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.

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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.

 

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.



 

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.



Recap Of Denver’s Really Messy Concealed Carry Ban Hearing

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

CO Governor Issues Exec Order Altering Concealed Carry Permit Requirements Amid Coronavirus Outbreak

In case you missed the news last week about Denver’s unprecedented move to ban concealed carry in city parks and buildings owned by, leased by, or leased to the City of Denver, it was probably because the mainstream media completely ignored it. But we’re all over it.

The first hearing took place on Wednesday, April 13 in the Denver Safety, Housing, Education & Homelessness Committee. At the end of the meeting it was decided to postpone “action” until the many questions and concerns brought up during the meeting could be addressed. They will bring it back to this committee on April 27th.  CLICK HERE to email the entire committee at once.

The hearing was a mess. Assistant City Attorney Reggie Nubine led the presentation, which you can watch HERE. After his presentation, the public was invited to speak on the proposal. Of the 12 who had signed up, 2 were ultimately unavailable when it came time to speak, 7 spoke against the proposal, and 3 spoke in favor. This was followed by an extensive amount of discussion among the council and committee members. Question after question came up that no one from the City Attorney’s office was able to answer, something that anyone should find incredibly alarming while trying to push rights-crushing laws for their citizens.

I’ll break down some of the more glaring questions here:

Why are they doing this?

It’s part of the “Mayor’s Vision” as laid out in the 2022 Public Safety Action Plan (page 5, City Attorney’s Office, item 2).

It was pointed out that in the Mayor’s actual Safety Plan document it says “Developing and implementing a Conceal Carry Ban in city-owned facilities” and nowhere does it mention “leased to or leased by” buildings, or parks. When asked about the expansion to include this additional criteria, a representative for the city attorney’s office stumbled with an answer only to eventually say they were sure it was part of a “future plan”.

How will this law be enforced? Will they implement stop and frisk policies?

They will be relying on a “see something, say something” policy as enforcement. For example if someone inside a library were to think they may have seen a concealed firearm when another patron bends over, the person who saw it is supposed to report it to the library staff who will then report it to local law enforcement to handle. Because we all know cops have nothing better to do with their time in Denver.

No answer about stop and frisk policies.

If this is a “see something, say something” enforcement policy that relies on citizens policing citizens then engaging law enforcement, does it open the door to racial profiling? Could a person simply call the police on a black person in a park and say they saw a hidden gun and have that person be targeted by law enforcement? 

No answer, of course.

What would be the step by step law enforcement protocol to handling these reports?

No one had any idea.

What are the demographic trends of concealed carry permit holders over the past 5 years? 

No one has looked into this.

What other constitutional rights are fully banned on public property in Denver?

None that anyone is aware of.

Are parking lots included and with the requirement to now leave firearms in cars instead of carrying on body, are they creating a bigger problem that could lead to even more increased firearm theft, as there is hard data behind the use of stolen firearms in crime?

No parking lots are not included in the ban. Crickets on the rest.

What about parks outside of Denver owned by the city of Denver? Several were mentioned including parks in Cherry Creek, Douglas County, and Winter Park. Had the city attorney’s office corresponded with law enforcement in these areas to see if they are willing to enforce such a ban?

Yes, it does include parks outside of Denver if they are owned by the city of Denver – and turns out there are a lot. Park rangers are in charge of these parks but they would not be in charge of enforcement, instead they would be expected to report anyone they may suspect of concealed carrying a firearm to local law enforcement who would be responsible for enforcement. Yet no one actually asked those local law enforcement agencies how they felt about this.

Why are the only stakeholders anti-gun groups and have they reached out to groups representing those with concealed carry permits?

During the presentation, a slide showing stakeholders as Everytown for Gun Safety, Ceasefire, and Moms Demand Action was presented. Glaringly absent from stakeholders was anyone who actually works with those who own firearms and exercise their right to self defense. When asked if they’d reached to other groups, their answer was no, and again, a whole lot of stumbling around an answer took place.

What is the process when obtaining a concealed carry permit in Denver? Do they inform the recipient of local laws?

Fingerprinting, background check, completed training – and no, they don’t inform permit recipients of the laws, they are expected to know them.

How much would signage cost?

No one knows but they anticipate doing it in a phased plan that would update signage language as signs need replaced.

