DENVER | A package of gun control measures won initial approval in Colorado’s Democratic-controlled House Friday night, with Vice President Joe Biden personally phoning four lawmakers from his ski vacation in the state to speed along the emotional debate.
Biden phoned three freshmen legislators along with Democratic House Speaker Mark Ferrandino. The calls came amid a long debate over the proposals, including expanded background checks and ammunition limits — responses to mass shootings, including the killings at a Colorado movie theater.
In all, the House gave the initial OK to four bills after a daylong debate. The preliminary votes set up final actions on the measures Monday.
The Democratic gun-control package that advanced also includes banning concealed weapons on public college campuses, and requiring that gun buyers pay for their background checks.
One of the freshmen Biden called, Democratic Rep. Tony Exum, hails from conservative Colorado Springs and said he had no idea who would be on the line when a “restricted” number rang his cellphone during afternoon debate.
“He said, ‘This is Vice President Joe Biden.’ I said, ‘No way!’” Exum recalled with a chuckle after the call.
Exum said that Biden repeatedly called him “chief,” a reference to Exum’s former service as a fire chief. Exum said Friday night that his mind was already made up to support the gun-control measures, but Biden asked about the package’s prospects. Exum said prospects were good and that he was happy to hear from the vice president on Colorado’s gun debate.
Biden also talked to Democratic Rep. Mike McLachlan, whose southwest Colorado district includes more Republicans than Democrats.
The vice president also called Democratic Rep. Dominick Moreno, a lawmaker from suburban Denver.
“We just had a brief conversation about what we’re doing today and emphasized the importance of Colorado’s role in shaping national policy around this issue,” he said. Asked what he thought Biden meant, Moreno said, “Well, I can only speculate, but I think mostly because Colorado is such a politically moderate state.”
Biden left a message for Ferrandino but didn’t speak to him.
The vice president was in Snowmass, just outside Aspen, for a holiday weekend skiing trip with his granddaughters.
Colorado’s votes capping magazine sizes and expanding required background checks to private sales came amid 12 hours of debate. The votes were preliminary and unrecorded, but they were the first chance for many lawmakers to debate gun control after mass shootings last year in Aurora, Colo., and Newtown, Conn.
“These high-capacity weapons have no place outside the fields of war,” said Rep. Rhonda Fields, an Aurora Democrat who sponsored the ammunition bill, which limits magazines to 15 rounds, with a more restrictive eight-round limit for shotguns. The bill makes an exception for magazines that people already have in their possession.
Republicans spent hours arguing that the limit violates Second Amendment rights. They also cited a Colorado gun manufacturer that has threatened to leave Colorado if the measure becomes law. The bill was amended to exempt that company, but Republicans still argued against the measure.
“We are not safer by limiting the constitutional rights of law-abiding firearm owners,” said Republican Rep. Frank McNulty.
A few Democrats appeared to agree Friday, though an exact vote count won’t be known until recorded votes are taken Monday. GOP leaders were hoping gun activists would spend the weekend pressuring rural Democrats like Rep. Ed Vigil of southern Colorado, the only Democrat who argued Friday against any ammunition limit.
“We should be going down the path of making mental health available to people who really need it,” Vigil argued.
The gun debate was at times emotional and pointed. One gun lobbyist was asked to leave the Capitol after a heated exchange off the floor with a Republican lawmaker who said the lobbyist was falsely accusing her of considering voting for the gun-control measures. The gallery was at times packed with gun-rights activists.
Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper has said favors some of the gun-control measures. Hickenlooper supports expanded background checks and indicated Thursday that he could support a potential amendment on magazine sizes, if the restriction was between 15 and 20 rounds.
He also said he thinks gun purchasers should pay for their background checks, but he had not made up his mind yet about the ban on concealed firearms on colleges.
All of the proposals still need to be considered by Democrat-controlled Senate.
Democrats in the Legislature said the time is right to limit gun access and magazine sizes to prevent more shootings.
“This is about kids who have been shot, over and over and over again,” said Democratic Rep. Crisanta Duran said. “I am tired of seeing kids die, year after year, after year, after year.”
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Find Ivan Moreno at https://twitter.com/IvanJourno and Kristen Wyatt at https://www.twitter.com/APkristenwyatt.
I am confused and disappointed, Colorado democrats say this gun legislation is necessary to prevent more shooting. How will any of the proposed legislation prevent any more shooting? At best the legislation that passed in the house will criminalize more behavior, ensnare current law abiding citizens and give those prone to criminal behavior more laws to thumb their noses at.
Critical analysis of past shooting should include the fact that psyhotropic drugs were involved in all of the shooting the democrats are using as the types of shooting they want to prevent. A discussion of behavior might lead to a solutions rather than feel good legislation.
This critical thinking process being used by Colorado’s democrats would also claim that cars kill over 40,000 people per year, ignore the role alcohol plays; they could pass a law that make it illegal for more than one person to be in a vehicle as the solution for stoping the deaths from car accidents.
Can we get less cheer leading, more critical thinking, and realistic legislation.
This does not seem to be a “debate” to me, it is another “jam it down the throat” agenda, similar to Obama care. I’m a Viet Nam veteran and know what weapons do to a human. You are not going to stop a criminal or insane murderer with these laws, I’m not sure you can even slow them down much.
To casual observer: Excellent points, clearly stated. Thanks!
When Vice President Biden called, did he giggle and laugh a lot? God forbid something happens to Obama, (whom I don”t like), and Biden takes the helm or our country.
1 law that would help would be to make it mandatory that anyone convicted of assault with a weapon, lethal domestic case, or really over the line mental cases diagnosed by more than one care provider, to report that individual to state dtabase and federal database. Map shown today show less than half of U.S. require such reporting. Most are voluntary reporting. Next , it would help to ensure most K12 students complete 12 years of schooling or reach age 16, before dropping out. Majority of deaths among young people are blacks killing blacks, as reported by Juan Williams on Fox News today. And the Aurora shootings were done by Democratic youth or from Democratic families. Not NRA or Conservatives.. I believe gun control folks are more interested in gun fees, taxes, and control, than saving youth from themselves.
Next up for the agenda, limits on free speech and press. After all, hate speech hurts people. The government should also be able to search your house now and then, I’m sure your willing to give up a few more rights to stop a few more criminals.