COLORADO: 11% Excise Tax on Firearms and Ammo PUBLIC HEARING! Plus Updates on Assault Weapons Ban, Sensitive Spaces Ban, and more!

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

 

Thank you to everyone who continues to testify and contact their state legislators about these anti-gun bills. People are seriously fed up and the opposition on each and every bill is making that clear! I’m sure they thought if they ran so many extreme bills at once it would thin out the public testimony but the opposite is happening. Instead public testimony is going for hours and hours on each bill.

This is the most anti-Second Amendment legislative session I have ever witnessed in Colorado. The session ends May 8th, so they are starting to run against the clock and may be in over their head. It’s imperative we continue to fight back.

Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax PUBLIC HEARING 

If passed, HB24-1349 “Firearms & Ammunition Excise Tax” would put a ballot question on the Colorado November general election ballot asking voters to decide if firearms, ammunition, and firearm parts should be taxed at 11%. The tax revenue would go to so-called “crime victim support services, gun violence prevention, safe and lawful gun use, and enhancement of school safety.”

Passage of the ballot question in November is required to implement this new tax due to TABOR (Taxpayer Bill Of Rights).

Make no mistake, this is a “sin tax” similar to how cigarettes, marijuana and sports gambling are taxed in Colorado. But self defense is not a sin. Our Constitutional rights are not a sin. Please speak out against this!

NOTE: This is another bill that currently has NO senate sponsor. 

PUBLIC HEARING IN HOUSE FINANCE COMMITTEE

When: Monday, April 1st at 1:30pm
Where: Colorado State Capitol and remotely online
Sign up to testify HERE

If you are unable to provide public testimony on this bill, it’s important to contact these committee members NOW and ask they vote NO on HB24-1349. CLICK HERE to email the entire committee at once.

 

 

“Assault Weapons” Ban BILL UPDATE

After passing through the House Judiciary committee on 3/19/24, HB24-1292 “Prohibit Certain Weapons Used in Mass Shootings” continues to be laid over daily on the calendar awaiting a vote in the full house chamber.

On Friday, House Majority Leader Monica Duran told the Colorado Sun that if this bill does not get a senate sponsor, it may never go to a vote of the full house chamber. Instead they will continue to lay it over daily until the session ends. Forcing a two-day long debate on the house floor over the bill, and then making vulnerable Democrats vote on it, is just not worth the political capital if they know it’s dead in the senate. You can access the paywalled article HERE but in addition to Monica Duran’s statement, the story basically says even though Senate President Steve Fenberg supports the bill, he doesn’t think it would be effective and doesn’t believe it has the senate support it needs to pass this year.

Please continue to contact YOUR State House Rep and YOUR State Senator and let them know you do not support this bill. Find your elected officials and their contact info on our website HERE.

“Prohibit Guns In Sensitive Spaces” Ban BILL UPDATE

SB21-131 “Prohibiting Carrying Firearms in Sensitive Spaces” passed out of Senate Judiciary on 3/27/24 but drastically amended down. The amended version of this bill is now limited to a prohibition on the carry of a firearms into government buildings, polling locations, and educational institutions such as colleges and preschools (with a carveout for security approved by the educational institution itself, such as FASTER participants). It also exempts parking areas.

That said, this bill is still very problematic and many college students who concealed carry, including simply attending class at a community college, would now be forced to disarm or break the law.

Please contact YOUR State House Rep and YOUR State Senator and let them know you do not support this bill. Find your elected officials and their contact info on our website HERE.

Additional Updates

HB24-1310 “School (un)Safety Measures” Disarms Private School Security. This bill is scheduled for a public hearing in the House Education Committee on 4/18/24. SIGN UP NOW to testify (if the bill is rescheduled they will email you).

This bill kills the beneficial FASTER Program that trains interested school employees in armed self-defense. It also disarms private school security. As of today, 41 of Colorado’s 178 districts employ some form of organized armed staff (not including SROs). These districts are primarily in rural areas, and there are about 400 armed staff in Colorado. This bill would disarm them all.

HB24-1353 Creation of a Colorado Firearm Retailer License for FFLs passed out of the House Business Affairs Committee on 3/27/24 and is waiting to be scheduled in the House Finance Committee which it must also pass before moving on. This bill creates a state level redundant bureaucracy on firearm retailers. In addition to an FFL, firearm retailers would need to obtain a state permit for $400 and go through all the hoops the ATF already made them go through. The bill allots roughly $3 million dollars to create the system and hire enforcement who would randomly audit gun stores – or they’d audit if a gun store is anonymously reported.

SB24-066 Require Firearm Retailers To Use Firearm Specific Merchant Codes. This bill has already passed the senate and just passed through the House Business committee. It is scheduled for a vote of the full house chamber on 4/2/24 but could be laid over daily. I expect it to become law. The big guys like Cabela’s, Scheel’s, Bass Pro, etc are exempted from this law. During committee it became extremely clear no one has any idea how this bill would work to limit violence as they couldn’t even answer what would be done with the codes.

