Colorado To Expand Background Checks On Gun Buys

Movie theater massacre hovers over debate

Colorado is quickly proving itself to be among the toughest states on guns. Lawmakers have passed expanded background checks for private and online firearm purchases and sent the bill to the governor's desk for his expected approval, AP reports.

The bill was passed Friday in the Democratic-controlled House by a 36-27 vote, with only one Democrat opposing. Democrats in the Senate approved the bill earlier. And Gov. John Hickenlooper (D) will soon sign it. He called for the checks during this State of the State address in January.

In pushing for background checks Democratic lawmakers, who control the legislature, have repeatedly cited last July's shooting at a suburban Denver movie theater. James Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and injuring dozens more.

The measures about to become law include a limit on the kinds of high-capacity ammunition magazines Holmes is accused of using in the theater shooting. Other measures included expanded background checks on private gun sales and a new ban on gun ownership for people facing domestic violence charges.

Via AP.

Would these gun control measure have helped prevent the Colorado movie theater massacre?

[Arumizy]

So much for rights and freedoms, the right to privacy and the 2nd amendment.

[dances-weebles]

it has absolutely nothing to do with the 2nd amendment.

[wonka45ACP]

@dances-weebles
Not for the dead people.

[stepped_in_it]

HMMM....."the right to privacy". One one hand, I have privacy. In the other hand. I have the right to life. Let's see, which hand is more important...let me think!
And agree with dance, this has nothing to do with the second amendment. You should stop and read it sometime!!
As for this law and expanded background checks......it's all good, Why? Cause I ain't got nuthing to hide.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

Never thought a state like Colorado would be the first to secede from the Union. Bye bye Colorado. Don't let the doorknob hit you where the good Lord split you.

[Zazziness]

Checking to make sure a person hasn't been certified as crazy or a felon before giving them a firearm is not the end of the world. It's just plain common sense.

[Neo_NtheMatrix]

@Zazziness - Don't we already do that though?

[Medicinebow]

@Zazziness I certainly agree with you on this specific point. We already do this in Colorado.

[AntiPorcheria]

@Neo_NtheMatrix - Nope.

Right now we just "really check".

Used to be we just "checked".

Colorado is now going to "really, REALLY check."

(BTW: Love the drugs in the photo. A little left leaning shot at putting gun owners and drug abusers in the same league perhaps?)

[marine1]

I have a problem with the wording, "facing domestic violence charges" are we no longer innocent until proven guilty. Shouldn' a judge be the one to make that decision?

[DARSB]

Asking about Aurora, or even Columbine, misses the point. Expanded background checks is expected to prevent felons, the mentally ill or others prohibited from owning firearms from acquiring them.

[spluvsjp]

How does a background check prevent the mentally ill from owning a gun?

[DARSB]

@spluvsjp If (and it's a big one) the person has been involuntarily committed for psychiatric treatment that is a disqualifying condition.

[the_dude]

@spluvsjp

It doesn't / won't. All this gun control bs just gives the limp-wrist crowd something to do.

[Zazziness]

@spluvsjp Perhaps we should add a test:
1) Which of these is not like the other?
a) purple b) green c) blue d) intestines
2) Which of these is good with a nice Chianti?
a) fava beans b) the mailman's liver
3) Guns are to bullets as bows are to
a) quivers b) arrows c) kill! kill! Kill! KILL!

It would be a start.

[jessejaymes]

Maybe the Colorado shooting would not have happened with a serious background check. We won't know until we try. I have guns, won't take my guns, don't care how deep you dig in my background. Not worried about it.

[AnnieO]

I think the private sales should not include family exchanges. What do you think?

[Jim49418]

I just wonder if the Colorado shooter James Holmes, obtained his guns legally.

[stepped_in_it]

Agree. Dig into my background also. Got nothing to hide (except that one little tiny thingy...but, under court orders, I can't tell ya....lol)

[wonka45ACP]

@Jim49418
Well if he did it's "proof positive" that backgrounds don't work, because at the second he used them for the wrong reason he became what's known as a criminal.