So, what’s next? The same committee will reconvene to discuss again on April 27, 2022 at which time hopefully the questions above will be answered. It’s unknown at this time if they will be accepting public comment again but regardless citizens can and should attend in person if possible.

During the meeting, one councilwoman gave a tone deaf speech about how even though they know they can’t enforce laws like this, it sends a “message” to the community that guns aren’t welcome here. Well, legal guns anyway. I can’t help but point out how everything she said goes against #2 in their larger vision because as is obvious from all of the questions above, there are some glaring issues with this increasing negative law enforcement contact with the public.

 

 

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 Moves To Ban Concealed Carry In Public Parks & Buildings – SPEAK UP NOW!

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Denver Moves To Ban Concealed Carry In Public Parks & Buildings – SPEAK UP NOW!

In an unprecedented, yet unsurprising move, Denver City Council will begin the process to outlaw the legal concealed carry of handguns in public parks and buildings that are owned by, leased by, or leased to the City of Denver.

Because, ya know, criminals totally care about concealed carry permits and gun laws.

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.

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.

Here are the details and we need YOU to speak up! 

The proposed legislation is File #22-0401: Amends Chapters 38 & 39 of the Denver Revised Municipal Code to prohibit concealed carry within city parks and buildings owned by, leased by, or leased to the city. 

The first hearing on this issue will be Wednesday, April 13 at 10:30AM in the Denver Safety, Housing, Education & Homelessness Committee. This meeting is virtual only and will include a briefing, followed by 15 minutes of public comment (2 minutes each), discussion among council members, then action. If it passes this committee, it will then move on to the full city council and will be heard at a future regular meeting. We will keep you updated on it’s progress.

To provide public comment, you must sign up between 9AM and 10AM on Wednesday, April 13 (you cannot sign up before). To sign up (again, during that time only) go to www.denvergov.org/councilpublicinput and click on “Public Input in Committee” and follow the prompts from there.

The meeting will be held virtually via Zoom. Link to participate/watch: zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SrJLqP3TTRqWZrnyFczQ1A
Password: DENVER

CLICK HERE to email every committee member at once.

If you are a Denver resident, work in Denver, or travel to or through Denver often, we need you to speak up and take action on this!

Feel free to contact us with any questions and we’ll do our best to get them answered.

Read more about the proposed legislation here: https://denver.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=5545923&GUID=AECE25F5-02A6-4F05-AFDB-5A6738F0A104&Options=ID%7CText%7C&Search=22-0401

Download and read through the proposed presentation documents:

BR22 0401 CAO City Building Gun Prohibition v14
BR22 0401 CAO Concealed Carry
City Building Gun Prohibition (committee)
Concealed Carry FAQs
Concealed Carry PPT – Safety Cmte 4.13 (1)
Concealed Carry PPT – Safety Cmte 4.13

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.

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*Contributions are not tax deductible.



New CO Gun Law Could Have Disarmed Johnny Hurley

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

New CO Gun Law Could Have Disarmed Johnny Hurley

Two days prior to a violent madman with a vengeance being killed by an armed citizen with a concealed carry permit, Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a bill that would allow any locality in the state to ban concealed carry. To be exact, the bill allows for counties, municipalities, special districts, and college campuses to ban what the terrified demanding moms kept referring to as “hidden guns” during the hours of bill testimony. For reference, Colorado has 64 counties, 217 municipalities, 2800 special districts, and 62 college campuses. The gun control extremists elected to the state legislature, along with the governor, somehow felt THIS was going to make society a safer place. Arvada proved a different story.

On Monday, June 22nd Johnny Hurley was in the Arvada Army Navy Surplus store when he heard 15-20 shots from a rifle or tactical shotgun in the square not even 50 yards away. A deranged individual had ambushed Arvada police officer Gordon Beesley, taking his life in a matter of seconds. According to first hand accounts of what happened next, Hurley exited the store in the direction of the gunfire. The madman briefly went out of view behind the library after firing the initial 10-15 shots. Johnny shouted at onlookers behind him to stay inside and hide because the gunman was coming back. Johnny used this as an opportunity to run towards the library where the shooter was and hide behind a brick wall. Upon the shooter walking again back toward the square, Johnny pulled out his concealed pistol and shot 5-6 rounds toward the suspect, killing him. What happened next remains under investigation, but Arvada PD has released that Hurley was shot by a responding Arvada police officer claiming Hurley was holding the shooters rifle. Arvada police are not equipped with bodycams, so the investigation is ongoing.

