Colorado: Vital NRA-Backed Bills Pass in House Committee

Last night, after extensive testimony in support of NRA-drafted bills, House Bill 1048 and House Bill 1064 passed in the state House Judiciary Committee by a 6 to 4 vote.  With an understanding that the Second Amendment rights of Colorado’s citizens necessitate continued protection and increased safeguards, we applaud committee members who voted “Yes” yesterday.

HB 1048, introduced by state Representative Mark Waller (R-15), would eliminate the duplicative and broadly disqualifying state-run Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) InstaCheck system for the purchase of firearms and solely utilize the existing National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).  By removing the CBI InstaCheck, HB 1048 would no longer unnecessarily preclude law-abiding citizens from exercising their Second amendment right to purchase a firearm and also save the taxpayers of Colorado $1.9 million in unnecessary state expenditures.

HB 1064, introduced by state Representative Amy Stephens (R-20), would prohibit the state or any government agency, during a declared state of emergency, from prohibiting or restricting the otherwise lawful possession, use, carrying, transfer, transportation, storage, or display of a firearm or ammunition; seizing or confiscating a lawfully possessed firearm, or requiring registration of a firearm or ammunition for which registration is not otherwise required by law.

HB 1048 will now go to the state House Finance Committee due to its $1.9 million fiscal note and HB 1064 will head to the House floor sometime next week.  We greatly appreciate your countless number of telephone calls and e-mails in support of these bills and we will continue to need your help moving forward and keep you informed accordingly.  Please continue to check www.NRAILA.org and your e-mail inbox for updates as these bills.