HB24-1348 Secure Firearm Storage In Vehicle has passed the house and is awaiting senate schedule. This bill will likely make it into law. It requires firearms being locked up and out of sight in vehicles. They admit it’s pretty much unenforceable.

All the other gun bills are still pending. We’re watching them daily so as soon as there is movement, you’ll know.

You can always follow them on our Legislative Watch page where you will also find info to sign up to testify in committees.

Other Colorado Anti-Gun Bills

HB24-1270
Firearm Liability Insurance Requirement

Not yet scheduled for public hearing

Requires all firearms owners to maintain $100,000 liability insurance by January 1, 2025

————–

HB24-1174
Concealed Carry Permits & Training

Passed House Chamber; Awaiting Senate Schedule

Makes it harder to get a concealed carry permit and requires that instructors be certified by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation.

2023 Firearm related legislation from Colorado General Assembly

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Follow current legislation on our Legislative Watch page.

Follow Colorado General Assembly at leg.colorado.gov.

The list below is current as of 3/7/23

Public testimony/comment is being accepted both in-person and remotely via Zoom for bills scheduled for committee hearings.

To register for remote testimony visit this link: www2.leg.state.co.us/CLICS/CLICS2022A/commsumm.nsf/signIn.xsp, at bottom select “remote via Zoom”, select “by committee and hearing item”, select the committee the bill is to be heard in (Senate State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs), select date of hearing, select option that includes the bill you would like to testify on, complete registration. To testify on all three bills, you will need to register for each bill individually. You can also submit written testimony via this same link.

To testify in person: Go to the Colorado State Capitol at 200 E Colfax Ave, Denver. If the main north entrance is closed, you may need to use the south entrance through the basement, but the Capitol is open to the public. 

 

SB23-168  Gun Violence Victims’ Access To Judicial System

  • Repeals limitations of when a firearm industry member can be sued
  • Defines “firearm industry member” as a person who is engaged in the manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, or wholesale or retail sale of an “industry product”.
  • Allows Attorney General to sue “firearm industry members”
  • Action must be brought within 5 years
  • Goes into effect Oct 1, 2023

*This bill is scheduled for public hearing in Senate Committee 3/8/23 upon adjournment (approx 10am)

EMAIL SENATE COMMITTEE

 

SB23-169  Increasing Minimum Age To Purchase and Possess Firearms

  • Increases age to purchase or possess a firearm to 21
  • Reduces penalty from felony to misdemeanor to sell or transfer firearm to a juvenile
  • Exceptions:
  • Active duty military or peace officer
  • Taken hunter safety and purchases a firearm that is not a handgun or semi-automatic centerfire rifle
  • Gifts from immediate family members
  • Engaging in training
  • Under supervision of parents or guardians
  • Violation is a class 2 misdemeanor for the first offense, and a class 5 felony for subsequent offenses
  • Goes into effect Oct 1, 2023

*This bill is scheduled for public hearing in Senate Committee 3/8/23 upon adjournment (approx 10am)

EMAIL SENATE COMMITTEE

 

SB23-170  Extreme Risk Protection Order Petitions (Red Flag)

  • Expands who can request a ERPO to include licensed medical care providers, licensed mental health-care providers, licensed educators, and district attorneys
  • Requires the office of gun violence prevention to expend funds annually on a public education campaign regarding the availability of, and the process for requesting, an extreme risk protection order.

*This bill is scheduled for public hearing in Senate Committee 3/8/23 upon adjournment (approx 10am)

EMAIL SENATE COMMITTEE

 

HB23-1230 Prohibit Assault Weapons In Colorado

  • Prohibits a person from manufacturing, importing, purchasing, selling, offering to sell, or transferring ownership of an assault weapon
  • Prohibits a person from possessing a rapid-fire trigger activator
  • A violation is a class 2 misdemeanor

    Defines assault weapon as:

  • Any rifle that has a detachable magazine plus either:
    • Barrel Shroud
    • Pistol grip
    • Adjustable stock
    • Flash suppressor
    • It would basically ban the sale of all AR-15 type rifles in Colorado
  • Any pistol that has a threaded barrel that allows for the addition of a suppressor would be legal
  • Any semi-automatic shotgun with a detachable box magazine or fore end pistol grip.

    The prohibition does not apply to:

  • A member of the United States armed forces, a peace officer, or other government officer or agent, to the extent that such person is otherwise authorized to acquire or possess an assault weapon and does so while acting within the scope of the person’s duties;
  • The manufacture, sale, or transfer of an assault weapon by a licensed firearms manufacturer to any branch of the United States armed forces or to an entity that employs peace officers for use by that agency or its employees;
  • The sale or transfer of an assault weapon to a licensed firearms dealer or gunsmith for the purposes of maintenance, repair, or modification, and the subsequent return of the assault weapon to the lawful owner;
  • Any federal, state, or local historical society, museum, or institutional collection that is open to the public, provided that the assault weapon is securely housed and unloaded;
  • A forensic laboratory, or any authorized agent or employee of the laboratory, for use exclusively in the course and scope of authorized activities;
  • An entity that operates an armored vehicle business and an authorized employee of such entity while in the course and scope of employment;
  • A licensed gun dealer who has remaining inventory of assault weapons as of July 1, 2023, and sells or transfers the remaining inventory only to a non-Colorado resident and the sale or transfer takes place out-of-state; or
  • A peace officer.

