21 .mil is in the state.
* Why just current and former .mil members under 21? Why not anyone without a criminal history at the age of 18 or over who can pass the required courses?

If you can carry a gun safely in combat, you can carry it safely down Main Street. It's really not that complicated.

My only problem with this is that the military personnel should have no additional rights than any other person when it comes to exercising their second amendment rights.


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[CS1983]

If you can carry a gun safely in combat, you can carry it safely down Main Street. It's really not that complicated.

My only problem with this is that the military personnel should have no additional rights than any other person when it comes to exercising their second amendment rights.


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Apples and Oranges. How many tours and how many years leading snuffy?

ETA: I agree on your final sentence.

[ColoradoMinuteMan]

Apples and Oranges. How many tours and how many years leading snuffy?

ETA: I agree on your final sentence.

I believe in constitutional carry, so my perspective is that I should not require and qualifier to be able to carry a firearm. There are 10 states with no training requirement to carry a concealed weapon. I've seen no evidence indicating a statistical increase in accidental firearm fatalities in those states as compared to more more restrictive states.

I can't personally speak for any recruit level training other than RTC Great Lakes, but I can tell you that if you come out of that course unsafe to carry a firearm, a civilian CCW course won't make you any safer.


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[Irving]

I can't personally speak for any recruit level training other than RTC Great Lakes, but I can tell you that if you come out of that course unsafe to carry a firearm, a civilian CCW course won't make you any safer.

You're missing the point a bit here. It's not about safe gun handling, so much as it is about a completely different mindset of a civilian and a soldier. Civilians aren't updated with an SOP every day and orders to follow. They have to make a decision in how/when to defend themselves, and once they make their decisions, they will be the only ones held responsible.

[Great-Kazoo]

Apples and Oranges. How many tours and how many years leading snuffy?

ETA: I agree on your final sentence.

I believe in constitutional carry, so my perspective is that I should not require and qualifier to be able to carry a firearm. There are 10 states with no training requirement to carry a concealed weapon. I've seen no evidence indicating a statistical increase in accidental firearm fatalities in those states as compared to more more restrictive states.

I can't personally speak for any recruit level training other than RTC Great Lakes, but I can tell you that if you come out of that course unsafe to carry a firearm, a civilian CCW course won't make you any safer.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk (meaning my post is likely full of poor typing and autocorrects using wrong words)

Glakes class of 74 here When they still has strip clubs and pawn shops outside the gate. Yeah Freedom.