In a party-line vote of 8-3 late Tuesday, the Colorado House Judiciary Committee passed a bill to tighten concealed handgun permit requirements.
The legislation (House Bill 24-1174) requires gun owners to complete an eight-hour in-person class that includes a live-fire exercise, demonstrating competence with a firearm, a written exam, and a refresher course to renew a permit.
The proposed law was introduced by House Majority Leader Monica Duran (D-Wheat Ridge) and state Rep. Marc Snyder (D-Manitou Springs), with state Sen. Kyle Mullica (D-Thornton) sponsoring in the Senate.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Duran stated, “This policy is key to ensure our concealed carry permits are well-regulated,” emphasizing the importance of safety and informed gun ownership.
Nearly four hours of testimony preceded the bill’s passage, with around 100 individuals in attendance.
Supporters, who praised the bill for its potential to enhance public safety, included East High School students affiliated with Students Demand Action, Jane Dougherty — the sister of Mary Sherlach, the school psychologist who was tragically killed during the Sandy Hook School Shooting, and representing Moms Demand Action —and Dave Hayes, former Estes Park chief of police.
Hayes, representing the Colorado Association of Chiefs of Police, underscored the importance of appropriate training, noting, “It is important to the safety of the public, lawful concealed handgun permit holders, and responding law enforcement to require training.”
However, Ian Escalante, Director of Operations for the Rocky Mountain Gun Owners (RMGO), criticized the bill as an unnecessary burden that would make obtaining a concealed carry permit harder.
“This bill seeks to find a solution to a non-existent problem,” argued Escalante, insisting that “most places that offer concealed carry permit courses go above and beyond the bare minimum of this bill.”
Alongside the argument that the bill is unnecessary, many voiced the concern that the bill would be a direct infringement on Second Amendment rights — an attack levied at other gun safety bills under consideration at the Capitol, including a ban on the sale and transfer of “assault weapons.”
Joel Miller, who identified himself as a deputized federal law enforcement officer, expressed strong opposition to the bill, stating: “You don’t want people with guns. Let’s just call it what it is. This is an attack on the Second Amendment. Make no mistake.”
As the hearing concluded, state Rep. Steve Woodrow (D-Denver) addressed the assembly: “Folks, the Second Amendment does not include the right to keep all arms. It says ‘bear arms.’ It is strange to me how the opponents of this bill fail to acknowledge the word ‘bear.’ It is not meaningless. As Justice Scalia wrote in Heller, like most rights, the rights secured by the Second Amendment are not unlimited. From Blackstone to the 19th-century cases, commentators and courts routinely explained that the right was not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever, in any manner whatsoever, and for whatever purpose.”