[stepped_in_it]

@wonka45ACP HMMM......."wonder" and wish in one hand.......poop in the other. See which hand fills up first. Wishes and wonderment belongs in places like Disneyland, not the real world!

[DARSB]

In keeping with my annoying habit of injecting facts into a discussion, here are the 10 categories of persons forbidden under the 1968 Gun Control Act from owning a firearm - the same categories expanded background checks should detect:

Federal law establishes the baseline regarding the types of persons who are ineligible to purchase firearms. The federal Gun Control Act of 1968, codified at 18 U.S.C.§ 922, prohibits the sale of firearms to any person who:
1. Is underage;
2. Has been convicted of, or is under indictment for, a crime punishable by imprisonment for more than one year;
3. Is a fugitive from justice;
4. Is an unlawful user of or addicted to a controlled substance;
5. Has been adjudicated as a mental defective or committed to a mental institution;
6. Is an illegal alien;
7. Has been dishonorably discharged from the military;
8. Has renounced his or her U.S. citizenship;
9. Is subject to a court order restraining him or her from harassing, stalking or threatening an intimate partner, his or her child or a child of a partner or engaging in other conduct that would place an intimate partner in reasonable fear of bodily injury to the partner or child;
or
10. Has been convicted of a misdemeanor offense of domestic violence.

http://goo.gl/nBSDc

[stepped_in_it]

HMMM......all those against expanded, more extensive background checks.......which one of these 10 categories would you find acceptable to have and legally own a gun? During my recent gun purchase, the background check took less than 5 minutes. Even the police can't run a registration check in that short time and they have a "direct" line to those records.

[Medicinebow]

@stepped_in_it Most places have a dedicated person to do that and if you are 1st in line its a simple matter of running your name on the database. These are personnel whose only job is to run background checks and aren't answering 911 calls.

[DavidRobertson]

Another dumb idea from the liberal dolts. Good job, morons. At least you can "feel like you did something", even if it doesn't do anything useful.

[slov]

Yea that feeling will b short lived cause it want be long bfore some thug kills someone else and they b like I don't know why cause we have that new ban...they haven't come up w anything to address the prob jus sit around pissin an mouning.....guess they have to ban the type car they drive to the scene next..

[dances-weebles]

@slov you're right. i think that they should ban the purchase of pick-up trucks for anybody but farmers and construction workers.

[Jim49418]

@dances-weebles Yeah,.....but hoe are you going to pull your boat with a Prius?
:)

[dances-weebles]

@Jim49418 there are other types of car than the prius, you know. you don't need to stoop to riding around a farm vehicle.

[slov]

@dances-weebles yea didn't think of that...the bed of trucks can hold too much ammo....o geez u haul wil have to go out of business w all their box trucks. Man and since it takes a truck to pull my boat I guess it will get banned also cause it can be linked too a truck

[NormalFlora]

You gun hoarders are becoming Chicken Littles. A serious background check is A GOOD IDEA!!! Prove me wrong!!!

[Medicinebow]

I support background checks but should I have to do one for my son to buy him a firearm? He's lived with me all his life and I know his background. Some checks are unnecessary.

[NormalFlora]

@Medicinebow Sorry, there's no such thing as an "unnecessary" background check. Your son should get a kick out of it.

[stepped_in_it]

@Medicinebow No offense but that feeling is short sighted! Do you trust ALL parents to know their children? Or, for that fact.....any family member? You may be the greatest Father in the world, but, are all Father's the greatest?
This law isn't "just for you".....it's for all....because all can't be trusted!

[thumper11]

Your "feelings" are inconsequential. Private citizens are NOT subject to any government's administrative jurisdiction. Get used to disappointments.

[hwyangel]

The states with the least gun restrictions also have the least crime. And the opposite is also true. The states with most gun laws also have the most crime.

[Thunderchicken]

I think a lot of Colorado's situation is due to the Progressive two election strategy as detailed in the book "The Blueprint".

[marine1]

A liberals worst nightmare is waking up and finding out they they have to be responsible for their own well being.

[ErnestPayne]

It would help if all the other states had the same laws.