*This bill has not yet been scheduled for a public hearing

EMAIL HOUSE COMMITTEE

 

HB23-1165: County Authority To Prohibit Firearms Discharge

  • Allows county commissioners to prohibit the discharge of firearms in unincorporated areas.
  • To prohibit must have minimum of 30 dwellings per square mile.
  • A county ordinance may not prohibit the discharge of firearms in designated areas by peace officers, in indoor shooting galleries in private residences, or at a licensed shooting range

*This bill has passed house chamber with amendments; awaiting Senate schedule

EMAIL SENATE COMMITTEE

 

HB 23-1219: Waiting Period To Deliver A Firearm

  • Establishes a waiting period for the delivery of a firearm by a seller to a purchaser.
  • Sellers must wait three days or until required background checks are completed, whichever occurs later in time.
  • Violations are civil infractions punishable by a fine of $500 for the first offense and ranging from $500 to $5,000 for subsequent offenses.
  • Local governments are given authority to establish a waiting period longer than described in the bill.
  • Goes into effect Oct 1, 2023

*This bill passed House Committee 3/6/2023; awaiting second hearing in full house chamber

CONTACT YOUR HOUSE REPS

 

HB23-1050: Protection Of Business From Unlawful Entry

  • Expands immunity from criminal prosecution and civil liability to the use of physical force, including deadly physical force, by an owner, manager, or employee of a business when another person makes an unlawful entry into a place of business.
  • Persons lawfully possessing a firearm within the place of business are similarly protected.
  • The person using physical force must also have a reasonable belief that the unlawful entrant has committed, is committing, or intends to commit a crime and is likely to use any physical force against any occupant of the building.

*This bill died in first committee

 

HB23-1044: Second Amendment Preservation Act

  • Prohibits any entity or person from enforcing federal laws that: levy a special tax, levy, fee, or stamp on a firearm that causes a chilling effect; register or track firearms; register or track the ownership of firearms; forbid the possession, ownership, use or transfer of firearms by law-abiding citizens; and order the confiscation of firearms from law-abiding citizens.
  • Prohibits the state or any political subdivision from hiring law enforcement officers that enforced these laws.
  • Civil penalty of $50,000 for each violation.

*This bill died in first committee

Broomfield, CO City Council Considers ALL The Gun Control Ordinances

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Broomfield, CO city council will be considering multiple gun control ordinances during their Tues, Sept 20 Study Session.

These include the following:

  • ban concealed carry in parks, bars/breweries, restaurants, open space, churches, more
  • ban “assault weapons”, Mags over 10 rounds
  • raise age to purchase any firearm to 21
  • enact a 10 day waiting period
  • ban “ghost guns”
  • ban open carry in public spaces

Read their agenda HERE.

The meeting begins at 6:00pm and public comment will be taken either in-person or via telephone.

Attend in person:

George Di Ciero City & County Building
Council Chambers
1 Des Combes Drive
Broomfield, CO

Call with public comment:

1-855-695-3744 starting at 6 p.m. and press star 3 (*3) to be placed in the queue.

CLICK HERE to email the entire council at once.

Watch the meeting live HERE.

 

Boulder County, CO Poised To Pass Multiple Gun Control Laws

Boulder County, CO Poised To Pass Multiple Gun Control Laws

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Boulder County, CO Poised To Pass Multiple Gun Control Laws

On July 5, 2022 the Boulder County Commissioners passed on first reading a series of anti-Second Amendment ordinances WITHOUT allowing for public comment.
  
Second reading and decision making will take place on Tuesday, August 2 at 3 p.m.

This meeting WILL allow for public comment.
 
Email written public comment to commissioners commissioners@bouldercounty.org
  
The Boulder County Commissioners are still holding their meetings VIRTUAL ONLY. You can register to provide public comment via Zoom here: https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register/WN_3BjkIGKHR5WDJsnxRSLkKQ

During the 2021 Colorado legislative session, state lawmakers passed a law to give localities the flexibility to come up with their own ordinances addressing the sale, purchase, or possession of firearms within their jurisdictions (Colorado Senate Bill 21-256) Boulder County is joining other organizations and governments across the United States in raising awareness of gun violence and is working towards the prevention of gun violence here in Boulder County.
The Boulder County Commissioners view these current efforts to curtail gun violence as a continuation of a long-standing commitment that stems from their previous experience, including positions in education and in the state legislature.
Therefore the Commissioners are proposing the following local ordinances for Boulder County:
1.) An Ordinance Prohibiting the Carrying of Firearms in Sensitive Public Placesy – READ HERE
  • Prohibits concealed and open carry in Boulder County owned or operated buildings, or the portion of any building being used by Boulder County government.
  • Public parks, playgrounds, or open space owned by Boulder County.
  • Any recreation or community center facility owned, operated, or managed by Boulder County.
  • Within 500 feet of any polling location or a ballot drop box within Boulder County.
  • The indoor and outdoor premises of any facility licensed to serve alcohol.
  • A healthcare facility, or substance abuse or mental health provider or facility.
  • Any property or facility owned or operated by a church, synagogue, mosque, temple, or other place of worship.
  • A courthouse.
  • A daycare center or preschool.