Situations like this are chaotic, fast, and fluid. Anyone who runs toward gunfire knows there is a chance they may not make it out alive. But heroes like Johnny are willing to take the risk, and we will never know how many lives Johnny saved that day, because when lives aren’t lost, it’s much harder for the gun grabbers to get a body count to exploit in an effort to push for their next ineffective gun control law.

Yet these are the people, the Johnnys of the world, are who our lawmakers wish to disarm, and laws like SB21-256 which I referenced above are evidence.  They never ask themselves how they can stop the madman. They will never ask if their fever pitch, yet hollow, anti-police rhetoric over the past year pushed this evil individual to feel he was justified in his desire to ambush police, innocent bystanders be damned. Hell, maybe this guy even believed he was doing it on their behalf. I say their rhetoric is hollow because it is. If they truly cared about law enforcement reform and decreasing citizen-police interaction, they wouldn’t create a bill that allows 3,143 different localities within the state to create different laws affecting gun owners of every race, gender, creed, and sexual orientation, which SB21-256 did. Their hollow virtue signaling is dangerous.

Johnny Hurley was a friend to many freedom fighters in Colorado. I met him briefly in 2019 when I spoke regularly about Colorado’s Red Flag law. He was a supporter and protector of all our rights. He spoke frequently about his desire to protect others, if need be.

According to friend Elliot Darling:

“He always had the gun with him, and we were always like, ‘What are you going to do with that?’ And he was like, ‘Well one day, you never know.’ And of course, that one day came, and he was prepared.”

Patrons who were in nearby restaurants when shots rang out continue to leave comments on a GoFundMe set up for Johnny by a friend, thanking him for his heroic acts.

“My parents and I were in the Schoolhouse restaurant when shots rang out. I have two small kids at home and I thought I would never see them again. John is a true hero and I am forever in debt to him. My heart breaks for the loss of his life. Prayers to his family and friends.” – Brittany M.

“John saved my and my girlfriends life. We were in the direct line of fire, in the So Radish restaurant. Bullets came through the window and we took cover under the table as the shooting continued. Knowing we were trapped and easy targets if the gunman came in, we ran to the back of the restaurant. I have no doubt whatsoever that if John had not taken an active role in stopping the gunman, many more innocent people would have died. I wish I could thank him in person and I wish I could give much more. I won’t forget him for as long as I live. Thank you John for your bravery!!!” – Tory F.

It’s also worth noting the store Johnny was in was not a gun free zone. Had it been, he may have left his firearm in the car, like gun rights supporter Denny Stong, who was killed unarmed during the March massacre inside a nearby Boulder King Soopers. Twenty year old Stong had just returned from shooting when he was killed. He had told friends and family he couldn’t wait to turn 21 so he could get his concealed carry permit. In Kroger stores like King Soopers though, even if he had been 21, that would have been against their “gun free” policy – a policy that does nothing to stop those wishing to do harm but certainly does stop many who don’t want to break the rules.

I’ll end with a powerful statement a friend and fellow supporter of the right to self defense, Greg Powers, wrote:

When the gun control extremists start with the narrative that citizens should not carry weapons or intervene in dangerous situations, our verbal response should be logical and directly to the point of motivation behind responding to these situations.

In Florida, Officer Scot Peterson was getting paid while he stood outside Marjory Stoneman high school for 48 minutes listening to rifle fire while a shooter walked through the school unimpeded. In Arvada, armed citizen Johnny Hurley voluntarily RAN toward the gunfire in less than a minute to save lives. He shot the suspect and ended the attack. If shit hits the fan near your loved ones, who would you rather have nearby?

Chances are unless someone is running errands alone, they will be out with friends or family. Eating Dinner, shopping, etc. They will be the first responder not only for themselves, but for their friends/family. Asking them to wait for police to respond and then interpret the situation (who/where are the bad guys etc.) is going to be too late. If an armed parent had been outside Marjory Stoneman when the shooting began, I guarantee they would have done the same thing Johnny Hurley did in Arvada and run toward the sound of gunfire. They would NOT be sitting outside for 48 minutes thinking “gee, I hope my kid is ok”

Rest in Peace Mr. Hurley.

