Coloradans who want to carry concealed handguns could no longer get mail-order permits from other states under a bill that won initial approval Monday.
The legislation would close a loophole that allows Coloradans who don’t want to work through their local sheriff to get permits elsewhere, said its sponsor, Sen. John Morse.
The Colorado Springs Democrat said law enforcement officers don’t have the authority to yank the permits if they are issued by another state. “To me, that’s common sense,” Morse said.
Front Range Community College president Karen Reinertson told the Senate Judiciary Committee that a student with a Florida concealed weapons permit was suspended for two semesters when fellow students saw the handle of his .40-caliber Glock in a hip holster.
It’s against school policy to bring weapons on campus, no matter which state issues the permit. But the incident highlighted the loophole, Democrats said.
Gun advocacy groups, including the Colorado chapter of the National Rifle Association, opposed the bill, saying it does not address a public safety issue that needs government intervention.
A change in the law could affect thousands of permit holders, said Robert Edmiston of the Firearms Coalition of Colorado.
But Boulder County Sheriff Joe Pelle said law officers should have discretionary authority about who in their community gets a permit to carry a concealed weapon. They often are the only ones who know whether the applicant is suicidal or is hallucinating about intruders, for example.
The legislation would clarify Colorado’s reciprocity agreement with 25 other states whose concealed weapon permits were vetted by the Colorado attorney general. Reciprocity was “meant for people traveling, not a way around Colorado laws,” Morse said.
Out-of-state permits for people on vacation in Colorado still would be valid. People who move to Colorado would have a 90-day grace period to get a Colorado permit.
The bill passed on a 4-3 partisan vote and is headed to the Senate.
Staff writer Jennifer Brown can be reached at 303-954-1593 or jenbrown@denverpost.com.
