We need to act FAST to save SB 34

Republican Senators Kester and Taylor join anti-gun Dems to strip SB34 of pro-gun amendment

In surprise action on the Senate floor today the Democrats brought up SB34, Sen. Morse's bill to strip citizens of the right to use other state's permits to carry in Colorado if they aren't a resident of the permit issuers' state.

Remember that last week, State Sens. Dave Schultheis and Greg Brophy heroically charged the hill for gun owners. They offered what is commonly known as a "strike below" amendment to gut anti-gun SB34 and replace it with pro-gun language.

The pro-gun amendment, which passed on a preliminary standing vote, would have given Colorado a "Recognition" law, which means Colorado would accept concealed carry permits from any state, regardless of whether they accept ours. Three Democrats joined all of the Republicans to surprise the Democrats -- including the sponsor. They quickly pulled the bill off the table in an attempt to salvage their anti-gun scheme.

That was one week ago.

Today, however, the anti-gun Democrat leadership found two surprise allies in "Republican" Sen. Ken Kester (Las Animas) and Sen. Jack Taylor (Steamboat Springs). On a standing vote today, Kester and Taylor voted with the majority of Democrats to return SB34 to it's anti-gun state.


Known as liberal Republicans, Sen. Ken Kester (Las Animas) and Sen. Jack Taylor (Steamboat Springs) voted with Denver Democrats to gut reciprocity agreements and advance anti-gun legislation.

According to capitol insiders Democrat Sen. President Joan Fitz-Gerald pressured the two Republicans to abandon their party and vote with her anti-gun caucus. Apparently, that pressure worked, as both well-known liberal Republicans sided with Denver Democrats to advance this gun control measure.

It should be noted that both Kester and Taylor come from extremely pro-gun districts. Both, however, have a history of voting for anti-gun amendments.

As early as tomorrow SB34 will be heard on Third Reading, which is our last shot at changing or killing this legislation in the Senate. An Amendment will be offered to replace the existing anti-gun bill with the Schultheis/Brophy pro-gun Recognition language.

Please call Sen. Kester at (303) 866-4877 and Sen. Taylor (303) 866-5292 and urge them to vote pro-gun this time.

I just received this e-mail from RMGOs, second hand:

Quote:

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This morning the Colorado Senate took up 3rd reading on Senate Bill 34, which is an attack on Colorado's concealed carry
and reciprocity system.

Earlier in the week GOP Sens. Jack Taylor and Ken Kester stabbed gun owners in the back by voting with anti-gun Dems to
remove the pro-gun language added by Brophy and Schultheis.

This morning, Kester and Taylor took their backstabbing to another level in voting against gun owners again on that
amendment and then voting directly FOR passage of SB34.

Sen. Greg Brophy offered the amendment to strike all the language in the bill and replace it with "Recognition" language,
which would mean Colorado would recognize any valid permit from any state in the nation.

Brophy's amendment failed, with Dem Sens. Hagedorn, Taylor and Tochtrop voting against their party and with gun owners, and
Kester and Taylor joining the anti-gun side.

The Senate then voted to send the bill to the House.

We'll have a chance to kill this vile bill in the House, so standby to apply pressure there.

Dudley Brown
Executive Director

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