2.) An Ordinance Prohibiting the Purchase of Firearms by Anyone Under the Age of Twenty-One – READ HERE

  • No person under the age of twenty-one in shall purchase a firearm.
  • No person shall sell a firearm to a person under the age of twenty-one.

3.) An Ordinance Prohibiting the sale and purchase of Assault Weapons, Large Capacity Magazines, and Trigger Activators – READ HERE

No person, corporation or entity shall own, transfer or sell:

  • Semiautomatic center-fire rifle that has the capacity to accept a detachable magazine and has one or more of the following characteristics:
    1. A pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
    2. Any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;
    3. A folding or telescoping stock;
    4. A flash suppressor;
    5. A shroud attached to the barrel, or that partially or completely encircles the barrel, allowing the bearer to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned, but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel.
  • Semiautomatic center-fire pistol that has the capacity to accept a detachable ammunition feeding device and any one of the following:
    1. A threaded barrel;
    2. A second pistol grip, or second other feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;
    3. A shroud attached to the barrel, or that partially or completely encircles the barrel, allowing the bearer to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned, but excluding a slide that encloses the barrel;
    4. A flash suppressor;
    5. The capacity to accept a detachable ammunition feeding device at some location outside of the pistol grip;
    6. A manufactured weight of 50 ounces or more when unloaded; or
    7. A buffer tube, arm brace, or other part that protrudes horizontally behind the pistol grip.
  • Semiautomatic center-fire pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to
    accept more than 10 rounds.
  • Semiautomatic shotgun that has one or more of the following features:
    1. A pistol grip or thumbhole stock;
    2. Any feature capable of functioning as a protruding grip that can be
      held by the non-trigger hand;
    3. A folding or telescoping stock;
    4. A fixed magazine capacity in excess of 5 rounds; or
    5. An ability to accept a detachable magazine.
  • Any firearm that has been modified to be operable as an assault weapon as
    defined herein;
  • Any part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an
    assault weapon, including any combination of parts from which an assault weapon
    may be readily assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control
    of the same person.
  • “Large-capacity magazine” or “LCD” means any ammunition feeding device with the
    capacity to accept more than 10 rounds
  • “Rapid-fire trigger activator” means any device, including a removable manual or powerdriven activating device, constructed so that, when installed in or attached to a semiautomatic firearm:
    1. the rate at which the trigger is activated substantially increases; or
    2. the rate of fire substantially increases.

4.) An Ordinance Requiring a Waiting Period Prior to the Sale of Firearms – READ HERE

  • Requires a 10 day waiting period between when a firearms dealer initiates a background check and when the purchaser takes possession of the firearm.

5.) An Ordinance to Regulate the Possession of Unfinished Frames and Receivers, and Unserialized Firearms – READ HERE

  • No person may possess one or more firearms that have not been identified with a serial number by a federal licensee.

Donate & Get A Sticker!

Help us fight the radical gun control extremists throughout Colorado by making a donation of $5 or more and get your choice of one of these weatherproof, scratch resistant stickers that are made in the U.S.A.

CLICK HERE to get yours!

*Contributions are not tax deductible.


Longmont, CO Advances Gun Control Discussion, Opposition Is Fired UP

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

The Longmont, Colorado City Council voted to advance a discussion about gun control at this past Tuesday’s meeting.

This came after they held a nearly two hour pre-session meeting specific to gun control prior to gaveling in to their regular meeting. The gun control-focused pre-session was not broadcast virtually and did not accept public comment, although it was open to the public.

Residents of Longmont, nearly all oppose to the gun control measures, filled the chambers during both meetings. Many took turns at the mic addressing the council during the general public comment portion of the regular meeting. For 2 1/2 hours the concerned citizens spoke to the various proposed ordinances, many pointing out that the only people impacted by such measures are the law abiding like themselves, and those wishing to do harm couldn’t care less what their silly laws say. Some gave testimony about moving to Longmont to escape crime in part because they could legally protect their families, and now that right was being stripped of them. A few folks wearing red Moms Demand Action shirts spoke to the council with their canned speeches and grossly inaccurate statistics. Another handful who were in support of the gun control had extremely bizarre stories about how the NRA, cocaine and board games has led to the fall of society.

A vote was taken to advance four of the six measures to a discussion at their next meeting. It was made clear by Mayor Joan Peck, this was not to be considered first reading, but was a discussion about what they should bring to first reading. Both councilmembers Aren Rodriguez and Susie Hildalgo-Fahring emphasized that although they were voting in favor of bringing the discussion forward, that did not imply their support.

The ordinances they moved forward to discussion include:

1.) Ban open carry citywide
2.) Raise age limit to purchase any firearm to 21
3.) 10 day waiting period
4.) Ban ghost guns
At this time, draft ordinances have not been released from the city.

