Top Senate Democrat silent on his position

A bill aimed at removing guns from people who pose an extreme risk to themselves or others is set for its first hearing Friday in the Colorado Senate. With Democrats holding a slim 19-16 majority there, the question isn’t whether they can win Republican support for the bill but rather whether it will have the support of their own leader, Senate President Leroy Garcia of Pueblo on the bill. Called the “red flag,” or extreme risk protection order[1], bill, it would let law enforcement, a family member or a household member petition a judge for the removal of a person’s firearms for up to one year. Garcia, a Marine with a mixed voting record on gun control bills, won’t say where he stands on it. He turned down an interview request from The Denver Post, referring the paper to a noncommittal public statement he released soon after House Bill 1177 was introduced: “I recognize this conversation is difficult, but it is one we need to have and an issue we need to address. We must protect the most vulnerable while respecting law-abiding citizens. “I look forward to continued conversation with Majority Leader (Alec) Garnett and Coloradans to ensure that we find the best policy for Colorado.” Garcia voted for universal background checks during the 2013 legislative session but voted against the other three gun control bills[2] Democrats passed that year: making gun owners pay for those checks, limiting the number of bullets in a magazine and prohibiting concealed carry on college campuses. And he has voted with Republicans[3] to repeal that magazine limit. Democrats have a 19-16 majority in the Colorado Senate, which means they can only lose one vote if they are to pass the bill without Republican support. Both Garnett and Senate Majority Leader Steve Fenberg, D-Boulder, have remained optimistic throughout the process

Read more from our friends at the NRA...