CCW and NICS
There was a bill in Colorado to allow CCW holders skip the background checks. Makes sense to me, after all the entire CCW process is a more thorough background check. But the bill was killed:
A bill that would let concealed- gun permit holders skip federal background checks when purchasing firearms died Tuesday after a half-dozen law enforcement officials and anti-gun activists testified against it.
Opponents told members of the Senate Judiciary Committee the bill was an attempt to weaken a state law passed in 2000 by voters that requires background checks for all firearms purchases.
“The bill opens a big loophole,” said Tom Mauser, whose 15-year- old son, Dan, died in the 1999 Columbine High School shootings. A gun in the incident initially was purchased at a gun show and resold illegally to the gunmen.
“We shouldn’t put lives at risk to save a few bucks or to make life easier for gun dealers,” he said.
Ahh, the old emotional argument that has nothing to do with this law. Boy, that one’s tough to beat unless you, you know, point out that the CCW process is a big background check. So, Colorado trusts you to carry a gun but not buy one.
This, by the way, is another case of what anti-gunners mean by sensible gun control laws. This law was quite sensible in that it would have allowed those who have met the CCW criteria to forego a check and it would save the state some money by not having to run checks on those who have already been checked. It’s a good idea. Yet, the anti-gunners oppose any seemingly pro-gun bill, no matter how sensible it is, just to oppose it. Remember, they think DC’s complete ban on firearms is sensible gun control.
February 16th, 2006 at 3:30 pm
So a CCW holder won’t commit any crimes between the time they receive their permit and the time it expires?
Why should CCW holders be treated differently than other peasants? I thought we were all equal before the law?
February 16th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
If they do, I hope that the issuing authority is notified and revokes the permit.
To save the $ involved in the process. Obviously, a CCW holder would have been through a check.
February 16th, 2006 at 5:22 pm
If a CCW holder commits a crime, their permit can be revoked (I think — I’m not sure if it has to be a felony or misdeamenor or what). Without that permit, they would not be able to [legally] purchase a gun (and the background check would of course bar him from a purchase).
If a non-CCW holder commits a crime, then that should show up on his background check and he will not be able to [legally] buy a gun.
The point is, there is no difference in performing a background check a hundred times or performing it once if the individual has never committed any crimes. If the person has a CCW license and was convicted of a crime, the permit can obviously be taken away.