The 2015 Colorado state legislative session got off to a fast start on 7 January with 117 bills introduced.
Here of a few of interest to many:
SB 15-039 “Concurrent Jurisdiction over certain Federal lands”.
Land issues have become important as states see the feds take over more and more of state land. Senator Kent Lambert and Representative Steven Humphrey have introduced SB 15-039.
Concurrent legislative jurisdiction is a term that is applied to circumstances where a particular state reserves to itself the right to exercise, concurrently with the United States government, all of the same authority possessed by the United States government with respect to a particular area.
Under the bill, “the state retains a concurrent legislative jurisdiction with the United States under the laws of the state in and over all USFS lands and BLM lands within the state”
The Feds control approximately 36% of Colorado lands with other Western states having much more under federal control. This seems to be a good first step in taking back what is ours.
Day 1 of the 2015 State Legislature saw four 2nd Amendment bills introduced.
SB15-032 Lift Restrictions On Carrying Of Firearms
Senate Sponsor Vickie Marble
The bill allows a person who legally possesses a handgun under state and federal law to carry a concealed handgun in Colorado (without a permit). A person who carries a concealed handgun under the authority created in the bill has the same carrying rights and is subject to the same limitations that apply to a person who holds a permit to carry a concealed handgun under current law.
HB15-1009 Repeal Large Ammo Magazine Ban
House Sponsor Stephen Humphrey. Senate Sponsor Chris Holbert – Co-Sponsors: Lorie Saine, Perry Buck, Justin Everett, Patrick Neville, Paul Brown)
The bill repeals statutory provisions prohibiting the possession of large-capacity ammunition magazines and requiring identification markings to be placed upon large-capacity magazines that are manufactured in Colorado.
HB15-1049 Deadly Force Against Intruders In Businesses
House Sponsor: Justin Everett—Co-Sponsors Perry Buck, Steven Humphrey, Patrick Neville, Dan Nordberg Representative Lori Saine, Senate Sponsor Grantham – Co-Sponsors Chris Holbert, Vickie Marble, Neville T., Laura Woods
The bill extends the right to use deadly force against an intruder under certain conditions to include owners, managers, and employees of businesses.
HB15-1050 Repeal Gun Transfer Background Check Requirement & Fee
House Sponsor Janak Joshi Co-Sponsors Lori Saine, Paul Brown, Justin Everett, Steven Humphrey, Gordon Klingenschmitt, Kim Ransom
Senate Sponsor – Laura Woods
The bill repeals the requirement that before any person who is not a licensed gun dealer transfers possession of a firearm to a transferee, he or she must require that a criminal background check be conducted of the prospective transferee and must obtain approval of the transfer from the Colorado bureau of investigation (CBI). The bill repeals the requirement that CBI impose a fee for performing an instant criminal background check pursuant to the transfer of a firearm.
SB15-019 Health Exchange Audit
Representative Dan Nordberg, along with State Senators Sonnenberg and Jahn, has again introduced a bill to audit the Colorado State Healthcare Exchange. It is no secret the exchange has been plagued with major cost overruns and multiple, costly technical issues and questionable hiring practices all made worse by a lack of transparency. This lack of transparency was encouraged and allowed to continue as a matter of policy by a few Democrats who last year killed the transparency bill in a Senate committee after passing the House with wide bi-partisan support.
From Bruce Parker of the Vermont Watchdog, “Gruber model errs in Colorado as Vermont prepares to rely on data:”
“In 2011, following Colorado’s decision to set up a state health exchange for Obamacare, the state hired (Jonathan) Gruber to forecast enrollment trends from which the state and federal government could estimate costs.” “Gruber’s Medicaid enrollment error means Colorado’s cost estimates for Medicaid expansion are presently off by about $800 million.”
That is an additional 800 million dollars the taxpayer is responsible for over the erroneous initial projections.
It is clear to any honest observer the Colorado State Healthcare Exchange must be audited. The taxpayers of Colorado are footing the bill for a system which is failing by any reasonable measure. Citizens are being forced into a healthcare system not of their choosing by a federal government and now state government acting in ways which are destroying quality healthcare.
Last year’s refusal by our state legislature to open the system to scrutiny cannot be tolerated as the massive fiscal costs become known and our quality of care is forced into decline.
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Don Rodgers has been an influential political activist and leader in Colorado for 8 years. He is the founder, leader, and organizer of the local 9-12 Project Pikes Peak Patriots, and a military veteran. Find Don on Twitter and Facebook.
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