The next Longmont City Council Meeting will be:

Tuesday, June 28th
7:00pm
Civic Center – Council Chambers
350 Kimbark St
Longmont, CO 80501

Sign up for public comment begins at 6:45pm.

CLICK HERE to email the entire council at once or use email address City_Council_Mayor@longmontcolorado.gov

Make some phone calls too! Get their phone numbers HERE.

Longmont is the fifth city in Boulder county to pursue these measures. Boulder, Superior, and Louisville have already each passed a package of six ordinances, including the four on Longmont’s list as well as an assault weapons ban and a concealed carry ban.

Lafayette has their second reading on gun control measures next week! If you are a Lafayette resident, please speak up! 

Click here for a list of the six ordinances they will be voting on.

Next Lafayette meeting:

Tuesday, June 21st
5:30pm
City Hall Council Chambers
1290 S Public Rd
Lafayette, CO
Or virtual

CLICK HERE to email Lafayette City Council at once

Rally for our Rights will be holding our Summer “Adopt-A-Highway” Roadside Clean Up on in Longmont on June 25th, from 1pm – 3pm. This event is open to the public and open carry encouraged! RSVP on Facebook HERE. Haven’t been to one of these clean ups? Check out this video to see how much fun we have: https://youtu.be/RjfptRcY3gc

Donate & Get A Sticker!

Help us fight the radical gun control extremists throughout Colorado by making a donation of $5 or more and get your choice of one of these weatherproof, scratch resistant stickers that are made in the U.S.A.

CLICK HERE to get yours!

*Contributions are not tax deductible.



Longmont, CO Considering 6 Extreme Gun Control Ordinances Including Concealed Carry Ban!

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

It looks as though Longmont, Colorado may be the next gun control causality in wake of Colorado’s passage of SB21-256, the repeal and replace of the state’s long standing preemption law.

Longmont city council has added a “pre-session” to their upcoming meeting schedule to discuss “Gun Safety Laws”. The packet attached to the pre-session agenda is a 234 page patchwork of nonsense that includes a document provided to Colorado localities by Gifford’s and Everytown for Gun Safety titled “Model Gun Violence Ordinances For Colorado Localities” and dated September 2021. You can read that document along with the entire packet HERE.  Not one of these ordinances was written by Colorado locals, let alone anyone who knows the issues Longmont faces – which are many.

This is all on the heels of Boulder, Louisville, Lafayette, and Superior passing a package of 6 gun control laws that include the following:

  • Banning the sale and possession of “assault weapons,” magazines over 10 rounds, and rapid-fire trigger activators; raising the minimum age to purchase any firearm to 21.
  • Prohibiting the concealed carrying of firearms in “sensitive” public places including: any area owned by or controlled by the town, public parks or open space, protests, anywhere that serves alcohol, hospitals and other medical or mental health facilities, churches, synagogues, mosques, temples or other places of worship, stadiums or arenas, courthouse, banks, theaters, child care centers or preschools, and more.
  • Prohibiting the open carrying of firearms in all public places.
  • Requiring all firearm dealers to post “warning” signs at all locations where firearms transfers take place.
  • Requiring a 10 day waiting period prior to the sale of firearms.
  • Regulating the manufacture and possession of non-serialized firearms or so-called “ghost guns”.

Longmont council’s pre-session will be open to public but it is unclear if they will be taking public comment. If they do not allow public comment, the council will be moving immediately into their weekly council meeting once it’s over. These meetings always open with public comment allowing people to speak about any topic they wish, so those wanting to speak on the measures could certainly do so at that time.

Here are the details to attend – and EVERYONE should try to attend, even if just to have a presence.

You can bring signs and wear shirts and hats that make your stance clear.

Longmont City Council Pre-Session
Tuesday, June 14, 2022
5:30 PM
City Council Study Session Room
350 Kimbark St
Longmont, CO 

CLICK HERE to email the entire council at once or use this email address: City_Council_Mayor@longmontcolorado.gov

If you’re feeling a little extra social, give them a call as well. Their numbers can be found HERE.

We are awaiting new CORA (Colorado Open Record Act) requests from Longmont, as well as Arvada, Lakewood, and Wheatridge to gain some further insight into their planned timeline. These additional cities are on our radar after another CORA request tipped us off to a coordinated effort between certain councilmembers of multiple cities, all which they are attempting to hide from the public by skirting the states sunshine laws.

Lafayette still has additional meetings where they will be voting to change or approve the ordinances. CLICK HERE to email Lafayette City Council. Their next council meeting will be Tuesday, June 21st at 5:30pm. Attendees are welcome either in-person at City Hall Council Chambers 1290 S. Public Road or virtually. Learn more HERE.

Donate & Get A Sticker!

Help us fight the radical gun control extremists down at the capitol this legislative session by making a donation of $5 or more and get your choice of one of these weatherproof, scratch resistant stickers that are made in the U.S.A.

CLICK HERE to get yours!

*Contributions are not tax deductible.

 

4 Boulder County Cities Poised To Pass ALL The Gun Control

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood


The Colorado cities of Superior, Louisville, Lafayette, and Boulder all have a list of gun control on their City Council agendas for Tuesday, June 7th.

