On the subject of the highly debated “red flag” gun bill, I have stated before that the will of the majority often overrules the noise of the minority.
Unfortunately, in line with the common theme of the current legislative session, the majority has proceeded to use its bully pulpit to move forward with bills that if addressed through bipartisanship, would have addressed the real issues of Colorado.
Simply put, an opportunity to address the issue of mental health was missed with the procedural strike-down of two Colorado Senate amendments that would have protected Coloradans, our law enforcement officers, victims of potentially violent crime and our citizens from violation of due process rights.
Soon to be signed by the Governor, the “red flag” bill has inherent issues in due process and will result in dangerous situations for our law enforcement and impending violation of the rights of Coloradans. This is why so many members of the law enforcement community and over half of Colorado’s counties have declared their opposition to this legislation. Let me be clear: I side with our law enforcement, our judges and our counties in opposition. In fact, bills similar to this have been opposed by constitutional watchdogs in several other states because they sought not to protect potential victims and aid the mentally ill, but to chip away at the rights of our citizens guaranteed under the Second, Fourth and Fifth amendments.
As I stated on the floor of the Senate, a gun like any other source of power can be used for good or for evil. It is neither within itself; it is solely dependent on who possesses it.
That is why I supported two attempts to refocus this legislation away from the firearm and to the route of the problem, mental illness. These two amendments, both lost to procedural rulings, would have required mental health examinations to be conducted and affirmed in front of a judge in order to issue an Extreme Risk Protection Order and a subsequent 72-hour psychiatric hold should a psychologist deem necessary.
This process, ladies and gentlemen, would have ensured those among us suffering from mental illness would receive the treatment needed to eliminate the threat to themselves and those around them. Had these amendments been agreed to, we would have had a piece of legislation that addressed the true problem and easily passed both chambers. Instead, it passed the Senate in a razor-thin vote with all Republicans and the president of the Senate voting no.
On this issue politics, not good policy, has triumphed in the state Legislature – a truly sad state of affairs.
In a change of decorum, there have been bipartisan victories in the last two weeks. The state budget passed through the Senate at a land speed record of three hours, ensuring our budget is balanced and all necessary programs are funded.
I was happy to work in a bipartisan effort to secure children with autism on the list of approved patients for the use of medical marijuana, an effort that was thwarted by the governor’s office last year. I am currently working to ensure the safety of our children on their way to and from school using existing taxpayer funds and I look forward to the continued help of the Senate president to make the School Bus Safety Act a reality.
I will continue to fight for the values of the Western Slope in the remaining days of the Legislature and as always am happy to hear from you. Please, if you find your self close to the Capitol building, stop by and say hello. I am always available for questions or concerns. Contact me at don@doncoram.com and I will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
Don Coram, a Republican from Montrose, represents State Senate District 6.
