Seven statehouse Democrats sided with a controversial expansion of Colorado’s “Make My Day” law to push the Republican-sponsored self-defense measure a step closer to becoming law today.
The measure passed the House on second reading, 33-32.
The bill says you can kill someone without penalty at your business if the person instills a “reasonable fear of imminent death or serious bodily injury.” Colorado’s Make My Day law applies only to home invasions.
Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Yuma, is calling his proposal the “Stand Your Ground” or “Make My Day Better” law.
“We have to stop treating the victim like the criminal,” he said.
Opponents said the measure is unnecessary because Colorado already has self-defense exemptions in the law books. Also, they said the bill is too vague.
The measure says that “if you feel the slightest bit of threat, you are justified in using deadly force,” said Rep. Terrance Carroll, D-Denver.
Rep. Rosemary Marshall, D-Denver, said the measure “is a license to kill anybody who looks different than you do.”