This coordinated effort is being pushed by assistant to Boulder City Council Taylor Reimann in conjunction with out-of-state gun control groups Gifford’s and Everytown For Gun Safety.

READ HERE the draft ordinances crafted specifically for Colorado back in Sept 2021.

There are a total of 6 ordinances being voted on by each town. Those are:

  • Banning the sale and possession of “assault weapons,” large-capacity magazines and rapid-fire trigger activators, raising the minimum age to purchase any firearm to 21.
  • Prohibiting the concealed carrying of firearms in “sensitive” public places including: any area owned by or controlled by the town, public parks or open space, protests, anywhere that serves alcohol, hospitals and other medical or mental health facilities, church, synagogue, mosque, temple or other place of worship, stadium or arena, courthouse, banks, theaters, child care centers or preschools, and more.
  • Prohibiting the open carrying of firearms in all public places.
  • Requiring all firearm dealers to post “warning” signs at all locations where firearms transfers take place.
  • Requiring a 10 day waiting period prior to the sale of firearms.
  • Regulating the manufacture and possession of non-serialized firearms or so-called “ghost guns”.

Here’s how to get involved. If you cannot attend a meeting, please take a moment to email them using the easy links below:

Boulder – 6pm – VIRTUAL ONLY 
Agenda and sign up to speak: https://bouldercolorado.gov/events/city-council-meeting-19
WATCH the meeting
CLICK HERE to email all Boulder council members at once

Louisville – 6pm – IN-PERSON at City Hall, 749 Main Street or VIRTUAL
Agenda and sign up to speak: https://www.louisvilleco.gov/local-government/government/city-council/city-council-meeting-agendas-packets-minutes
WATCH the meeting
CLICK HERE to email all Louisville council members at once

Superior – 8pm – VIRTUAL ONLY
Agenda and instructions to request to speak: https://www.superiorcolorado.gov/Home/Components/Calendar/Event/5819/19
WATCH the meeting
CLICK HERE to email all Superior council members at once

Lafayette – 5:30pm – IN-PERSON at City Hall Council Chambers 1290 S. Public Road or VIRTUAL
Agenda and instructions to sign up to speak: https://www.lafayetteco.gov/ArchiveCenter/ViewFile/Item/5281
WATCH the meeting
CLICK HERE to email all Lafayette council members at once

In addition to all this madness, a Colorado Open Records Act (CORA) request has revealed there are dozens more cities on the Colorado front range that may be part of this effort. The CORA exposed how council members were skirting Sunshine Laws in Colorado that require meetings with more than two officials from a governing body to be open to the public. We have more info about this coming out soon, but in the meantime read up on what we know at Complete Colorado.

Donate & Get A Sticker!

Help us fight the radical gun control extremists down at the capitol this legislative session by making a donation of $5 or more and get your choice of one of these weatherproof, scratch resistant stickers that are made in the U.S.A.

CLICK HERE to get yours!

*Contributions are not tax deductible.

Denver City Council Bans Concealed Carry In City Parks and Buildings Including Dozens of Mountain Parks

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Denver City Council Bans Concealed Carry In City Parks and Buildings Including Dozens of Mountain Parks

After roughly a month of formalities, on Monday, May 16 the Denver City Council officially voted to ban permitted concealed carry of a firearm in parks and buildings owned by, leased by, and leased to the city.

The ordinance passed 9-3 with Councilmembers Candi CdeBaca, Jamie Torres, and Kevin Flynn voting against the ban.

A violation of the ban would result in a $50 fine for the first offense and a $999 fine for any subsequent offense. This is a bit laughable because the same city council voted not long ago to forgo collecting any fine of $300 or less due to equality concerns.

Thanks to the passage of SB21-256 last year which was a repeal and replace of the long standing state preemption law, localities can now create their own gun laws as long as they are more strict than state law. This includes counties, municipalities, special districts and college campuses.

This ban includes dozens of mountain parks in other counties that are owned by the City of Denver, including the infamous 868 acre Red Rocks Park in Jefferson County, 3000 acre Winter Park Resort in Grand County, 1000 acre Daniels Mountain Park in Douglas County, and 160 acre Summit Lake Park in Clear Creek County. Most of the other parks are located in Jefferson County where enforcement would be the responsibility of the sheriff who has already made it clear he will not enforce concealed carry bans even when passed into law by those who have jurisdiction over his county. See a map of all parks owned by Denver here.

During the council meeting, public comment on this particular agenda item was denied by council leadership stating “they had already allowed public comment during the first committee meeting”. That didn’t stop those wanting to speak about this ban from utilizing general public comment time to express their views. The majority of the speakers spoke in opposition to the ban citing the need for the right to self defense in the crime ridden city. Denver limits their general public comment time to 30 minutes, so it’s difficult to say how many people who wanted to speak were silenced.

An amendment was introduced by Councilwoman Candi CdeBaca that would have exempted parks from the ordinances. This amendment was rejected again on the same 9-3 vote. The amendment stated:

This amendment removes parks from the scope of this ordinance for several reasons:

First, there are major concerns about the ability to enforce in open space without profiling. Other cities have banned guns in city owned buildings because it is enforceable. Given the national and historical data about law enforcement’s racial bias in relation to pre-textual interactions, removing parks from this ordinance would reduce potential for law enforcement to racially profile people and use unwarranted force on “suspected” violators of this ordinance.