Johnny Hurley will always hold a special place in my heart as a hero, right up there with Kendrick Castillo, the brave 18 year old young man who rushed a fellow student, and killer, during the 2019 STEM School Shooting. Because of Kendrick’s actions that day, none of his classmates died, although he did.

Here is a link to Johnny’s GoFundMe: https://www.gofundme.com/f/good-samaritan-john-hurley

Here is a link to an event to honor Johnny on Saturday, June 26th at 1pm in Longmont, CO: https://www.facebook.com/events/541045126925632

BREAKING: Multiple Gun Control Bills Head To CO Governor’s Desk

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

BREAKING: Multiple Gun Control Bills Head To CO Governor's Desk

It didn’t take long for gun control extremists in the Colorado State Legislature to gut the Second Amendment this year – 111 days to be exact. Three more gun control bills are now headed to Governor Jared Polis’ desk for final signature. This is on top of two other gun control bills he’s already signed this legislative session, which went into full swing Feb 16, 2021 and is expected to end no later than June 12, 2021.

Here’s what is heading to the governor

SB21-256 Local Regulation Of Firearms

• Repeals Colorado’s 2003 Firearm Preemption Law and replaces it with language that allows localities and municipalities to create their own firearm laws as long as they are MORE restrictive than state law.
• This bill would allow for any county or municipality to ban the possession, sale, or transfer of a firearm, ammunition or firearm accessory within their jurisdiction; and would allow any county, municipality, special district, or college campus to ban concealed carry. For reference there are 217 municipalities, 64 counties, 2,800 special districts, and 62 college campuses.
• Bill goes into effect upon Governor’s signature. With the passage of this bill, the Second Amendment fight will now move from the State Capitol in Denver to your backyard.

Contact Governor Jared Polis and ask he veto this very dangerous bill: governorpolis@state.co.us / (303) 866-2885

HB21-1298 Expand Firearm Background Check Requirements

• Adds 11 misdemeanors to the list of background check disqualifiers, prohibiting purchase and possession for 5 years from date of conviction. This bill does work retroactively so anyone who has been convicted of one of these 11 misdemeanors in the past five years will now be prohibited persons.
• Removes the option for FFLs to transfer a firearm to new owner if background check is formally delayed for more than 3 days.
• Extends the time agencies have to review a background check denial from 30 days to 60 days, and allows for indefinite denial without disposition in certain instances.
• Bill goes into effect upon Governor’s signature.

Contact Governor Jared Polis and ask he veto this bill: governorpolis@state.co.us / (303) 866-2885

HB21-1299 Office Of Gun Violence Prevention

• Creates a new entity within Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDHPE) called the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
• This office will be asked to “…increase the awareness of, and educate the general public about, state and federal laws and existing resources relating to gun-violence prevention.” That includes how to safely store guns, how to report a lost or stolen weapon, how to access mental health care and how to utilize Colorado’s Red Flag Law. They will also be tasked with so-called “evidence based” data collection.
• The office will be responsible for distributing grants to non-profit agencies and groups who will work within communities to implement “evidence based” gun safety action based on their “evidence based” data collection.
• Democrats rejected amendments that would have prevented these grants from going to groups who involve themselves in electoral politics, such as Moms Demand Action, because taxpayers should not be funding their push to elect so-called “Gun Sense Candidates”.
• The office will also track and publish what local firearm laws are in place across the state, as they assumed SB21-256 would pass when writing this bill. They are requesting $3 million dollars for fiscal year 2021-2022. 

Contact Governor Jared Polis and ask he veto this bill: governorpolis@state.co.us / (303) 866-2885

Here’s what’s already been signed

HB21-1106 Mandatory Safe Storage of Firearms

• Requires firearms be “safely stored” in homes where children or prohibited persons could gain access. 
• Exceptions are if the firearm is being carried on body or within such close proximity it is readily available as if it was being carried on body.
• Acceptable safe storage techniques include trigger locks, gun safes, bio-metric triggers, or a container that appears locked (yes, it really says that).
• Failure to comply is a Class 2 misdemeanor.
• Law takes effect July 1, 2021.

 

SB21-078 Mandatory Reporting of Lost and Stolen Guns

• Requires a person who discovers a firearm lost or stolen to report it to law enforcement within 5 days.
• Failure to comply is a $25 civil infraction.
• Bill was amended to give immunity to anyone who violated the safe storage law and had their firearm lost or stolen.
• Law goes into effect 90 days after adjournment of 2021 Colorado General Assembly (sometime in September 2021).

