Marathon Session For All Gun Bills At The Colorado Capitol

Gun rights advocates flocked to the state capitol Monday to try and block seven Democratic gun control proposals moving through the statehouse.

Update 6:57 a.m. 03/05/2013: after a long late session, all seven bills passed on party line votes to clear their committees.

You can read more on the bills' passing and the days events with Tuesday's post.

Our original post continues:

In what’s expected to be a marathon task, state senators are hearing testimony on all the measures in one day. Hundreds of second amendment advocates jammed the capitol’s halls and filled all overflow rooms. Honking cars circled the building and a plane even flew above with a banner saying, “Hick, don’t take our guns.”

Four of the bills have already cleared the Democratic controlled house.

Of the three new bills, the most controversial could hold sellers and manufacturers of assault weapons liable for shootings. The other would require domestic violence offenders to surrender their guns. And finally there’s a bill to require in-person training for concealed weapons permits.

As the measures gain momentum, opposition mounts. Opponents say the bills violate the second amendment and won’t reduce violence. Supporters argue the state needs to crack down on assault weapons in the wake of deadly shootings in Connecticut and Aurora.

As of the publishing of this story, the first of the bills had passed the Judiciary committee.

Update 3:12 p.m.: The Denver Post is reporting that universal gun background checks bill passes the committee by a 3-2 vote.

Update 5:42 p.m.: The bill for payments for background checks has passed, also by a 3-2 vote according to the Denver Post on Twitter.

Update 5:56 p.m.: