Senate Republicans have passed a bill that would allow Coloradans who already have a handgun to conceal carry without a permit. It passed along party lines and will soon be debated in the Democratic-controlled House where it’s future is more uncertain.
Statehouse reporter Bente Birkeland spoke with Jesse Paul of the Denver Post and Marianne Goodland with Colorado Politics about the gun policy debate under the gold dome.
Interview Highlights
On the fate of the concealed carry bill in the House.
GOODLAND: We’ve seen bills like that in the past. The Democrats defeated it in the House last year. I don’t expect anything to change this year. The bill recently cleared the Senate on a party line vote and is now headed to the House and certain defeat.
Democrats in the house have already defeated three Republican proposals to loosen gun restrictions. It seems like a safe bet that this bill to conceal carry without a permit will fail in the House.
On why Republicans are not softening some stances on guns in the wake of the Florida high school shooting as other Republicans are nationally.
PAUL: That kind of softening stance among Republicans nationally has not been seen in Colorado. When we spoke to Republicans who lead the Senate about gun control they showed almost no willingness to pass or approve any kind of Democratic gun control measures.
On the lack of gun control measures.
PAUL: Democrats in the House and the Senate besides this bill to ban bump stocks, have not brought or introduced any major gun control legislation and that’s despite at least one rally that we’ve had at the capitol and activism from groups including mom’s demand action who had a big showing here.
Capitol Coverage is a collaborative public policy reporting project, providing news and analysis to communities across Colorado for more than a decade. Fifteen public radio stations participate in Capitol Coverage from throughout Colorado.
