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On Wednesday, both chambers of the Colorado legislature approved four serious gun-control measures after months of debate. Recently, Colorado had experienced two of the most devastating mass shootings in U.S.
The measure that faced the greatest opposition is one that bans ammunition magazines holding more than 15 rounds. Governor John Hickenlooper has already said that he would sign it into law.
Rhonda Fields, the sponsor of the magazine-limit bills said during a floor debate on Wednesday that the proposal was about saving lives. She further added, “These are weapons that should be used in a theater of war and not in our local theaters.”
A gunman had killed 12 people in a mass shooting last July in her district.
Colorado had also witnessed a massacre at Columbine High School in 1999 when two teenagers killed a teacher and 12 other students before they committed suicide.
The other measures over gun-control that were approved by Colorado lawmakers included one where firearm buyers would have to pay for their own background checks and a ban on online certification for concealed-carry permits.
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The fourth gun-control measure cleared by the Colorado lawmakers bars people convicted of domestic violence crimes from purchasing guns.
While a measure requiring compulsory background check for gun purchases and all firearms transfers was sent to the conference committee, on the federal front, a divided Senate Judiciary Committee advance to the Senate a measure requiring criminal background checks for all gun buyers.
After the approvals were passed by the lawmakers, Republican House minority leader Mark Waller issued a statement saying the Democrats were “out of touch” with their own constituents.
Waller’s statement mentioned, “More than 200,000 Coloradans are out of work but Democrats are more concerned with passing legislation that will send hundreds of jobs out of our state without any increase in public safety to show for it.” Waller’s statement referred to Magpul, a Colorado-based ammunition magazine manufacturer who has threatened to leave the state and make hundreds of people in Colorado jobless, if the lawmakers passed the magazine-limits bill.