[miketost]

Get real folks!What did the cave man use to kill?A colt,smith and wesson ,an ar-15 .Those that choose to kill will thats just the way it is.The civil war left what nearly 800,000 dead not all by weapons but many from a single shot rifle.No law is going to stop stupid if it could we would be in a much better society.Kinda like going to a doctor today with a headache finding he recommends cutting of your head to relieve the pain.

[Jim49418]

We already have background checks. Most law abiding citizens that want to purchase a gun legally dont mind that, The issue is what percentage of gun related crimes are commited by people that went through the proper channels and purchased their gun legally?
Almpst every morning on the news there is a story or two about a shooting that happened over night. I highly doubt that any of those guns were used by people who purchased them legally, and had a background check.

[tomincali]

whats next track everyones whole family every living relative?

[Concerned_Cit]

Colorado is going to explode. Get ready for the fallout drifting downwind.

[Concerned_Cit]

Speaking metaphorically of course. The political fallout of these bills will be big next election cycle.

[wonka45ACP]

Colorado is obviously smoking some of that wacky stuff, did you read the entire article
from the source.

[Concerned_Cit]

@wonka45ACP yeah, the lawmakers there are having an orgy of lunacy. "Something is rotten in Denver!"

[AnnieO]

May I follow you on here?

[Concerned_Cit]

@AnnieO Sure thing.

[Sabio]

and why exactly are the drugs involved in the picture?

[wonka45ACP]

This bill as amended strikes an important balance between ensuring that the bill reduces the number of guns in the hands of criminals (while allowing all law-abiding citizens to purchase the guns of their choice,") state Senator Morgan Carroll said following Senate approval

what kind of talk is this?

[wonka45ACP]

I often speak before I think, but this gal' is thought to be at the top of her game, guess not.

[Grubby]

Just wait. The real massacre will be to Democrats in the Colorado government. I predict a Republican super-majority in both House and Senate, and a Republican governor next cycle.

[Politic-n]

Ridiculous laws, just stepping stones for total gun bans.

[thumper11]

Here’s the ONLY gun law that is ever needed:
Compel the Dept. of Justice to compile a list of all convicted felons who have not had their rights re-instated, and keep it current. Then provide that list to all licensed firearms dealers – prohibiting them (under penalty of law) from knowingly selling guns or ammo to them. The only burden on the purchaser, would be to show ID - but only to the extent that his State government requires ID in order to vote. Walk in with cash - walk out with a gun - except for felons. And if they published the felon-list, then even private citizens could check it when selling a gun.

[ZombieMedic]

Excellent Idea!!!!!!! But of course that doesn't fit the gun grabbers goal of registering all guns so they can be banned and confiscated.

[Quantummist]

Quote of the Day: "To Congress concerning Gun Bans..... If you make millions of law abiding citizens felons we will act accordingly"

[ZombieMedic]

Good quote, here is another though not my own. "There’s no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. When there aren’t enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws."

[Matt89]

The "Might" is more than enough for me. This is real life not the movies. This world isn't perfect but every step and measure to insure safety should be taken.

[Politic-n]

They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety. - Benjamin Franklin

[Matt89]

@Politic-n
“The world as we have created it is a process of our thinking. It cannot be changed without changing our thinking.”
― Albert Einstein
Why do we continue to follow the words of a group of men who drafted the constitution without the ability to see the future. It's time for change.

[mwr]

@Matt89 you are quoting a lead builder of the 1st WMD used in the history of the world to support yoru desire for gun control? Most of us quote the men who drafted the consitution because the document and principals have lasted over 200 years. Longer than any sitting government inthe world. Maybe you think the modern documents of the EU are working better ........ If the American people truely wanted gun contorl there would be a drive for and amendment to repeal the 2nd but that will never happen in a Free America.

[Matt89]

@mwr There's a Free America? Lol I find it hilarious that the same people who cry for protection and safety aren't willing to pay for it. I believe there is a such a thing as too much freedom and we've begun to tip over. Too much freedoms in some areas with little freedom in others.

[Matt89]

@mwr I wholeheartedly believe our founding fathers expected the constitution to change over time