Steven Mace
02-25-2002, 03:44 AM
Conceal carry gun plan favored
Poll: 63% say they back state permit
By John Sanko, News Capitol Bureau
Coloradans support the idea of a statewide plan for sheriffs and police chiefs to use in issuing permits for carrying concealed weapons.
Sixty-three percent of those responding to a Rocky Mountain News/News4 Poll said they favor a conceal carry law similar to a bill already killed in the Senate this year, but still alive in the House.
Thirty percent opposed the concept and 7 percent were undecided or did not respond. The findings were similar to a poll a year ago in which 67 percent supported such legislation and 24 percent were opposed.
The poll was conducted for the Rocky Mountain News and News4 by Talmey-Drake Research & Strategy of Boulder.
The gun issue was one of six legislative bills on the poll. The poll showed people generally oppose a longer bear hunting season and would support legislation making it illegal to clone human beings.
They also think stiffer penalties should be imposed for animal abuse; want to strip students of in-state tuition and financial aid if convicted of rioting, and support sealing the court proceedings in divorce cases.
Currently in Colorado, sheriffs and police chiefs set their own standards for issuing conceal carry permits. In some jurisdictions, most applicants are turned down. In others, permits are relatively easy to get.
Proposed legislation would require sheriffs and police chiefs to issue permits to law-abiding citizens who could legally purchase handguns under federal law, pass a background check and take a training and safety course.
Gov. Bill Owens appealed to legislators earlier this year to enact statewide standards after the police chief in Stratton began issuing permits to anyone in the state who wanted one.
"You can sit on the steps of the state capitol today and issue permits to everyone, everywhere, with no charge," said Sen. Ken Chlouber, R-Leadville, whose conceal carry bill was killed in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He expects an identical bill to win approval in the House.
But Sen. Doug Linkhart, D-Denver, who voted against the Chlouber bill, said he could get just as much support with a question that poses the other side of the issue.
"I look at it from the other side," Linkhart said. "When I ask should Denver's police chief be required by the state to give concealed weapons to anyone who qualifies, they said no. The reason a lot of us are voting no is for local control, and I think people do support local control."
Pollster Paul Talmey said the public has been fairly consistent in its support of a statewide permit law. He said the slight difference in percentages from last February is not significant, despite arguments this year linked to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
"On the one side, you have people saying you shouldn't sell guns or have guns because terrorists can get them," Talmey said. "On the other hand, you have people saying they should get guns to fight terrorists. But it looks like the public in general thinks those are both silly arguments."
The issue getting the most support in the poll is legislation that would make it a felony crime for a second conviction of abusing an animal. Both the Senate and the House are considering bills imposing stiffer penalties.
Seventy-four percent of those polled supported such legislation, 16 percent opposed and 10 percent were undecided or didn't respond.
"People love their animals," Talmey said, noting all the publicity surrounding appearances by Westy, a cat, at the Capitol this year. "I think most people think what those kids did to that cat (setting it afire and tossing it out a car window) was atrocious."
February 23, 2002
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_999421,00.html
Steve Mace
Poll: 63% say they back state permit
By John Sanko, News Capitol Bureau
Coloradans support the idea of a statewide plan for sheriffs and police chiefs to use in issuing permits for carrying concealed weapons.
Sixty-three percent of those responding to a Rocky Mountain News/News4 Poll said they favor a conceal carry law similar to a bill already killed in the Senate this year, but still alive in the House.
Thirty percent opposed the concept and 7 percent were undecided or did not respond. The findings were similar to a poll a year ago in which 67 percent supported such legislation and 24 percent were opposed.
The poll was conducted for the Rocky Mountain News and News4 by Talmey-Drake Research & Strategy of Boulder.
The gun issue was one of six legislative bills on the poll. The poll showed people generally oppose a longer bear hunting season and would support legislation making it illegal to clone human beings.
They also think stiffer penalties should be imposed for animal abuse; want to strip students of in-state tuition and financial aid if convicted of rioting, and support sealing the court proceedings in divorce cases.
Currently in Colorado, sheriffs and police chiefs set their own standards for issuing conceal carry permits. In some jurisdictions, most applicants are turned down. In others, permits are relatively easy to get.
Proposed legislation would require sheriffs and police chiefs to issue permits to law-abiding citizens who could legally purchase handguns under federal law, pass a background check and take a training and safety course.
Gov. Bill Owens appealed to legislators earlier this year to enact statewide standards after the police chief in Stratton began issuing permits to anyone in the state who wanted one.
"You can sit on the steps of the state capitol today and issue permits to everyone, everywhere, with no charge," said Sen. Ken Chlouber, R-Leadville, whose conceal carry bill was killed in the Senate Judiciary Committee.
He expects an identical bill to win approval in the House.
But Sen. Doug Linkhart, D-Denver, who voted against the Chlouber bill, said he could get just as much support with a question that poses the other side of the issue.
"I look at it from the other side," Linkhart said. "When I ask should Denver's police chief be required by the state to give concealed weapons to anyone who qualifies, they said no. The reason a lot of us are voting no is for local control, and I think people do support local control."
Pollster Paul Talmey said the public has been fairly consistent in its support of a statewide permit law. He said the slight difference in percentages from last February is not significant, despite arguments this year linked to the Sept. 11 terrorist attack.
"On the one side, you have people saying you shouldn't sell guns or have guns because terrorists can get them," Talmey said. "On the other hand, you have people saying they should get guns to fight terrorists. But it looks like the public in general thinks those are both silly arguments."
The issue getting the most support in the poll is legislation that would make it a felony crime for a second conviction of abusing an animal. Both the Senate and the House are considering bills imposing stiffer penalties.
Seventy-four percent of those polled supported such legislation, 16 percent opposed and 10 percent were undecided or didn't respond.
"People love their animals," Talmey said, noting all the publicity surrounding appearances by Westy, a cat, at the Capitol this year. "I think most people think what those kids did to that cat (setting it afire and tossing it out a car window) was atrocious."
February 23, 2002
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0,1299,DRMN_15_999421,00.html
Steve Mace