What can you do now?  Become a watchdog in your own community.  Pay attention to your county commissioners, city/town council, local colleges and universities, and so on. Alert us if anything comes on your radar. If you’re interested in organizing within college campuses, please also reach out. That fight is going to be immediate.

 

Your donations are needed to help keep Rally for our Rights going and growing!  This year has already been brutal for gun owners and it’s just getting started. Make a contribution today!

Donate here or
click the donate button below:

* Contributions are not tax deductible

SPEAK UP! OPPOSE Colorado Gun Control So Extreme It Could Ban Firearm Possession In YOUR Community

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

gun control bills colorado

Take Action NOW! 

Please consider providing public comment/testimony during the hearings! This can be done either in person or remotely. If you are unable to provide public comment (and even if you do) please contact each member of the committees and ask they vote NO on these bills!

SB21-256 Local Regulation Of Firearms

• Repeals Colorado’s 2003 Firearm Preemption Law and replaces it with language that allows localities and municipalities to create their own firearm laws as long as they are not LESS restrictive than state law.
• This bill would allow for any county or municipality to ban the possession, sale, or transfer of a firearm or firearm accessory within their jurisdiction; and would allow any county, municipality, special district, or college campus to ban concealed carry.

House State, Civic, Military & Veterans Affairs Committee Hearing on SB21-256
Monday, May 24
1:30pm
(Note: Four bills will be heard in this same committee. SB21-256 is the fourth bill to be heard.)

Testify in person:
Colorado State Capitol
LSB-A
Denver, CO

Testify via WebEx:
Click here to register
(If you need instructions on how to register via WebEx or what to expect testifying in person, please visit our Legislative Watch page: www.rallyforourrights.com/legislative-watch)

Passed Senate Chamber on May 18, 2021.

HB21-1298 Expand Firearm Background Check Requirements

• Adds 11 misdemeanors to the list of background check disqualifiers.
• Removes the option for FFLs to transfer a firearm to new owner if background check is formally delayed for more than 3 days.
• Extends the time agencies have to review a background check denial from 30 days to 60 days, and allows for indefinite denial without disposition in certain instances.

Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee Hearing on HB21-1298
Tuesday, May 25
2:00pm
(Note: Eight bills will be heard in this same committee. HB21-1298 is the fifth bill to be heard.)

Testify in person:
Colorado State Capitol
Old Supreme Court
Denver, CO

Testify via WebEx:
Click here to register
(If you need instructions on how to register via WebEx or what to expect testifying in person, please visit our Legislative Watch page: www.rallyforourrights.com/legislative-watch)

Passed House Chamber on May 17, 2021.

HB21-1299 Office Of Gun Violence Prevention

• Creates a new entity within Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDHPE) called the Office of Gun Violence Prevention.
• This office will be asked to “…increase the awareness of, and educate the general public about, state and federal laws and existing resources relating to gun-violence prevention.” That includes how to safely store guns, how to report a lost or stolen weapon, how to access mental health care and how to utilize Colorado’s Red Flag Law. They will also be tasked with so-called “evidence based” data collection.
• The office will also track and publish what local firearm laws are in place across the state, as they assume SB21-256 will pass (read below about this atrocious bill). They are requesting $3 million dollars for fiscal year 2021-2022.

Senate State, Veterans, & Military Affairs Committee Hearing on HB21-1298
Tuesday, May 25
2:00pm
(Note: Eight bills will be heard in this same committee. HB21-1299 is the seventh bill to be heard.)

Testify in person:
Colorado State Capitol
Old Supreme Court
Denver, CO

Testify via WebEx:
Click here to register
(If you need instructions on how to register via WebEx or what to expect testifying in person, please visit our Legislative Watch page: www.rallyforourrights.com/legislative-watch)

Passed House Chamber on May 17, 2021.

 

Your donations are needed to help keep Rally for our Rights going and growing!  This year is already looking to be brutal for gun owners and will be keeping us busy. Make a contribution today!

Donate here or
click the donate button below:
www.rallyforourrights.com/donate

* Contributions are not tax deductible

Concealed Carry Banned Under Proposed Colorado Control Gun Law

Posted on by Lesley Hollywood

Concealed Carry Banned Under Proposed Colorado Gun Law

In light of the tragic mass shooting at a King Soopers in Boulder, the gun control extremists in the Colorado legislature are taking aim at concealed carry. It should be noted the Boulder shooter did not have a concealed carry permit, nor did he attempt to conceal his firearm.

