Colorado has significantly expanded gun rights with new concealed-carry legislation.

"A second bill Owens signed prohibits local governments from making gun control laws more restrictive than the state's..."

It would be nice for Iowa to follow suit. Not that I feel a need to carry a concealed weapon, but the local County Sheriff's department (who issues the permits) has made it all but impossible for people who legitimately have a need or desire to carry a concealed weapon to do so. Some people have made the sacrifice to take 5-$100 bills and stick it in their holster to meet the Sheriff's legitimacy requirements (carrying around large sums of cash) to carry a concealed weapon. I applaud Owens on the addition of this particular bill.

Tom Mauser, whose son Daniel died in the Columbine massacre, said the two bills will put more guns on the streets which will lead to more violence and death.

As usual another anti-gun person who thinks that ALL hand guns are dangerous. I am sorry this guy?s son was killed, but the kids who did it did not have permits for anything they had and permit or no they were bent on doing it. Once again it was people violating the law who killed his son and now all of us who legally own and carry guns are supposed to bear the weight of it. Sorry Mr. Mauser that?s not how America works. If you want a gun free society may I suggest Australia, but I suggest you check the statistics on violent crime before you pack to leave.

Expanded?

C'mon, Rand, you know better than that.

Anything the government "allows" isn't a _right_. No, they just aren't restricting the right specifically outlined in the Bill Of Rights as much as they used to.

Progress, definately.

But you *can't* expand a right by legislating it *more*.

We've been trapped into using language that justifies the gun-grabbers too often, we need to stop that.

Addison

Good for Colorado! Trust your citizens, what a concept! Lets drive as many nails in the coffin of the sham that is gun control as we can.

This is welcome. I live in Boulder County (but not in the People's Republic of Boulder itself), and these laws make it cheaper and far, far easier for me to get my carry permit.

They also regularize the law across the state, something that Denver's legislators absolutely hate (and are planning to sue over), introduce CCW reciprocity with other states, and pointedly clarify the citizen's right to open carry. And best of all, the bills absolutely forbid the creation or maintenance of registries of gun owners.

We're not back to full Second Amendment-Constitutionality yet, but this is a major win for freedom. Owens and the Colorado legislature deserve hearty congratulations.