A package of Democratic gun-control bills passed the Colorado Senate on Monday in an emotional debate that contrasted images of civil disobedience with dead children, reports the Denver Post. The Senate passed five bills Monday — two House bills that must go back to the House, two Senate bills that must go to the House and a House bill that now goes to Gov. John Hickenlooper’s desk. That last bill would require gun purchasers to pay the costs of their own background checks, and Hickenlooper, a Democrat, has said he would sign it.
Each side claimed to be working on behalf of ordinary Coloradans. “Within the Capitol, it was a tough fight. Outside of the Capitol, we had the majority of Coloradans on our side,” said Senate President John Morse, a Colorado Springs Democrat. “These bills do not take firearms away from anyone who can legally have one. The political scare tactics have zero truth behind them. These bills are reasonable policies that respect Second Amendment rights, while helping to keep Coloradans safe.” Many Republicans referred to the involvement of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, whose organization, Mayors Against Illegal Guns, pushed for several of the bills.