SB21-256 Local Regulation of Firearms essentially repeals and replaces the 2003 firearm preemption law in Colorado Revised Statutes which prohibits local governments from creating firearm laws that would differ from state law. This 2003 law is important because if each of our 64 counties and 271 municipalities had different laws regulating firearms, things could get pretty messy for gun owners who have every intention of obeying the law.

This bill would replace the preemption language with new language stating firearm laws are, in fact, a matter of local concern, and local governments can enact their own laws but ONLY if they are more strict than state law – otherwise those Second Amendment Sanctuary Counties would grow some teeth.

In the day and age of criminal justice reform being such an important and versed issue, it would seem most plausible they wouldn’t want to make it harder for people to obey the law. That obviously doesn’t apply to gun owners.

SB21-256 changes current preemption language to state a “…local government may enact an ordinance, regulation, or other law governing or prohibiting the sale, purchase, transfer or possession of a firearm, ammunition, or firearm component or accessory that a person may lawfully sell, purchase, transfer, or possess under state or federal law.”

This means any of those 64 counties or 271 towns and cities would be able to restrict firearms to whatever level their governing body should choose. Undoubtedly Second Amendment court challenges would follow…

The bill then goes on to add “…a local government, including a special district, or the governing board of an institution of higher education many enact an ordinance, resolution, rule, or other regulation that prohibits a permittee from carrying a concealed handgun in a building or specific area within the local government’s or governing board’s jurisdiction.”

This language allows for any of those 64 counties, 271 towns and cities, 2,800 special districts, or 64 colleges to ban concealed carry whenever and wherever they’d like within their jurisdiction. Does this mean just parks and government buildings? Or downtown areas?  Or can they choose to ban concealed carry within their entire city or county limits? From the way the bill is currently worded, they’d be able to ban it at city or county limits.  And have no doubt, many cities would love to enact a conceal carry ban and strip their citizens of the right to self defense.

So, quick recap: After a madman murdered 10 people in a grocery store, in a state where violent crime is skyrocketing, the solution lawmakers have come up with to prevent tragedies like this from happening again is to strip responsible gun owners, and those worried for their own self protection, of their right to self defense in their own towns, counties, and even on college campuses where 1 in 5 women are sexually assaulted.

Many may think this bill is a knee-jerk reaction, but have no doubt, it is an intentional swipe at the firearm preemption law that has been in place since 2003. Ten days before the Boulder King Soopers shooting, a Boulder County District Judge overturned a City of Boulder ordinance banning so-called “assault weapons” along with magazines over 10 rounds. Virtue signaling gun grabbers like to use this example as to why the preemption law needs repealed. What they fail to mention is Boulder’s own set of gun laws would have done nothing to stop the shooter.  He didn’t live in Boulder.  He didn’t purchase his firearm in Boulder.  The heinous acts he committed are already highly illegal and would have carried a maximum sentence of the death penalty had Colorado not repealed it in 2020.  The only other crime committed by the Boulder shooter that would have been covered under Boulder’s own specific town laws is the open carrying of a long gun outside of the vehicle in the King Soopers parking lot – before he began his massacre. That part of the Boulder ordinance was NOT overturned by the judge, yet the Boulder DA has not added it to his list of charges.  The Boulder DA also has not added the crime of lying on ATF Form 4473 which the shooter did when he answered yes to question 21(c): if he’d ever been convicted of a crime that carried a maximum penalty of 12 months or more in prison even if he received a lesser sentence including probation. In 2017 he was convicted of Third Degree Assault which is a Misdemeanor 1 carrying a maximum sentence of 18 months in prison. Lying on ATF Form 4473 is a felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison.

This bill passed the Senate State, Veterans and Military Affairs committee on Tuesday, May 11th.  It has not yet been scheduled for Second Reading in the Senate.

Please email your State Senators and ask they vote NO on this atrocious bill! 

Not sure who your State Senator is? Look them up HERE.
If you know who your State Senator is but need contact info, find all their info on our Elected Officials page HERE.

Follow all Colorado gun related legislation at our Legislative Watch page HERE.

 

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