Second, if parks are not removed from this ordinance, Open Space including mountain park parking lots could become targets for car break-ins when firearms are left in vehicles. The amount of stolen guns from cars is increasing and the current ordinance would encourage CCW carriers to leave guns in cars.

Councilwoman CdeBaca pleaded with the council to reject this ban based on how law enforcement responds to reports of individuals with firearms, citing several instances where police had arrived with guns drawn based on “see something, say something” antics from bystanders. She ultimately told council they will “have blood on their hands” when this ban goes awry, which it will. CdeBaca said she fears the ban will not be enforceable without profiling, something that goes against everything the council has promised to change over the past two years. At a prior meeting CdeBaca had requested Denver Police Department present council with a written protocol of how they would handle reports that someone was possibly concealed carrying. This written protocol never materialized along with answers to many other questions that had previously been brought up.

Councilman Flynn reiterated again and again that there is no evidence that legally permitted concealed carry holders were a danger,  but instead it was those who do not obey laws who are the real menace to the city and should be the focus of council, and more importantly, law enforcement who is already stretched so thin in a city where crime is skyrocketing. Councilman Flynn also echoed CdeBaca’s concerns about racial profiling and pointed to data provided by CBI that showed the fastest growing demographic among those applying for concealed carry permits are among the Black community.

In the past two years, the City of Denver has seen a startling increase in crime. They closed 2021 out with 96 homicides, the most in over 30 years, and 2022 is already poised to break that record. Not one of these crimes was committed by a concealed carry permit holder, although applications for concealed carry permits has been steadily rising as 911 callers are placed on hold during emergencies, police response times are dangerously slow with an average of 11.6 minutes in 2019, and the citywide efforts to defund the police have left many residents realizing they need to be prepared to defend themselves.

Additionally, auto thefts have risen by 5,100% in Colorado, according to the Colorado Independent Auto Dealers Association. And in the first three months of this year, the Denver Police Department said five catalytic converters are reported stolen on average each day.

And turns out Colorado is now #1 in the nation for bank robberies! Which elected officials blame on also being #1 for Fentanyl.

But the city’s solution to this is to disarm law abiding citizens?

Yes, apparently so. And when the disarmed law abiding become victims of people who don’t care about the city’s ineffective silly laws, that same council will use their still warm bodies to push for even more gun control.

It should be noted that open carry has long been illegal in Denver, as is concealed carry without a permit.

Watch video of the public comment session HERE.
Watch video of the debate on the ordinance HERE.

 

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Edgewater, CO Gets Flooded With Opposition Over Proposed Gun Control, Scales It Back

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Edgewater, CO Gets Flooded With Opposition Over Proposed Gun Control, Scales It Back

On Tuesday, April 19 the Edgewater City Council held a work session to discuss a whole laundry list of potential gun control ordinances the city could consider passing. This was on the heels of another work session they’d held where a representative from gun control extremist group Ceasefire Colorado gave a presentation about how to “reduce gun violence” in their city, during which they provided grossly inaccurate information to the council. It should be noted Edgewater is a city of 5,000 people and less than 1 square mile that sits in the suburbs west of Denver in Jefferson County.

Here is the list the City Council discussed item by item during Tuesday’s meeting (read our prior writeup here):

  1. Prohibiting open carry city-wide.
  2. Prohibiting concealed carry in city-owned buildings and areas, including:
    1. Civic Center and city parks.
  3. Prohibiting conceal carry in other areas and buildings in Edgewater, including:
    1. Bars and liquor stores.
    2. Daycare centers and preschools.
    3. Medical facilities, including hospitals.
    4. Mental Health Care facilities and substance abuse treatment facilities
    5. Event venues, theaters, etc.
  4. Banning specific weapons, including:
    1. So-called “assault weapons”
    2. Large capacity magazines.
    3. So-called “ghost guns”
    4. Trigger activators such as bump stocks.
    5. Certain ammunition, such as 50-caliber, or armor piercing.
  5. Purchase and transfer of weapons, including:
    1. Setting a minimum age of 21 for all weapons and establishing a waiting period of 3-10 days.
  6. Regulating gun dealers with such things as (but not all inclusive):
    1. Extensive on-site security including video surveillance, steel bars, locked up firearms, behind counter storage of all guns, among other things.
    2. Prohibiting the display of firearms and ammunition in windows.
    3. Increasing standards for all employees.
    4. Periodic inventory reporting.
    5. Required reporting of certain sales.
    6. Required signage on gun violence issues.
    7. Prohibiting retail in residential neighborhoods.
    8. Reporting of stolen firearms within 48 hours.

As the meeting began, Edgewater Mayor John Beltrone was clearly surprised by the number of people who had filled the council chambers both in person and online. Dozens were there to provide public comment. Mayor Beltrone emphasized again and again that nothing was going to be voted on during the meeting, that it was all just discussion, as if we aren’t hip as to where these ordinances begin.

