The third of three bills intended to address gun violence in Colorado cleared a state Senate panel on Tuesday, with emotional testimony from gun control advocates and, for the first time, opposition testimony from U.S. Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Silt.
Senate Bill 256 would repeal a 2003 law that bars local governments from enacting stricter gun control laws than the state standard. Known as pre-emption, sponsors noted that there is a precedent for the law, one enacted in 2003 that allowed concealed carry weapons in certain public places, including college campuses, even in communities where concealed carry isn’t legal.
SB 256 specifically allows local governments to enact laws to ban concealed carry weapons in their jurisdictions, and that’s what drew dozens of witnesses to testify against the bill, more than those who testified against two previous gun control bills passed in House committees last week.