Date: 03/05/2007
Final
BILL SUMMARY for HB07-1174
SENATE COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY
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01:36 PM -- House Bill 07-1174
Senator Bacon addressed the committee regarding HB07-1174, concerning a repeal of the prohibition against a statewide database for persons holding permits to carry concealed handguns.
01:37 PM
Mr. Anthony Fabian, Colorado State Shooting Association, spoke in opposition to HB07-1174. Mr. Fabian discussed current Colorado concealed carry laws and said the state does not need a concealed carry permit database. Mr. Fabian discussed various instances where individuals who are legally permitted to carry a concealed handgun were targeted by law enforcement agencies because they have a permit to carry a concealed handgun. Senator Shaffer asked Mr. Fabian about the history of concealed carry legislation. Mr. Fabian discussed the initial bill concerning permits to carry concealed handguns. The committee and Mr. Fabian exchanged dialogue concerning various concealed carry situations (Attachment A and B).
02:05 PM
Mr. Jim Winchester, representing himself, spoke in support of HB07-1174. Mr. Winchester discussed the 2003 concealed carry legislation. Mr. Winchester stated the 2003 concealed carry legislation had a sunset provision in the bill because no one in the legislature or anyone associated with the bill knew how the bill would work if passed. Mr. Winchester stated HB07-1174 should have a sunset provision so that its effectiveness can be evaluated. The committee and Mr. Winchester exchanged dialogue concerning various concealed carry situations.
02:37 PM
Mr. Dave Gill, representing himself, spoke in opposition to HB07-1174. Mr. Gill discussed the process that a person must go through to obtain a concealed carry permit. Mr. Gill stated that gun ownership or gun permit lists have routinely been abused by law enforcement agencies.
02:40 PM
Mr. Robert Edmiston, Firearms Coalition of Colorado, spoke in opposition to HB07-1174. Mr. Edmiston discussed the sunset provision of the 2003 legislation and said the sunset clause needs to take effect as originally intended. Mr. Edmiston said the state has misplaced laptops and other data storage devices that contain personal information of many citizens of Colorado. Mr. Edmiston further stated that having another list only places more people in danger of having their personal information stolen.
02:43 PM
Mr. Chris Olson, Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, spoke in support of HB07-1174. Mr. Olson stated the information contained in the concealed carry database is very useful for local law enforcement agencies. Mr. Olson stated there have been many instances where a concealed carry permit holder has committed various crimes. He further stated he would like to see the bill passed without any sunset provision. The committee and Mr. Olson exchanged dialogue regarding individuals obtaining a concealed weapon permits and the sunset provision (Attachment C).
03:13 PM
Ms. Leslie Darrow, Colorado Ceasefire, spoke in support of HB07-1174. Ms. Darrow stated this bill relates to public safety and is a common sense law.
03:16 PM
Ms. Susan Kitchen, Colorado Department of Public Safety, spoke in support of HB07-1174. Ms. Kitchen discussed many of the committee's concerns, including the use of the concealed carry database, how the database works, and the person of interest files. Ms. Kitchen stated the concealed carry database was in place well before the 2003 legislation.
03:25 PM
Sheriff Bill Frangis, Elbert County Sheriff's Office, spoke in support of HB07-1174. Sheriff Frangis stated that he has not submitted concealed carry information to the state database because he, like many of the gun owners in his county, do not agree with categorizing gun owners. Sheriff Frangis stated he is now in agreement with the database and with the current bill.
03:32 PM
Sheriff Doug Darr, County Sheriffs of Colorado, spoke in support of HB07-1174. Sheriff Darr stated the sheriffs, in general, presume that concealed carry permit owners are law abiding citizens. Sheriff Darr stated the database provides him and other law enforcement agencies information on changes to an individual's criminal record. Sheriff Darr stated that many times concealed carry permits are revoked and the individuals who have their permits revoked do not destroy or surrender their concealed carry permit. He further stated that his department marks in the database when a concealed carry permit has been revoked and the only way a law enforcement officer is aware of a revoked permit is by checking the database.
03:47 PM
Senator Bacon asked that the bill be taken off the table so amendments to the language could be discussed among his constituents and the departments involved. Senator Shaffer took the bill off the table.
03:48 AM
The committee recessed.