For 3 1/2 hours the council went through the list line by line, with each item they allowed a representative from Ceasefire to “explain” what it was and why it was needed. The information given by Ceasefire was so warped and inaccurate that several people corrected her during public comment. This so-called expert insisted 50 cal ammo was used by civilians to shoot airplanes out of the sky! Dead serious.

The city attorney then addressed the legal issues with each item, most of which he made clear the Supreme Court has yet to make rulings on, so pursuing them would undoubtedly mean the city would find it’s self embroiled in lawsuits.

There was a lot of confusion among council members and the city attorney about things like what a “ghost gun” actually is, let alone any knowledge about the current laws surrounding private gun making and non-serialized firearms. In fact, most of the items on the list they lacked knowledge of current  law. This was glaringly obvious when they decided to pursue 6.8 on the list – requiring gun stores to report stolen guns to law enforcement within 48 hours. This is already a Federal Law.

During the public comment period, dozens of people spoke in opposition to their gun control list, some discussing how they had moved out of Denver to Edgewater so they had the ability to defend their families, unlike Denver who continues to restrict the right to self defense further and further. Two people spoke in support of Edgewater’s proposed measures.

By the end of the meeting, most of the list was scrapped with a decision to move forward with yet another work session to discuss the following: Item 2 – banning concealed carry on city property; Item 3.2 banning concealed carry in daycare and preschools; Item 4.3 banning ghost guns; and Item 6.8 requiring gun stores to report lost or stolen guns within 48 hours. They promised next time to bring in some experts from “both sides”. We’ll see if they follow up on this, but we’ve reached out to help facilitate it.

At the time of this writing, Edgewater has not set a date for the next work session. We’ll keep you updated.

Thank you to everyone who spoke up. Gun control is like a cancer that will spread if we aren’t diligent every time it tries to rear it’s ugly head. You may not live in Edgewater, but your community is watching – and hopefully taking note that the people won’t be happy if they try to bring this to your town.

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Edgewater, CO Wants To Strip Nearly All Gun Rights From Their Law Abiding Citizens

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Edgewater, CO Wants To Strip Nearly All Gun Rights From Their Law Abiding Citizens

 

The small city of Edgewater, Colorado has a population of about 5,000 people and a police force of a whopping 15 officers. Yet they are about to turn their safe little town into the gun control virtue signaling capital of the state.

If you’re a resident, know residents, or even simply travel through or to Edgewater, please make sure to speak up and share this information.

According to an Edgewater City Council agenda for the April 19th meeting, the following will be considered for passage:

  • Prohibiting open carry city-wide.
  • Prohibiting concealed carry in city-owned buildings and areas, including:
    • Civic Center and city parks.
  • Prohibiting conceal carry in other areas and buildings in Edgewater, including:
    • Bars and liquor stores.
    • Daycare centers and preschools.
    • Medical facilities, including hospitals.
    • Mental Health Care facilities and substance abuse treatment facilities
    • Event venues, theaters, etc.
  • Banning specific weapons, including:
    • So-called “assault weapons” (which includes commonly owned semi-automatic rifles).
    • Large capacity magazines.
    • So-called “ghost guns” (guns made by individuals from parts, but which lack serial numbers).
    • Trigger activators such as bump stocks.
    • Certain ammunition, such as 50-caliber, or armor piercing.
  • Purchase and transfer of weapons, including:
    • Setting a minimum age of 21 for all weapons and establishing a waiting period of 3-10 days.
  • Regulating gun dealers with such things as (but not all inclusive):
    • Extensive on-site security including video surveillance, steel bars, locked up firearms, behind counter storage of all guns, among other things.
    • Prohibiting the display of firearms and ammunition in windows.
    • Increasing standards for all employees.
    • Periodic inventory reporting.
    • Required reporting of certain sales.
    • Required signage on gun violence issues.
    • Prohibiting retail in residential neighborhoods.

The city council will be discussing all these measures during their scheduled meeting at 6:30pm Tuesday, April 19th. You can attend the meeting in-person or virtual.

In-person: 1800 Harlan St, Edgewater, CO 80214

Virtual: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/593941517

CLICK HERE to email the entire council at once.

If you have trouble using that link, here is a simple list you can copy/paste into your email client.

JBeltrone@EdgewaterCO.com,CReid-Vanas@EdgewaterCO.com,BBerg@EdgewaterCO.com,CEarp@EdgewaterCO.com,HGayKeao@EdgewaterCO.com,LDonevan@EdgewaterCO.com,LSteirer@EdgewaterCO.com,SConklin@EdgewaterCO.com

More on this story from Complete Colorado: https://pagetwo.completecolorado.com/2022/04/15/city-of-edgewater-to-consider-sweeping-gun-rights-restrictions-concealed-carry-among-targets/

 


Donate & Get A Sticker!

Help us fight the radical gun control extremists throughout Colorado by making a donation of $5 or more and get your choice of one of these weatherproof, scratch resistant stickers that are made in the U.S.A.

CLICK HERE to get yours!

*Contributions are not tax deductible.